Japan struggles to maintain welfare for the disabled. But, now, technology has made it easier. (Image via BBC)

Technology eases access for the disabled in Japan

Alfonsus Adi Putra
Business & Industry
Sci-Tech
Nov 11, 2019
2083
The disabled have their own special place in the consideration of the Japanese government. Japan has been struggling to realize the equality and comfort for all of its people, including the disabled. Good news, the technology has made it simpler for them.

The Japanese government had allowed plastic cards to replace paper disability certification documents. For some of the disabled, the documents are difficult to be presented when required. In 2015, the prefectural government in Yokohama started to circulate plastic card substituting paper documents.

While it lasted for a while, in April, Japan’s Ministry of Welfare ordered local governments to provide better documents with mental or intellectual disabilities. The reason was that it would be difficult for the cardholders with disabilities to change information if there was any.

Osaka became one of the prefectures to consider taking cards as certificates. However, stating that it wanted to support the central government, Osaka dumped the idea because it would cost more to revamp the computer system.

The Japanese government itself is considering to combine disability certificate to My Number card, a card for the Japanese people to access social security system. However, less than 10 percent of the Japanese people collected or used it.

A consulting company based in Osaka, Mirairo Inc., developed Mirairo ID, an app that offers discounts for plane and train tickets. The registration is easy, just with a photo of their certificate, and it is good to go.

For the Japanese people with disabilities, it eases them to access train and flight service, just by showing their phones.

More and more Japanese companies are striving to ease the life of the disabled in Japan. Mirairo ID app has supported 12 companies already per 1 November.

Source: https://bit.ly/2qFT0zv

Welfare , People , Technology , Disability , Asia , Japan