Do you think the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics will help make Japan a more inclusive and accessible society for disabled people, such as resulting in more barrier-free facilities, for example?

Has it for countries like Brazil, the UK, China, and the others who've hosted the Paralympics?

I'm going to be optimistic and vote yes.

@Maria - there is still a shocking lack of step-free access on the London Underground but they say they're working on it...

Doubt it.

Probably. Some small measures in the venues themselves, and some hotels. Otherwise, not an issue as this is really a minority. Still, if I was bound to a wheelchair, I would appreciate any improvements at all. As a normally enabled person, the irregularities of access and walking surfaces are a complete joke.

In the USA it took major legislation to get handicapped accessable buildings and it's an expensive retrofit. I don't think anything will happen in Japan without something similar. I'm surprised it hasn't happened just as a payoff to the construction companies. But I don't expect a change in Japan. People are far to busy trying to maintain their standard of living in spite of the economy to worry about strangers.

I have to admit, Japan has become much more handicapped friendly in the last decade or so, but it still has a long way to go. Handicapped people were never part of the original design of 99% of the infrastructure in Japan, which is why I still see station staff carrying wheelchairs up stairs at some of the busiest subway stations in Tokyo. Any accommodations made for the Paralympic Games will be done on a necessity basis only and will only include specific arenas and routes to them, many of which will be temporary retro-fits to be removed after the games. My vote is a huge NO!

Handicapped people were never part of the original design of 99% of the infrastructure in Japan, which is why I still see station staff carrying wheelchairs up stairs at some of the busiest subway stations in Tokyo.

Aye, it's hard to believe, in this day and age. My elderly relative is not disabled but has to use a wheelchair and navigating easy access is not always possible. I really hope this changes, Olympics or not.

No. It will force them to appear that way before the influx of visitors and cameras, then once those are gone it's back to the old days. Already a number of venues they created in Osaka to bid for Expo disappeared once they got it. There were a few free wi-fi relaxations spaces that are gone, for example. They'll play up how forward Japan is, then when the rolling stops, it's big jump back.

You MIGHT see private companies try to open up more. I know the government will 'ask' them to, but leave it optional. So it'll be up to them.

I'm voting 'Yes' as it fundamentally has to happen - and just because there are so many Japan haters here.

As a normally enabled person, the irregularities of access and walking surfaces are a complete joke.

I swear my legs are getting screwed up from walking/jogging on the slanted sidewalks by my house. I can't imaging how disabled people must feel.

it might help Tokyo for a couple of weeks, but to ask if it will make all of Japan more accessible is not possible. If it sparks a national interest that would be grand but it's hard to say there will be any lasting impact.

Japan = Stairs. There should be a monument to stairs in Japan. Signs that point to upstairs (not downstairs, those a different stairs!!!) The hilarity of stairs should be a Youtube channel. Maybe it's already there, I just didn't climb high enough

To the people that say no quit being so negative. Any improvement and more importantly awareness is a good thing. I know in Vancouver there were positive changes because of the Paralympic games.

Focusing on Tokyo and areas around there, yes. Unfortunately, I don't think the local governments are planing to promote more barrier-free on public facilities and others. Because they will not be able to benefit from the Olympic held on the metroplitan area.