Welfare services for persons with disabilities in Japan
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau
Department of Health and Welfare for Persons with Disabilities, Planning Division
Akira Otsuka
Definition of disability in Japan
A person with disability is anyone who is significantly restricted in his/her daily or social life
over a long period of time because of physical, intellectual or mental disability.
(Disabled Persons Fundamental Law)
Laws that support persons with disabilities
- Child Welfare Law (1947)
- Law for the Welfare of Physically Disabled Persons (1949)
- Mental Health and Welfare Law (1950)
- Social Welfare Law (1951)
- Law for the Welfare of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities (1960)
Recent initiatives in welfare services for persons with disabilities
| 1981 | International Year of Disabled Persons "Full participation and equality" |
|---|---|
| 1982 |
World Program of Action Concerning Disabled Persons Formulation of Long-term Action Plan Concerning Measures for Disabled Persons |
| 1983 | Start of the UN Decade of Disabled Persons |
| 1993 |
New Long-term Action Plan Concerning Measures for Disabled Persons Disabled Persons Fundamental Law |
| 1995 |
The Government Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities – A Seven-Year Normalization Strategy Mental Health and Welfare Law |
| 1997 | How the of Future Health and Welfare Policies for Persons with Disabilities should be. (Interim Report) |
| 1998 | Basic Structural Reform of Social Welfare (Interim Outline) |
| 2000 | Partial amendments of social welfare service laws |
| 2002 | New Disabled Persons Fundamental Law / Disabled Persons Plan |
