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Japan to undergo 1st U.N. disabilities committee review in August

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If the review is conducted properly and in consideration with all the available evidence (a big "if") this would not end well for Japan. There are a lot of improvement to be made in order to put Japan at a level similar to other first world countries, and the eugenics incident is just the most visible of the problems that are still in need to be solved.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

So, what does this mean? What reports, submittals, and observations will be discussed in August? And what will happen afterwards?

All good questions.

Start with Japan's treaty obligations that were cited in the article.

The Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) monitors implementation of the treaty obligations, Convention by the States Parties. (https://www.ohchr.org/en/treaty-bodies/crpd).

Japan is being reviewed under the treaty. As will be the other countries who signed on. Japan submitted a report, and the CRPD responded with a list of issues to the initial report of Japan. Various organizations have also submitted observations and recommendations to CRPD for this review process.

There is quite of bit of information for just one JT comments, so here is a link to the 14 documents that have been provided to the CRPD and are currently available to Japan's August review:

https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/TBSearch.aspx?Lang=en&TreatyID=4&CountryID=87 .

In particular, I refer you to the CRPD's list of issues that were provided to Japan, at:

https://docstore.ohchr.org/SelfServices/FilesHandler.ashx?enc=6QkG1d%2fPPRiCAqhKb7yhsox6sZe%2fik6d3iDJzISRPhueiWtjwO%2fczTMPvaDsldH6sI9jloYPv72ZC%2f0%2fqcf1yKGm%2fcM7SpX5cX5hWfidmD4S5YxdtdRtOxV%2f879D3BDd.

Several Civil Society Organization submittals deserve to also be reviewed after you are done with the reports: particularly those from the Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children (remember today's JT Have Your Say question, asking for your views on parents hitting their young children as a means of punishing or disciplining them? Here is why; also look for the phrase, "it is not yet fully prohibited in the home"). Also the Organization for the Rights of Children with Disabilities, Japan (RCDJ) submission (look for “the national flag and national anthem” in school education, as well as "restrain and violate rights to sexuality education" along with "gender-free and sexuality education"). All currently available at the above link, along with much more.

All of this coming soon. August, to be exact.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

One other short note. Remember the JT article of May 29 06:22 am JST, in the National section, entitled, Japanese society begins to grapple with microaggressions? And my comment of May 29 10:10 am JST, towards the business (human resources, really) angle of microaggression in a disability context? Depending on what happens in August, your organization may wish to keep this on the radar screen in the fiscal years to come.

Planning and preparation are considered key assets where I come from.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

No teeth behind this as there's no penalty for noncompliance. If there were, about 90% of businesses in Tokyo alone would have to pay a fine for lack of accessibility. How many empty cases of sake and beer bottles have you had to walk over in order to reach the bathroom, at your afterwork parties in Shimbashi?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

We can review the recommendations and set up a working action group in 2035.

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I wouldn’t agree at all to your complaints. They have done much here and are doing much for disabled people. In addition, you have to consider the much lesser crime and violence rates in Japan. For example, my home country surely has more progress on paper rules, laws and in theory or for show, but I couldn’t afford to return because I wouldn’t make it for more than a few days with my almost invisible hemophilia disability. Whatever obstacles I have here, I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to survive, something that can’t be guaranteed to me in any European country, US or many if not almost all other areas of this planet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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