Basic Programme for Persons with Disabilities

III. Basic directions of sector-by-sector measures

1. Promotion of Public Awareness

(1) Basic policy

The concept of a cooperative society in which all people with or without disabilities mutually respect their personalities and individualities should be disseminated. Campaign of public awareness involving a wide range of people should be carried out in order to improve people's understanding of disabilities and persons with disabilities.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Promotion of public awareness

In order to disseminate the concept of a cooperative society, campaign of promoting public awareness in cooperation with administrative organizations and private organizations like NPOs should be implemented. People's understanding of persons with disabilities should be improved through active utilization of IT, for instance development of the websites.
In cooperation with mass media such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines, campaign of promoting public awareness to improve people's understanding should be carried out systematically and effectively.

Campaign of promoting public awareness should be implemented mainly through inviting a wide range of persons including citizens, organizations of volunteers and organization of persons with disabilities to participate in such events as "Day of Persons with Disabilities" and "Week of Persons with Disabilities".

2) Promotion of welfare education

Welfare education should be proactively promoted to deepen people' s understanding of persons with disabilities through joint activities and other educational activities of elementary and junior high schools.

People's understanding should be promoted through delivering workshops and lectures, and through enhancing the library's collection of videotapes and films. To promote public awareness of local residents should be carried out in cooperation with organizations that provide welfare and health services such as welfare centres, rehabilitation consulting centres, child guidance centres, health centres, mental health and welfare centres.

3) Promotion of service providers' understanding of persons with disabilities

To promote public service providers' understanding, such as government employees, of persons with disabilities should be developed so that persons with disabilities can live safely and without anxiety in their respective communities.

4) Promotion of voluntary activities

To promote understanding of voluntary activities for school students and residents in the communities should be developed, so that such activities can be supported by them. Understanding and cooperation for social contributions by businesses should be promoted.

2. Livelihood support

(1) Basic policy

Based on user-oriented concept, establishment of a system for life support and enhancement of quantity and quality of services, in accordance with various individual needs, should be managed. System for realizing prosperous livelihood in the community for all persons with disabilities should be established.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Establishment of system for supporting user-oriented livelihood

a) Structuring the consulting support system available

To construct the consulting support system available, the care management system and training care managers, focused on various measures for supporting livelihood, should be developed. These consulting service systems should comprehensively meet the types of disabilities.

Provision of information about welfare services should be promoted, so that users can select program meeting their needs mostly. In particular, at prefectural level, information regarding various service providers should be databased and network for access to such database should be structured.

Families who are living with persons with disabilities should be supported. In particular, in light of supporting sound development of children with disabilities, provision of information about raising their children and counselling for the family should be promoted.

To develop and train counsellors for persons with disabilities should be promoted, so that there can be more counsellors available to meet various needs of persons with disabilities. Network of counsellors should be structured for utilizing services. System for 24-hour consulting through telephone should be disseminated, and implementing consulting services through Internet should be considered.

Special consulting support system for dealing with intractable diseases should be enhanced in order to eliminate worry and anxiety about remedial training and livelihood for persons with intractable diseases and their family.

Network of each level of prefectural government, administrative boundary of health and welfare for persons with disabilities and local governments should be structured in respect to livelihood support services provided by such public consulting organizations as child guidance centres, rehabilitation consulting centres and health centres, and local public organizations so that specialized counselling can be available for persons with disabilities within their respective communities.

b) Promotion of protection of the rights of persons with disabilities

In light of current situation of properties and human rights of persons with disabilities, utilization of program to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and system for supporting management of the assets, such as the Community Social Right-Protection System and Guardianship Systems for Adults to meet the needs of persons with insufficient judgment should be promoted.

To introduce a program for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities as part of welfare system and service in the communities should be promoted in order to deal with violation of the rights of persons with disabilities. To support the program for protecting the rights of persons with disabilities undertaken for them and related organizations should be considered.

c) Supporting organizations of persons with disabilities and activities of their own

To support opinions of persons with intellectual disabilities or mental disabilities should be demonstrated and considered properly should be strengthened. In particular, for the purpose of reflecting their opinions properly in various levels of administrative measures, to support persons with disabilities for their being involved in the process of making decisions should be taken into account.

To develop system that enables persons with disabilities to receive service of dispatching volunteers in accordance with their needs through training of volunteers should be promoted. To support persons with disabilities themselves to participate in the activities as volunteers should be also promoted.

2) Enhancement of in-home care services

a) Enhancement of in-home care services

In-home care services, such as home help service, should be enhanced both in terms of quantity and quality so that persons with disabilities can be provided in accordance with their needs. To achieve this objective, existing service providers should be effectively utilized and system for facilitating the entry of new service providers should be established.

Development and training of home-helpers should be implemented in a way of helping their better understanding of the types of disabilities.

For the purpose of leading prosperous life in respective communities, it is important that day-service for persons with disabilities should be available. To cater to such needs, the service should be enhanced through utilization of vacant classroom and other space in addition to regular day-service centre. Day-Service for severely disabled children should be enhanced.

b) Securing of living space

Group homes and welfare homes serving as living space for persons with disabilities in their respective communities should be enhanced both in terms of quantity and quality to enable persons with severe disabilities to utilize the facilities in accordance with their needs.

c) Promotion of independence and social integration

Measures taken for persons with disabilities, for instance provision of information, development of training programs and counselling should be promoted, in order to help them to lead self-reliant lives in their respective communities. In particular, counselling activities by persons with disabilities themselves, which are effective and important means of mutual assistance for persons with disabilities, should be further promoted.

Provision of service to promote social integration of persons with disabilities, such as training for daily activities, securing the means of communication, and assisting their going out should be enhanced so that they can live together with other residents in the communities as constituent members of the society and improve quality of life.

Utilization of assistance dogs should be promoted for further social integration of persons with disabilities.

d) Enhancement of measures for persons with mental disabilities

In-home livelihood support program and promotion of utilization of care management methods should be disseminated, so that persons with mental disabilities can lead their life in their respective communities to the full extent. In particular, necessary services should be developed so that some patients, if appropriate conditions are satisfied, can be deinstitutionalized and integrated into the society.

Various consulting systems should be developed in accordance with the needs of persons with mental disabilities and their family. Support for local governments that initiate counselling system by persons with disabilities should be considered.

e) To take measures in accordance with the types of disabilities

Measures taken for persons with severe and multiple disabilities such as deaf blind, persons with higher brain dysfunction and persons with sever behavioural disorder should be considered. Measures for supporting patients with intractable diseases and their families in the communities should be taken. Support for autism in accordance with its nature should be considered. System for supporting livelihood in the communities focused on centres for supporting autism and development should be enhanced.

3) Support for economic independence

Measures for employment and work, and independent life of persons with disabilities in the communities should be comprehensively supported with pensions, allowances and other assistances so that the concept of normalization can be realized and persons with disabilities can lead independent and qualified life in their respective communities.

In respect to income security for persons with disabilities who do not receive pensions, various programs should be developed from a broad perspective, including taking some welfare measures, while giving due consideration to the consistency with such existing system as contribution-defined pension.

In respect to such personal property as disability pension, support should be provided so that persons with disabilities can properly manage themselves through utilization of Guardianship Systems for Adults.

4) Restructuring of institutional services

a) Promotion of transition from institutionalization to community-based life

To promote transition from institutionalization to community-based life, respecting for their own wishes, establishment of technical assistance to promote their capacities of practical live in the community should be considered.

To change the attitude that "persons with disabilities should be institutionalized", understanding of associates for persons with disabilities and citizens toward welfare in the community should be promoted.

To promote transition from activities in day sheltered workshop to regular work, utilization of off-facility training and job coaching program set up in cooperation with relevant organizations should be promoted.

b) Reconsideration of function of the institutions

Substantial consideration should be taken regarding functions of the institutions.

Institutions should be restricted to those of really necessity judging from the local conditions.

Small day sheltered workshops and branch facilities should be arranged, and joint facility utilization beyond the boundary of types of disabilities should be promoted so that persons with disabilities can utilize institutions available.

Institutions for persons with disabilities should be regarded as important community resources serving as bases for various in-home services provided and utilized.

Special care methods responding to severity, multiplication, and aging of persons with disabilities should be considered. Approaches to disorder in higher brain dysfunctions and severe behavioural disorder should also be considered.

Downsizing of institutions and individualization of rooms should be advanced in order to improve their quality of life.

5) Promotion of sports, cultural, and artistic activities

In light of developing accessible environments for persons with disabilities to participate in various sports and cultural activities, promotion of accessible facilities for persons with disabilities and securing of instructors should be implemented.

In artistic and cultural performance and exhibition, various measures and arrangements should be implemented, including information services via captioned or voice guidance, discount of utility charges and admission fees.

National sport events, and artistic and culture festival for persons with disabilities should be enhanced. Sports, art and culture-related events held by private organizations should be actively supported.

Sports for persons with disabilities should be promoted under the leadership of Japan Sports Association for the Disabled. In particular, sports for persons with mental disabilities, which is lagging compared to those for persons with physical disabilities and intellectual disabilities, should be managed.

6) Research, development and dissemination of welfare equipment, and support for utilization

Provision of information on welfare equipment and development of consulting office should be promoted. In particular, network of information providing organizations and consulting organizations should be established so that specific needs for consulting service can be satisfied.

Training should be enhanced to improve the quality of specialists engaged in consulting service for welfare equipment.

Advanced research at the National Rehabilitation Centre for Persons with Disabilities and NEDO (New Energy Development Organization) for developing new welfare equipment should be promoted, and development of such equipment should be further advanced through cooperation with research institutes, universities and businesses. In order to disseminate the results of research safely and properly, standardization should be accelerated and proposal for international standardization should also be made.

7) Improvement of quality of services

In light of improving quality of services provided, system for self-evaluation should be further promoted through utilizing of "the common evaluation standards for services provided at facilities for persons and children with disabilities". Services objectively evaluated by third-party organizations should be considered.

To deal with complaints of services, existing system for settling complaints established by service providers and social welfare councils of prefectures should be positively disseminated and properly utilized.

8) Training and securing of specialists

To train people engaged in special counselling, support, and care of social welfare, such as certified social workers, certified psychiatric social workers and certified care workers, should be promoted. Specialists engaged in rehabilitation, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, speech therapists and home-helpers should be increased in number and enhanced in quality.

Special research on disabilities should be advanced, and specialized national institutes and other similar organizations should be actively utilized for developing and training personnel engaged in health and welfare of persons with disabilities.

3. Living environments

(1) Basic policy

To develop living environments in consideration of universal design that facilitates a comfortable life for all people should be promoted.

To this end, making living space such as homes, buildings, public transportation system and walking spaces accessibility should be promoted. Continuous accessible environments such as homes, transportation, and streets should be realized so that all people including persons with disabilities can live safely without anxiety and participate in social activities. Disaster prevention and anticrime measures should be advanced as well.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Promotion of accessible homes and buildings

To provide public rental houses for persons with disabilities with proper equipment and specification in accordance with their conditions and needs should be promoted, as well as formation of accessible housing stock.

Under "The Law in Respect to Promoting the Construction of Special Buildings that can be Smoothly Utilized by the Aged, Persons with Disabilities, etc.", accessible arrangements at buildings used by a large number of people are required. Guidelines for designers should be developed and announced publicly in order to make buildings accessible to all people including persons with disabilities. Government buildings with service counters should be made highly accessible in consideration of daily use by anyone including persons with disabilities.

2) Promotion of accessible public transportation system and walking space

In line with "The Law for Promoting Easily Accessible Public Transportation Infrastructure for the Aged and the Disabled" and guidelines for making passenger terminals and trains accessible, to make railway stations, bus terminals, passenger ship and airport terminals, along with rolling stocks, buses, passenger ships, and airplanes should be promoted. In respect to roads and streets, network of accessible walking space where all people can walk in safety and security be structured through developing the guidelines for smooth surface movement, building wide sidewalks and pedestrian areas, and research and development of ITS (Intelligent Transport System) for pedestrians.

In particular, project to make passenger terminals, roads, and other facilities around areas surrounding passenger terminals accessible should be promoted in a prioritized and integrated way.

In respect to securing of transportation for persons with disabilities who cannot use public transportation by themselves in the area that public transportation system service can not fully support them, proper measures should be developed, including alternative use of STS (Special Transport Service), in consideration of users' needs and unique condition of different communities.

Provision of unified information about transportation accessibility improvement in consideration of the types of disabilities should be advanced. People's understanding of needs of persons with disabilities can be promoted through dissemination and promotion of public awareness of transportation accessibility seminars that enable all people including persons with disabilities to use public transportation system smoothly.

Project to make parks and waterfront space accessible should be promoted so that all people including persons with disabilities can utilize comfortably.

3) Securing traffic safety

In line with "The Law to Promote Smooth Movement of the Aged, Persons with Disabilities, etc., through the Use of Public Transportation", the project to install voice-guided and other types of accessible traffic signals should be promoted.

To develop traffic signals and road signs in residential and commercial areas, where traffic accidents frequently occur, should be prioritized so that the number of vehicles passing through such areas can be reduced, and speed can be controlled, and traffic flows on the trunk roads can be smoothed, and traffic accidents can be prevented, and safe and smooth passing for persons with disabilities can be secured.

To utilize pedestrian-automobile separation signals that are alternatively used on the roads by pedestrians and cars depending on the time, providing information necessary for safe passing through utilization of mobile phones and development of PICS to extend time of green lights for pedestrians should be promoted. To install the signs and directions that are easily identified and understood by persons with disabilities should be secured.

4) Promotion of disaster prevention and anticrime measures

a) Measures against disasters

The slope conservation works, sabo works and measures against landslides and steep slope failures are strongly promoted in the dangerous areas of sediment-related disasters where many facilities were built for so-called vulnerable people in disasters like persons with disabilities who cannot evacuate themselves.

b) Disaster prevention measures for houses

Fire prevention measures should be promoted in cooperation with administrative organizations and social welfare organizations that recognize whereabouts of persons with disabilities and visit them regularly for fire prevention and medical checkups.

Technical standards of fire protection equipment used by persons with disabilities including the revision of the standards should be reconsidered.

Houses for persons with disabilities who cannot evacuate themselves, and public facilities and disaster-prevention facilities in consideration of persons with disabilities in case of emergency should be developed. Measures against disasters in the communities through establishing cooperative arrangements among autonomous disaster-prevention organizations and disaster-prevention network involving residents and fire departments should be promoted.

To provide information about disaster-prevention and guidance to persons with disabilities who cannot evacuate themselves should be established. Disaster-prevention programs, and practicing disaster evacuation drills in participation of organizations of persons with disabilities should be promoted.

Emergency communication system for fire department and the police through emergency call, facsimile and e-mail should be further promoted. To construct emergency communication system through e-mail or other appropriate means for persons with hearing disabilities and supporting the relevant private organizations should be promoted.

c) Anticrime measures

Emergency communication system for the police through emergency calls, facsimile, e-mail and other means should be further enhanced.

Measure for setting police officers who can use sign language at koban (police booths) should be continuously promoted.

To establish network of anticrime and prevention by local residents and police stations in the community, and to provide information about prevention of crime and assistance in case of accident to persons with disabilities should be promoted.

Anticrime system operated by private entities should be disseminated in order to alert and prevent crime and accident in the institutions of persons with disabilities and houses in which persons with disabilities live.

4. Education and training

(1) Basic policy

To provide attentive support in consideration of educational needs of each child with disabilities, thorough and systematic education and remedial training should be provided from infancy through graduation from school. Children with special needs attention in education and remedial training, for instance those with a Learning Disabilities, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, and autism, should be provided with appropriate educational support.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Development of consistent consultation system

According to growth stages of children with disabilities, relevant organizations provided effective support, developing support programs to meet the needs of each child allotting a portion of the role to each organization (individual support programs).

In view of the need for early interventions recognizing importance of roles played by families in such children's infancy, as well as appropriate support for independence and social participation after their graduation from school, consistent and effective consulting support system for such children and guardians assisting them should be developed covering from their infancy through graduation from school. Necessary support should be also provided to adolescent students.

As for mental disorder, joint support system for early detection should be established through cooperation among relevant organizations. To disseminate correct knowledge at school should be promoted.

2) Enhancement and diversification of functions of specialized organizations

Since disabilities have become severe, multiple, and diversified in recent years, the function of educational and remedial institutions should be enhanced so that such institutions may adequately play the role of educational and remedial centre in their communities, to respond to diverse needs of the community and children with disabilities.

As for special schools, in addition to educating students enrolled therein, their roles should be expanded to become centres of the education for children with disabilities in the communities providing consultation and support for guardians of children with disabilities in the communities and supporting systematically students with disabilities enrolled in the elementary and lower secondary schools.

Rehabilitation facilities for children with disabilities have useful and expert techniques to deal with not only children with disabilities in the facilities, but also with those living in the communities. Thus these organizations should be utilized for enhancing such services as short stay and home help services.

3) High-quality education and research

Skill and expertise in education, remedial training, and counselling of individual teachers and specialists engaged in remedial training should be improved through structuring system to enable to utilize specialists from outside the school and to enable schools to support children in a body and to cooperate systematically with relevant organization.

Since students' disabilities have become severe, multiple, and diversified, the current Teacher Certificate System for special education which is subdivided into the type of schools should be reviewed to effectively provide education meeting the needs of each child.

Development of advanced teaching methods and research on the system should be further advanced by the National Institute of Special Education and universities, and provision of information to disseminate the result of work smoothly should be promoted as well.

4) Promotion of social and occupational independence

To facilitate children with disabilities to be self-reliant socially and vocationally, support system to meet the needs of each child should be structured through developing an individual support plan for providing appropriate assistance to such children from a broad perspective of encompassing education, welfare, medical treatment and vocation.

Support should be enhanced both at schools and in the communities so that persons with disabilities can be provided with upper secondary education and higher education. Appropriate medical rehabilitation and remedial training primarily focused on improving activities in daily life should be provided to persons and children with severe disabilities living in their own houses, and their guardians should be encouraged to learn remedial techniques at home.

In order to increase opportunities for persons with disabilities to continue learning after graduation from school, educational organizations in the communities should coordinate other relevant organizations to play a leading role in supporting their lifelong learning.

5) Promotion of accessible facilities

In light of educational and remedial facilities utilized in public and providing appropriate services to persons with or without disabilities, accessible facilities should be promoted.

In light of developing appropriate environments of learning and living for students with disabilities, to develop information devices and equipment to back up such children's learning in addition to the facilities should be promoted.

5. Employment and work

(1) Basic policy

Since employment and work are substantial factors for independence and social integration of persons with disabilities, conditions should be developed to enable persons with disabilities to contribute to the society through working to their full content.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Broadening workplace for persons with disabilities

a) Promotion of measures focused on the employment quota system

The employment quota system which ensures the opportunities of employment for persons with disabilities is a central pillar for promoting employment of persons with disabilities and a strong supporting element to provide them with opportunities to be self-reliant and participate in social activities. The system should continue to be a central force to further promote employment of persons with disabilities.

Daily guidance to individual businesses should be enhanced and strict measures such as the issuance of orders to hire more persons with disabilities to businesses with low hiring rates should be applied. In order to encourage businesses to hire persons with disabilities, the system related to various grants should be improved for more effective utilization.

As for persons with mental disabilities, consideration should be taken to cover them under the employment quota system. To that end, a better understanding among the parties concerned should be promoted and necessary research and preparations should be made in connection with the application of this system, including the establishment of methods to assess and identify persons with mental disabilities and understanding of actual situations regarding employment of persons with mental disabilities. As for persons who have mental disabilities after they are hired, measures should be enhanced to promote their smooth return to the workplace and continuous employment.

The exclusion rate system will be phased down from the beginning of fiscal year of 2004 and totally phased out after certain period for preparation.

The exclusion personnel system for national and local governments should also be handled in a similar manner of taking into account the balance with what is practiced in private sectors.

Activities of promoting public awareness for businesses should be enhanced, and provision of information in respect to know-how regarding management of employment should be developed.

Employers' organizations are also encouraged to share know-how with businesses that are interested in managing employment of persons with disabilities through giving advice about the practices.

Measures for increasing employment rate of persons with disabilities should be considered by boards of education, taking into account the number of teaching licenses certified by persons with disabilities. To facilitate national and local governments to deal more efficiently with employment of persons with disabilities, a method to compute the effective employment rate through combining the figures of various administrative organizations concerned should be promoted so that they can seek employment easily in broader areas.

b) To broaden the boundary of jobs suited to capacities and types of persons with disabilities

Initiatives to employ persons with disabilities for the businesses that hire many persons with severe disabilities and special subsidiaries should be supported. Broadening the boundary of job suited to capacities and types of persons with disabilities through the accumulated know-how should also be developed. Various conditions for persons with disabilities to be treated appropriately in accordance with their capacities, and quality of employment life should be promoted.

Continuous support through grant system should be developed in order to encourage the efforts of businesses that hire many persons with severe disabilities.

To broaden employment of persons with disabilities through utilizing special subsidiary system and dealing with common works in the group companies should be promoted, and employment in the group as a whole should be also promoted.

c) Promotion of various forms of employment and working friendly to persons with disabilities

Dissemination of short time work and working at home increases opportunities for persons with disabilities to find jobs suitable for their capacities and the types of disabilities, therefore necessary support and environments should be developed.

Support program for short time work should be enhanced, considering the needs of persons with disabilities who are not quite ready to start full time work.

Utilization of IT for working at home should be advanced, considering the needs of persons with disabilities who have difficulty in commuting.

d) Promotion of employment through utilization of IT

IT should be utilized by persons with disabilities to the full content in the aspects of broadening job boundaries, diversifying forms of employment and work and developing their vocational capacities.

Development and dissemination of equipment and software enabling persons with disabilities to work should be promoted so that their job opportunities can be broadened. While considering the parts and types of disabilities, effective job training through utilizing IT should be offered so that they can learn how to operate supporting equipment.

To develop and support organizations that assist persons with disabilities to work at home through managing job orders and improving their skills should be promoted.

e) Revitalization of businesses that employ or provide work to persons with disabilities

In view of social significance of employing persons with disabilities, and considering the principles of government contracts such as competition, economical advantage and fairness, the method of taking into account for the businesses that hire many persons with disabilities and situation of achieving the employment quota system in public procurement should be considered.

f) Support for persons with disabilities in creating or running new businesses

To support persons with disabilities who are willing to create or run new businesses, necessary measures including those to facilitate financing start-up funding should be considered through researching the needs of persons with disabilities.

Measures of supporting persons with disabilities for establishing or creating nonprofit organizations like NPOs should be considered.

2) Promotion of comprehensive measures for support

a) Promotion of occupational rehabilitation stressed in cooperation with health welfare and education

To effectively implement promotion of employment of persons with disabilities, relevant organizations including welfare and education should promote measures covering all aspects of working life of persons with disabilities.

Vocational rehabilitation including persons with disabilities who have had disabilities in their youth or adulthood should be promoted in collaboration with general vocational centres for persons with disabilities, wide-area vocational centres for persons with disabilities and local vocational centres for persons with disabilities, making use of their respective advantages. Cooperation among medical, welfare, educational organizations should be strengthened. In particular, local vocational centres for persons with disabilities should cooperate with social welfare councils and health and welfare administrative organizations in implementing various programs including job coaching program and preparatory job training.

General vocational centres for persons with disabilities should promote research and development of vocational rehabilitation and other relevant techniques in accordance with the types of disabilities.

To integrate support for persons with disabilities in vocational and living aspects, support for persons with disabilities through Employment and Living Support Centres for Persons with Disabilities should be promoted.

b) Enhancement of measures for supporting persons with disabilities in transition to be employed

Transition to employment should be promoted through a number of phases including trial employment (trial employment for certain period of time), support at day sheltered workshops and support while they attend the schools for students with special needs and after they graduate from.

Trial employment program should be further implemented, through utilizing short-term job aptitude training so that employers' understanding of hiring persons with disabilities can be deepened and transition to regular employment can be promoted.

The function of day sheltered workshops and small-scale workshops should be appropriately implemented in order to lead persons with disabilities to be employed by businesses. Extra-facility job training should be arranged in a proper manner, through utilizing Employment and Living Support Centres for Persons with Disabilities and job coaching programs.

To promote employment of graduates from special schools, students with disabilities should be appropriately supported while they attend the schools and after they graduate from the schools in good cooperation with labour and welfare organizations through establishing an individual working support program for each student.

Necessary arrangement in the examination of higher education school should be made in order to ensure persons with disabilities to acquire various types of qualifications necessary for working.

c) Enhancement of human resources development of persons with disabilities

Vocational training for persons with disabilities those who wish to work for the first time, those who are working now and those who are forced to leave working should be promoted in order to help them find jobs at early stage through utilizing various human resources developments. Public awareness should be raised in order to help employers and citizens understand the importance of developing human resources of persons with disabilities.

As for human resources development for persons with disabilities, system for admitting persons with disabilities to general human resources development facilities and accessibility of the facilities should be further promoted.

As for persons with severe disabilities who are hard to be admitted in these facilities, special training program in accordance with the types of disabilities and degree of activity limitations should be set up for vocational training at human resources development centres for the disabled. At such centres, diversity of training needs resulting from severity; multiplication and aging of persons with disabilities should be considered. Trends in employment needs related to development of service economy and the information society, and reduction of exclusion rate system should be also considered.

Remote training system should be developed so that persons with disabilities can utilize IT-related training software distributed to persons with disabilities via Internet for career development available at home, and in particular persons with disabilities who have difficulties in attending public human resources development facilities should be encouraged to utilize this system.

To respond to diversification of job assignments resulting from the technological revolution and to improve vocational capacities, training for persons with disabilities who are current workers should be carried out. Consultation and assistance should be offered to employers and persons with disabilities in close cooperation with other relevant organizations so that effective human resources development for persons with disabilities who are current workers can also be implemented at workplace.

It is important for persons with disabilities to acquire high level vocational capacities and to be treated in accordance with their capacities. Therefore for the purpose of acquiring as many opportunities for training as possible, commissioned training through utilizing various human resources development including private-sector institutions and other organizations should be widely implemented.

Instructors from the private sector should be more actively made use of to respond to various training needs.

d) Protection of human rights of persons with disabilities in workplace

Appropriate measures should be taken by the businesses so that persons with disabilities should not be subjected to violation of human rights including discrimination against employment on the basis of disabilities.

6. Health and medical treatment

(1) Basic policy

Provision of programs such as appropriate health service, medical treatment, and medical rehabilitation for persons with disabilities should be enhanced and appropriate health and medical services could be offered if detection and treatment of diseases causing disabilities would be possible.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Prevention and treatment of diseases that are causes of disabilities

Appropriate prevention, early detection and treatment of diseases that are causes of disabilities should be promoted, and medical checkups from the stage of birth to the elderly should be also promoted to maintain and improve the healthy conditions.

a) Prevention and early detection of diseases that are causes of disabilities

Education, guidance, medical checkups and perinatal medical care for pregnant women and medical checkups for newborn babies and infants should be promoted according to the program of "Healthy Mothers and Children 21".

Prevention of chronic diseases, such as cerebrovascular disease and diabetes, should be also promoted according to the program of "Health Japan 21 (a campaign to promote people's health in the 21st century)".

Medical checkups at school, workplace and in the communities, and opportunities for consultation or counselling regarding diseases and other health-related matters should be enhanced.

b) Medical treatment for diseases that are causes of disabilities

Facilities and equipment related to perinatal assistance and medical treatments for infants, including maternal fetal intensive care units and neonatal intensive care units, should be developed.

For appropriate medical treatment of diseases that are causes of disabilities in particular mental diseases and intractable diseases, supporting system including provision of medical treatments through specialized organizations or medical facilities available or at home; securing appropriate treatment in hospitals; counselling and guidance through health centres, mental health and welfare centres, child guidance centres, counselling in the communities; and visiting guidance services should be promoted, and cooperation with relevant organizations should be also promoted.

For proper medical treatment for external wounds that are causes of disabilities, system for providing emergency medical treatment and treatment in acute stages should be strengthened, and cooperation with relevant organizations should be also promoted.

System for providing remedial and health services to patients of mental or intractable diseases in coordination with welfare service program should be considered.

c) Dissemination of correct knowledge

As for mental, intractable, and external wounds that are causes of disabilities, correct knowledge on prevention and treatment thereof should be disseminated to citizens and organizations of health care and medical treatment. Stereotypes, discrimination and excessive fear for these diseases should be eliminated.

2) Enhancement of appropriate health care and medical treatment for disabilities

To provide early detection, appropriate medical treatment and rehabilitation should be promoted so that disabilities could be alleviated and prevented from severance, multiplication, secondary disabilities and complications. Appropriate health services should be offered to persons with disabilities.

In particular as for infants, appropriate development in accordance with disabilities should be supported.

a) Early detection of disabilities

Through promoting program of "Healthy Mother and Child 21", medical checkups of pregnant women, newborn babies, infants and those in schools should be properly implemented. These opportunities could be helpful to implementing early detection of disabilities.

b) Medical treatment and rehabilitation for disabilities

As for disabilities expected to be alleviated by medical treatment and rehabilitation, appropriate treatment and rehabilitation and service providers should be secured.

Since early detection and early rehabilitation of disabilities have great impact on alleviation and development of disabilities in later period, securing of medical and welfare specialists who have knowledge and experience and securing of the facilities should be promoted. Appropriate support should be promoted in accordance with disabilities.

An appropriate medical service and system for counselling through medical organizations available should be developed for persons with such disabilities as chronic renal insufficiency requiring dialyses, mental disease and intractable disease in need of continuous medical treatment.

As for disabilities related to dysfunctions of bones and joints, of senses and of higher brain that would be expected to be maintained and recovered by medical rehabilitation, appropriate evaluation and consistent rehabilitation program implemented by hospital and in the communities should be secured.

Diseases, external wounds and infections that would be easily compounded on the ground of disabilities should be prevented, and appropriate medical treatment for the disabilities and compounded diseases should be secured.

c) Appropriate health care service for persons with disabilities

Concerning maintenance and improvement of health for persons with disabilities, and health care service for mental disease and intractable diseases, system for providing health care service should be considered and developed in cooperation with welfare service.

As for development of children with disabilities, counselling and guidance should be provided at health centres and other relevant facilities.

d) Provision of information about health and medical services in an appropriate way

Voluntary disclosure of information through organizations providing health and medical services, and evaluation by the third-party should be promoted. Information about organizations providing health service, content of service and evaluation, and various administrative services should be intensively collected. System for providing information should be developed so that persons with disabilities and related persons could easily access to information.

3) Promotion of health and medical measures for persons with mental disabilities

Measures for improving health and medical treatments for persons with mental disabilities should be further promoted as well as measures for mental health of the citizens.

a) To improve mental health

To provide opportunities of consultation and counselling services for mental health in school, workplace and the communities should be enhanced.

Measures for preventing commitment of suicide, focused on treatment for depression, should be taken. System for improving mental health in workplace should be also developed.

Appropriate system for counselling of persons with insomnia who are in need of treatment should be secured. Specialists for mental problems of adolescence and those for mental care of those who have traumatic experiences should be secured, and system for counselling in the communities should be also developed.

b) Early detection and intervention of mental diseases

Methods of early detection of mental diseases should be established, and opportunities for detection should be secured and enhanced.

In cooperation between medical departments specialized in mental disease and those of not specialized in mental disease, health centres, and organizations of implementing medical checkups should be promoted. Establishing system for providing appropriate treatment for mental diseases, through ensuring of emergency mental treatment, should be secured in the communities.

To ensure protection of human rights in mental treatment, prefectures and ordinance-designated cities are urged to enhance and regulate function of the judging committee of mental treatment.

As for mental disease, provision of appropriate medical treatment in accordance with patients' conditions should be secured. Specialization of function of sickbeds for mental disease, provision of information about mental treatments, EBM (evidence-based medicine) and safety measures should be promoted so that patients and their family can choose appropriate medical treatment organizations.

Appropriate medical treatments for persons who had done fatal harm to other persons while they were mental unsoundness should be secured.

4) Promotion of research and development

Research and development of identification, prevention, treatment and rehabilitation treatment for diseases that are causes of disabilities should be promoted through utilizing the latest findings and technologies and taking into consideration of ethical aspects.

To promote prevention and treatment for disabilities and QOL (the quality of life) of persons with disabilities, development of technology is important, so research and development should be promoted through utilizing the latest findings and technologies.

Research for identification, prevention, diagnosis and treatment for innate or acquired diseases that are causes of disabilities should be promoted. In particular, academic research and development should be promoted through totally utilizing the leading technologies of genome, proteome, and screen image that are expected to be progressed rapidly in recent years, and epidemiological research.

As for intractable diseases, identification of causes and conditions of diseases, development of innovative treatment, and research and development leading to improvement of quality of life should be promoted.

Since alleviation of disabilities can be expected through improving, regenerating, and complementing physical, sensory and organic functions of disabilities, research and development should be promoted for surgical treatment through utilizing technologies of minimum invasive surgery and computer, regenerative medical treatments for maintaining bones and muscles or treatment, and alternative and auxiliary supporting equipment for physical and organic functions.

As for Higher Brain Dysfunction and sensory dysfunction, development of new diagnosis, progress of efficiency of medical rehabilitation and improvement of training program should be advanced through promoting research for brain functions.

To prevent and deal with the issues related to mental health, such as "kids who easily crack" and "social seclusion", research and development for analyzing the process of development and formulation of behaviour of brain and mental functions, and dealing with the methods of education should be developed.

5) Training and securing specialists

Training and appropriate placement of physical therapists, occupational therapists, orthoptists, orthotists, speech therapists, psychiatric social workers, doctors and nurses who are involved in mental treatment for jurisdiction and children should be developed.

Cooperation with service providers of health care, medical treatment, and welfare in the communities should be promoted. Improvement of quality of specialists who can be the resources for developing system for providing appropriate services for prevention of diseases that are causes of disabilities, and services for social welfare should be developed.

Clinical training and lifelong learning for doctors should be enhanced.

7. Information and communication

(1) Basic policy

To support persons with disabilities for their independence and participation in the society through developing their individual capacities and utilizing IT (information technology) should be promoted. Measures for not causing digital divide for persons with disabilities should be also promoted. In addition to these measures, providing information in accordance with the types of disabilities should be enhanced.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Promotion of accessible information

To improve literacy (capacities of utilizing information) of persons with disabilities, measures for organizing training and seminars and for training and developing specialists who support persons with disabilities for their use of IT should be promoted. Development of providers who support persons with disabilities for their total use of IT should be also promoted.

Development and dissemination of accessible telecommunication equipment and system for persons with disabilities should be advanced so that they can easily send information or access to information. Based on ISO/IEC Guide 71 (the international guidelines for taking into consideration the needs of the aged and persons with disabilities), guidelines for designing accessible telecommunication equipment for persons with disabilities should be standardized by JIS.

National and local governments should make efforts to purchase telecommunication equipment and system accessible to persons with disabilities in public procurement.

As for administrative information, homepages of websites should be provided in accessible formats.

2) Development and dissemination of telecommunication system for supporting persons with disabilities for their participation in the society

Introduction of electronic voting should be promoted as means that enable persons with disabilities to vote in elections easily.

To improve utilization of IT for persons with disabilities, measure for supporting their capacities of acquiring telecommunication equipment should be promoted.

Engagement in activities for persons with disabilities through utilizing IT, such as SOHO (working at small office and home office) and telework (working at home through using telecommunication) should be promoted.

3) Enhancement of providing information

Facilities that provide information to persons with hearing disabilities should be promoted in all prefectural governments.

In cooperation with broadcasting businesses, measures for further developing the way of providing information accessible to persons with disabilities, such as development of program with captioning, explanation and sign language should be promoted.

To provide services like Braille books and captioned videotapes for persons with seeing and hearing disabilities should be enhanced. Braille information and recorded information in public services should be also promoted. In addition to these services, application of copyright in producing captioned videotapes should be improved.

4) Enhancement of communication system for support

Development and training of sign language interpreters, note-takers and interpreters for the deaf blind and interpreters for persons with seeing and hearing disabilities, who are in need of supportive communications, should be promoted. System for dispatching these interpreters to persons with disabilities should be enhanced and strengthened.

To train public employees who can communicate in sign language and to allocate them to various service counters should be encouraged. People's understanding and cooperation of sign language should be also promoted.

8. International cooperation

(1) Basic policy

In light of the fact that "The Asian and Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons, 1993-2002" was extended for another 10 years, 2003-2012, partnership with the Asian and Pacific regions should be strengthened through mutual exchange of organizations of persons with disabilities, implementation of various programs by governments and private organizations.

(2) Basic directions of measures

1) Promotion of international cooperation

International cooperation such as technical exchange in rehabilitation, exchange of information and training of technical instructors through constructing network and establishing system for promoting international cooperation should be further promoted. In particular, international cooperation in the Asian and Pacific regions should be actively promoted.

In implementing international cooperation, situations and needs of partner countries should be fully considered, and flexible approach should be made respecting for the cultures of recipient countries.

2) Participation in the international initiatives concerning issues of persons with disabilities

To participate in the initiatives of establishing conventions, framework, and guideline concerning issues of persons with disabilities considered by United Nations and international NGOs should be actively promoted.

3) Provision and collection of information

To introduce Japan's domestic activities and measures for persons with disabilities to foreign countries, and to collect and provide information on measures of foreign countries should be promoted.

4) Support for international exchange of persons with disabilities

In light of contribution to international initiatives for the issues of persons with disabilities, international exchange of organizations of persons with disabilities should be supported.