The trial in a murder case in which an elderly mother, who lived alone with her daughter who had a severe intellectual disability, will begin at the Tsu District Court on June 7th. https://barrierfreejapan.com/2021/06/06/tsu-district-court-to-hear-case-of-killing-of-daughter-with-a-disability-by-72-year-mother-with-an-illness/

On March 26, during a session on the budget, Japanese lawmakers with disabilities were able to cast a vote in person owing to a ramp that had been built in the House of Councillors in January. This was the first time in history a lawmaker with a disability could vote in person, before it had to be done via a House of Councillors staff member. Japanese disabled lawmakers vote in person for first time due to ramp installation: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2021/03/27/japanese-disabled-lawmakers-vote-in-person-for-first-time-due-to-ramp-installation/

Deck the halls with boughs of vaccine! So much of 2020 has been about the coronavirus – which does of course affect people with disabilities – but sometimes does make for a boring podcast, so I haven’t been making many recordings. However, I have mentioned a case of COVID-19 infection at a care home for people with disabilities in the link below: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/12/23/coronavirus-cluster-found-at-gifu-welfare-facility-for-people-with-disabilities/

The number of “unmanned stations” without station staff all day long has risen to more than 4,500 stations, which is close to half of the stations nationwide, and is still increasing. Article link: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/11/09/unmanned-train-stations-continues-to-pose-problems-for-people-with-disabilities-in-japan/

On the day of Nippon Television's "24-hour TV" that will broadcast on the 22nd to 23rd, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department main office said on the 21st that the suspect posted on Twitter phrases such as "Sprinkle Sarin." The suspect also stated that: "On the day of 24-hour TV, I will release sarin at the Budokan and kill a lot of people with disabilities." Article link: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/08/21/on-the-day-of-24-hour-tv-i-will-release-sarin-at-the-budokan-and-kill-a-lot-of-people-with-disabilities/

Arrested doctors knew Kyoto based woman with ALS seeking to end her life through SNS: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/07/23/arrested-doctors-knew-kyoto-based-woman-with-als-seeking-to-end-her-life-through-sns/ According to the Kyoto prefectural police department, the two suspects were not the woman's attending doctors and were unacquainted with her. They apparently got to know each other through social media.

I have not had Coronavirus, but my lack of podcasting is kind of ‘COVID-19 related.’ Barrier Free Japan: https://barrierfreejapan.com

Episode links: ‘900 Welfare offices for persons with disabilities closed throughout Japan due to COVID-19’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/28/900-welfare-offices-for-persons-with-disabilities-closed-throughout-japan-due-to-covid-19/ ‘Two employees at a Tokyo facility for disabled found to be infected with COVID-19 after ten were known to be infected’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/27/two-employees-at-a-tokyo-facility-for-disabled-found-to-be-infected-with-covid-19-after-ten-were-known-infected/

Episode links: As the disability welfare facility in Kanagawa Prefecture, where 19 disabled residents and 26 others were injured by Satoshi Uematsu in July 2016, is rebuilt in a new location, part of the name of the old facility “Yamayuri” was registered with the Japanese Sign Language Institute on March 27 so that the massacre is not forgotten. https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/18/name-of-care-home-where-disabled-residents-were-killed-and-injured-registered-with-japanese-sign-language-institute/

Episode links: Saitama Prefecture announced on April 12 that a total of 40 new coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the prefecture. In addition, at two facilities for the disabled, operated by a social welfare corporation in Tokorozawa City, a total of 10 staff members and users were found to be infected, and the prefecture was examined as a cluster. https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/13/40-new-covid-19-cases-confirmed-in-saitama-at-facilities-for-disabled-people/