Yasuhiko Funago is Japan's first lawmaker with a severe neurological disease that impairs his ability to speak.

Being a lawmaker in a country with a staggering number of people with disabilities, some even worse off than him, Yasuhiko does not wish to stop there alone.

He wants to use the platform to end the invisibility of disabled people in Japan's traditional society and herald more inclusion. 
The electoral success of two politicians - Yasuhiko Fungo and Eiko Kimura, both largely paralysed, has sparked significant debate in Japan - a nation where activists say people with disabilities often remain in the shadows.

The Upper House of Japan's Parliament pays for Kimura’s and Funago’s assistants, but the new lawmakers want the rules changed to help the 11,500 other seriously disabled people who rely on public care.

In Japan, the state pays for carers only if the disabled person is not employed - which means that disabled people simply cannot afford to work as the cost of private help exceeds their salaries.

The government says there are 9.63 million people with physical, mental or intellectual disabilities in the country, accounting for more than 7 per cent of the total population of Japan. Roughly one in 20 people in Japan has some disability or another.

Progress has been made, with accessibility improving in Tokyo and legislation setting quotas for hiring people with disabilities in government, but rights activists say more must be done.

From the 1940s to 1996, Japan's government sterilised people with a mental illness or disability because it deemed them 'inferior'.

The victims of this eugenic protection law kept silent for decades but are now speaking out and demanding an apology and compensation.

The Japanese government has been making efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities by raising employment quotas.&nbsp;

But last year, the government was even forced to apologise for padding its disability hiring data after regularly failing to meet its own quotas.

Yasuhiko Fungo and Eiko Kimura want to see inclusion rather than just acceptance of people with disabilities, because they believe a society that does not help disabled people ends up effectively hiding them.

 
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Yasuhiko Funago is Japan's first lawmaker with a severe neurological disease that impairs his ability to speak. Being a lawmaker in a country with a staggering number of people with disabilities, some even worse off than him, Yasuhiko does not wish to stop there alone.

Yasuhiko Funago is Japan's first lawmaker with a severe neurological disease that impairs his ability to speak. Being a lawmaker in a country with a staggering number of people with disabilities, some even worse off than him, Yasuhiko does not wish to stop there alone. He wants to use the platform to end the invisibility of disabled people in Japan's traditional society and herald more inclusion. The electoral success of two politicians - Yasuhiko Fungo and Eiko Kimura, both largely paralysed, has sparked significant debate in Japan - a nation where activists say people with disabilities often remain in the shadows. The Upper House of Japan's Parliament pays for Kimura’s and Funago’s assistants, but the new lawmakers want the rules changed to help the 11,500 other seriously disabled people who rely on public care. In Japan, the state pays for carers only if the disabled person is not employed - which means that disabled people simply cannot afford to work as the cost of private help exceeds their salaries. The government says there are 9.63 million people with physical, mental or intellectual disabilities in the country, accounting for more than 7 per cent of the total population of Japan. Roughly one in 20 people in Japan has some disability or another. Progress has been made, with accessibility improving in Tokyo and legislation setting quotas for hiring people with disabilities in government, but rights activists say more must be done. From the 1940s to 1996, Japan's government sterilised people with a mental illness or disability because it deemed them 'inferior'. The victims of this eugenic protection law kept silent for decades but are now speaking out and demanding an apology and compensation. The Japanese government has been making efforts to improve the lives of people with disabilities by raising employment quotas. But last year, the government was even forced to apologise for padding its disability hiring data after regularly failing to meet its own quotas. Yasuhiko Fungo and Eiko Kimura want to see inclusion rather than just acceptance of people with disabilities, because they believe a society that does not help disabled people ends up effectively hiding them.

Japan's disabled lawmakers fight to end the invisibility of people with disabilities

Keeping aside the acrimony over demonetisation issue which paralysed the Winter session, the Indian Parliament today passed the Disabilities Bill which stipulates up to two-year jail term and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for discriminating against differently-abled persons.

The Lok Sabha passed the bill within two hours after a short debate on the last day of the session with the treasury and opposition benches, who have been at loggerheads over demonetisation and other issues, joining hands to clear the legislation.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House during the passage of the bill.

&quot;Passage of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill - 2016 is a landmark moment &amp; will add tremendous strength to &#39;Accessible India movement&#39;,&quot; he tweeted.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha too had witnessed similar bonhomie for passage of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016.

Replying to the debate, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot announced that a scheme of &#39;universal identity card for the disabled&#39; is on the anvil and an agency has already been finalised for the purpose.

The proposed card would also be linked to the Aadhar card to help the disabled all over the country in a seamless fashion, he said.

Gehlot said the universal identity card is being acted upon to overcome the problem of disability certificate being faced by those affected.

He said the government has joined hands with German and British firms for making available state-of-the-art limbs to the disabled wherever possible.

The lower house of the Indian parliament&nbsp;Lok Sabha witnessed a division on an amendment by Congress and TRS members seeking to raise the reservation in the bill from 4 to 5 per cent. It was defeated by 121 to 43 votes. K C Venugopal of the Congress who had given the amendment pressed for the division.

Members from both sides supported the bill but suggested certain changes to improve the measure.&nbsp;

(PTI)

The Bill will stipulate up to two-year jail term and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for discriminating against differently-abled persons

Keeping aside the acrimony over demonetisation issue which paralysed the Winter session, the Indian Parliament today passed the Disabilities Bill which stipulates up to two-year jail term and a maximum fine of Rs 5 lakh for discriminating against differently-abled persons. The Lok Sabha passed the bill within two hours after a short debate on the last day of the session with the treasury and opposition benches, who have been at loggerheads over demonetisation and other issues, joining hands to clear the legislation. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present in the House during the passage of the bill. "Passage of Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill - 2016 is a landmark moment & will add tremendous strength to 'Accessible India movement'," he tweeted. Earlier on Wednesday, the Rajya Sabha too had witnessed similar bonhomie for passage of The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill, 2016. Replying to the debate, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot announced that a scheme of 'universal identity card for the disabled' is on the anvil and an agency has already been finalised for the purpose. The proposed card would also be linked to the Aadhar card to help the disabled all over the country in a seamless fashion, he said. Gehlot said the universal identity card is being acted upon to overcome the problem of disability certificate being faced by those affected. He said the government has joined hands with German and British firms for making available state-of-the-art limbs to the disabled wherever possible. The lower house of the Indian parliament Lok Sabha witnessed a division on an amendment by Congress and TRS members seeking to raise the reservation in the bill from 4 to 5 per cent. It was defeated by 121 to 43 votes. K C Venugopal of the Congress who had given the amendment pressed for the division. Members from both sides supported the bill but suggested certain changes to improve the measure. (PTI)

India: Lok Sabha passes Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill

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Japan's disabled lawmakers fight to end the invisibility of people with disabilities

India: Lok Sabha passes Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill