Disability Awareness Week is a week to deepen understanding and empathy for people with disabilities.

2025/07/12

'Disability Week'This is a period from December 3 to December 9 each year when national and local governments primarily engage in various activities to raise awareness towards disability welfare.

Many people may hear the term Disability Week for the first time. In fact,Currently, the recognition rate of Disability Week is only about 30%.However, in the present situation where the revision of the Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities mandates the provision of reasonable accommodations,Disability Week isbecoming increasingly important as a valuable week for companies to deepen their understanding and empathy towards disabilities in order to implement reasonable accommodations.

This article will provide an explanation of Disability Week along with the events held by government agencies during Disability Week and examples of what companies are actually doing.

Disability Week is a period to deepen understanding and empathy towards people with disabilities.

According to the Cabinet Office, the following is stated about Disability Week.

Originally, December 9, the day the 'Declaration of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, was designated as 'Disability Day'. However, as a replacement for this,the promotion of understanding towards persons with disabilities and opportunities for more active participation in society, economy, and culture.Thus, the week starting from December 3rd, which is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, until December 9th is designated as 'Disability Week', during which various events and initiatives are carried out by the government, local authorities, related organizations, and companies to raise awareness about disabilities.

What was originally just 'Disability Day' for one day has been expanded to 'Disability Week' lasting one week, allowing fora multifaceted approach to issues and challenges related to disabilities through various events and programs held during this period, increasing opportunities for more people to recognize and take an interest in these matters.This is expected.

Especially in recent times, where promoting diversity and the SDGs has become an international common challenge, both companies and individuals in Japan must deepen their understanding and empathy towards disabilities and advance the provision of reasonable accommodations. Disability Week features various experiences and lectures, thusIt is an important period to hear the real voices of persons with disabilities and to understand the realities of society.That's right.

Related Events by Government Agencies during Disability Week

Various events are held throughout Japan during Disabled Persons Week, and the table below shows the actual events held by administrative organizations in FY2024,Extracted excerpts for both the government and local authorities.It has been done.

◆List of government events held in 2024 (partial list)

Government Ministries	Event Name	Event Details
Cabinet Office	'Disability Week' Workshop	Various workshops that focus on understanding the characteristics of disabilities through experiences centered around parasports will be held in collaboration with various organizations. Participation is free.
	'Disability Week' Online Seminar	To promote understanding of disabilities and people with disabilities, seminars appropriate for the purpose of Disability Week are held through online distribution in cooperation with various organizations.
	Disability Week" artwork exhibition and award ceremony	Exhibition of original pictures of all the recommended works for the "Disabled Persons' Week Poster" and the grand prize winner of the "Essay on Expanding the Circle of Mind", and Prime Minister's Commendation for the grand prize winner.
Financial Services Agency	Exhibition of works by artists with disabilities	An exhibition of paintings by artists with disabilities was held in front of Tokyo Station, where many people can easily visit, in order to provide artists with disabilities with an opportunity to present their works.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs	Universal Sports Festival 2024	Universal sports are sports where everyone can participate equally, regardless of age, gender, or disability. This festival allows all participants to enjoy 'universal sports' fun while contributing to building an inclusive community. (Events include: balloon volleyball, ping pong volleyball, boccia)
Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology	2024 Special Support Education Promotion Seminar	Seminars are held in cooperation with boards of education and universities to promote understanding of special needs education and inclusive education, and to address on-site issues through lectures, practical presentations, and research discussions.
Agency for Cultural Affairs	CONNECT⇄ ~Nobinobi through Art I am the one who is broadening my horizons.	A project to think together about diversity and coexistence in society through art, and to hold a variety of cultural and artistic programs at the National Museum of Modern Art, Kyoto and other cultural facilities in Okazaki Park, Kyoto, in conjunction with Disabled Persons Week.
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare	Equipment to Support Independence of Persons with Disabilities "Seeds Needs Matching Exchange 2024".	As part of supporting the development and commercialization of practical support devices that are truly needed in the field of welfare for people with disabilities, we will strengthen the matching between the "needs (issues and requests)" of people with disabilities and their supporters and the "seeds (technologies)" of companies, researchers, etc. from the early stages of development.
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries	2024 (63rd) Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Festival "Festival of Fruits	To promote understanding of agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and food, and to expand consumption of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products, the Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Industry Awareness Exhibition and the Regional Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries Exhibition will be held, and exhibits on agricultural and welfare cooperation efforts will be presented.
Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry	Glico Challenge Swim 2024 14th JSCA National Swimming Competition for the Mentally Challenged	Swimming competitions are held to promote and popularize sports for the intellectually disabled and to provide a place for the intellectually disabled to show the results of their training in swimming competitions.

Source:Disabled Persons Week" in 2024 (Cabinet Office)、FY2024 "Disabled Persons Week" related events (tentative) [Events sponsored by related organizations and groups

In the government, each ministry and agency holds various events like this, with the cooperation of the private sector.Holding of related seminars and study groups in anticipation of the mandatory provision of reasonable accommodation in companies, partly due to the implementation of the revised Law on Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities in April 2024.There were also.

The following is a partial list of events by local governments.

◆List of events held by local governments in 2024 (partial list)

Prefectures and Designated Cities	Event Name	Event Details
Sapporo City	Let's meet at Kanamoto Hall!	Cultural event to think about symbiotic society through music, dance, lectures, etc.
Iwate prefecture (Tohoku area)	The 32nd Iwate Culture and Arts Festival for the Disabled	Call for entries and exhibition of art works (5 categories: painting, calligraphy, crafts, photography, and literature); exhibition of essays and Disabled Persons Week posters to expand the circle of the mind; stage performances, dance and chorus performances by individuals with disabilities, groups and general groups; awarding of certificates and supplementary prizes to winners of publicly solicited art exhibitions.
Akita Prefecture	The 42nd Akita Prefecture Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged and the 24th Kokoro Iki Iki Art and Culture Festival	Various events including ceremonies and awards (by the governor, association presidents, art exhibition prizewinners, etc.), music and dance performances by people with disabilities, art exhibits and webcasts, welfare marché, lectures and hands-on experience with visual aids, movie screenings, Iwami Kagura performances, etc.
Yamagata Prefecture	Raise awareness of Disability Discrimination Month	In conjunction with Yamagata Prefecture's "Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities Month," a month set aside to raise awareness of people with disabilities and other disabilities, stickers were attached to cars and tissues were distributed to raise awareness of the Help Mark.
Fukushima Prefecture	The 72nd Fukushima Prefecture Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged	Part I: Lectures Part 2: Ceremony (Presentation of awards and certificates of appreciation by the president of the prefectural association, declaration of the convention, and resolutions of the convention)
Sendai City	Well Fair 2024	Part I: Awards for winners of posters of experience essays to expand the circle of the heart Part II: Lectures, etc.
Chiba Prefecture	The 56th Chiba Prefecture Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged	Chiba Governor's Commendation for Social Welfare Services, Chiba President's Commendation for the Physically Challenged, and Governor's Commendation and President's Commendation for the excellent works of essays and posters for the Disabled Persons Week to expand the circle of mind.
Ibaraki prefecture (Kantou area)	Nice Heart Fureai Festival 2024	Exhibitions of paintings, calligraphy, photography, and ceramics and crafts at the festival, with the Federation President's Prize awarded to the best work by a physically handicapped person.
Tokyo Metropolis	Special telephone consultation on law and welfare for the disabled	Consultation services are available by phone, fax, and e-mail for people with disabilities and their families, with lawyers for legal services and counselors for welfare services.
Kanagawa prefecture (Kantou area)	The 16th Kanagawa Culture and Arts Festival for the Disabled	Presentations of music, plays, etc., by people with disabilities, exhibition of their works, etc.
Yamanashi Prefecture	The 35th Claims Competition for the Disabled	Presentations on what people with disabilities themselves think about in their daily lives to deepen understanding of disabilities and people with disabilities.
Fukui Prefecture	The 25th Fukui Heartful Cultural Festival for the Disabled	1) Exhibition ② Stage Presentation ③ Sales corner (selling breads and handicrafts produced by disability organizations, facilities, special support schools, etc.) Aimed to create meaning and confidence through cultural and artistic activities for people with disabilities, while promoting social participation and deepening the community's understanding and awareness about disabilities.
Ishikawa prefecture (Hokuriku area)	2024 Commendation Ceremony for Persons of Merit in Social Welfare (Related to the Welfare of the Physically Challenged)	Commendation from the Governor of Ishikawa Prefecture, Commendation from the President of Ishikawa Prefecture Federation of Physical Disability Organizations
Gifu Prefecture	Street awareness related to Disability Week	Based on the "Gifu Prefecture Ordinance for Creating a Pure and Flowing Country Where People with and without Disabilities Can Live Together," awareness-raising campaigns were held in various locations in the prefecture to promote understanding of disabilities.
Nagoya City	Gathering to Commemorate Disability Week - In a Society Where Everyone Can Live True to Themselves	Screening of the movie "Coda Ai no Uta" (with scene voices and subtitles), performance by violinist Ikuyo Tsunoda
Kyoto Prefecture	Kyoto's Best Art Festival	Held annually to promote social participation through the arts, exhibiting works in seven categories including painting and ceramics, as well as entries for the Disabled Persons Week Poster Contest.
Osaka (metropolitan area)	The 44th Japan Federation of Disabled Persons' Organizations Kinki Block Welfare Convention and the 26th Japan Federation of Disabled Persons' Organizations Kinki Block Workshop for Counselors for the Disabled	The conference was held in Kinki prefecture and ordinance-designated cities for the purpose of realizing normalization, adopting the Declaration of the Conference, and providing training for counselors to improve their qualifications and revitalize their activities.
Hyogo Prefecture	2024 Hyogo Prefecture Welfare Convention for Persons with Disabilities and the 20th Hyogo Prefecture Arts and Culture Festival for Persons with Disabilities	Awards for organizations and individuals who have contributed to the welfare of the handicapped; Governor's commendation for essay and poster winners; stage presentations of dance, taiko drumming, etc.
Wakayama prefecture (Kinki area)	2024 KIRARARA Art Exhibition	Exhibition of works produced by people with disabilities or groups including people with disabilities living in Wakayama Prefecture
Kobe City	Kobe City Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged	People with disabilities in the city come together to advocate for the improvement of their welfare.
Tottori Prefecture	The 64th Tottori Prefecture Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged	Ceremony, prefectural president awards, lectures, proceedings
Tokushima Prefecture	The 43rd Prefectural Convention for the Disabled, The 43rd Tokushima Prefecture Welfare Convention for the Physically Challenged	Aiming to realize a "Universal Tokushima" where all people can live with peace of mind, the convention holds an awards ceremony to express appreciation for those who have contributed to the welfare of people with disabilities.
Saga prefecture (Kyushu)	The 24th Saga Prefecture Art and Culture Exhibition for the Disabled	Through the exhibition of cultural and artistic works, expand opportunities for creativity and activities for people with disabilities, and promote their participation in society and understanding of welfare.
Kumamoto prefecture (Kyushu)	～Kumamoto Heart Week - 2024 Kumamoto Art Exhibition for the Disabled	To stimulate the motivation of persons with disabilities to become socially independent through the creation of artistic and cultural works, to promote their participation in society, and to deepen the understanding of the general public about persons with disabilities.
Miyazaki Prefecture	Kokoro" no Fureai Festa 2024	Stage presentations by people with disabilities, lectures on understanding disabilities, distribution of educational materials and crops made at facilities for people with disabilities
Okinawa Prefecture	The 64th Okinawa Physical Disability Welfare Exhibition	To promote the understanding and interest of the citizens of the prefecture and to promote the participation of the physically challenged in social and economic activities by exhibiting the works of the physically challenged in the prefecture in one place.
Kitakyushu City	The 17th Kitakyushu Art Festival for the Disabled Stage Event	Unique stages for singing, dancing, etc.
Fukuoka City	The 16th Fukuoka City Art Exhibition for Children with Disabilities Main Exhibition	An exhibition of works by children with disabilities in Fukuoka City, with 50 prize-winning works to be exhibited at a later date to disseminate their creative activities.

Source:Social Welfare Corporation Japan Association of Physically Disabled Persons

In this way, various events and activities are held in each prefecture and city. The content mentioned above is just a part of it.The source provides many other events not mentioned here, so please have a look.。

Additionally, the government annually solicits 'Experience Essays that Expand the Circle of the Heart' and 'Posters for Disability Week' ahead of Disability Week. Winning works are featured in collections, on the Cabinet Office website, and in the Disability White Paper, contributing to nationwide awareness campaigns.

Poster for publicity of "Disabled Persons Week" in 2024

Source:Disability Week / 'Disability Week' Publicity Poster (Cabinet Office)

Next, we will introduce examples of company initiatives.

5 Examples of Corporate Initiatives during Disability Week

In the previous section, we discussed the efforts of national government agencies. Here, we introduce five examples of initiatives undertaken by private companies during Disability Week.

Example 1: Sanseido Co., Ltd.: Held a book fair featuring related literature.

At Sanseido Co., Ltd., several stores in Hokkaido (Sapporo Store, Rumoi Book Center, Hakodate Branch Kawanaka Store) are working onHolding a 'Book Fair for Promoting Understanding of Disabilities' during the annual Disability Week period.creating a special corner in their stores featuring books that deepen understanding of disability welfare.

The collection includes a wide range of genres, from specialized books to personal accounts and comics.Opportunities to deepen understanding of disabilities among a wide range of age groupsis being developed.

Reference: Disability Understanding Promotion Book Fair (Hokkaido Official Website)

Example 2: Indeed Japan Co., Ltd.: Launched a special website to support the employment of people with disabilities.

The job search engine 'Indeed' has originally supported the promotion of employment for people with disabilities and has implemented various initiatives. The company,In the United States' Disability Equality Index, Sanseido achieved the highest score of 100% for three consecutive years.Are being made.

Indeed Japan, the Japanese subsidiary of Indeed, launched a special page on its information dissemination site '/LEAD' to support companies in their initiatives for employing individuals with disabilities in line with Disability Week in 2022.They share information that supports the employment of people with disabilities and those who are neurodivergent.Their information serves as a valuable resource for corporate officers considering hiring individuals with disabilities.

Reference: [Feature] Understanding Disability Employment and Promoting Diversity. What can companies do now? (/LEAD)

Example ③ Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.: Promoting mutual understanding within the company.

Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd. focuses on promoting an environment where diverse individuals can succeed through D&I (Diversity and Inclusion).Regular e-learning for employees and bottom-up initiatives by volunteer employees are being conducted.

During Disability Week,基础 knowledge seminars about disabilities and seminars by athletes will be held, along with displaying messages from individuals with disabilities and supporters in a karuta format at all business locations, as well as publishing interview videos of employees with disabilities.Fostering mutual understanding among employees and creating a comfortable working environment.

While not specifically aligned with Disability Week, one of their unique initiatives includes the packaging of Meiji's winter product 'Meltykiss'.Improved so that people with color blindness can easily understand the flavor by looking at the packaging design.Companies are showing a proactive stance towards barrier-free initiatives.

Reference: Promotion of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (Meiji Holdings Co., Ltd.)

Example 4: Tokyo Bar Association: Provided free consultations.

During Disability Week, the Tokyo Bar Association offers free consultations from lawyers for people with disabilities, their families, and supporters on specified dates.'Disability Rights Hotline 110'is being implemented.

'My child with a disability may be experiencing abuse at the facility.'
'I was refused accommodations for my disability in the workplace.'

and so on,They handle issues regarding facilities, workplaces, welfare systems, human rights, etc.Consultations are easily available via phone or fax.

Reference: 'Disability Rights Hotline 110' (Tokyo Bar Association)

Example 5: NTTLS Co., Ltd.: Conducted a VR simulation experience of visual impairments.

NTT Learning System Corporation, which plans and produces employee training and educational materials for NTT Group companies, has partnered with Mirairo Inc., which operates services for supporting people with disabilities, toAn event to experience the sensations of various visual impairments and characteristics using VRwas held in 2020, including a workshop discussing 'What accommodations can able-bodied people provide?'.

Through a VR simulation experience,participants learn how normal views appear for conditions such as tunnel vision (restricted field of view), color blindness, and brightness perception.This allows team members working with people with disabilities to experience the perspective of visually impaired individuals in advance, prompting them to consider what specific accommodations should be made.

Reference: NTTLS will hold an event on December 4th where various visual disabilities can be experienced through VR (ICT Educational News).

Currently, the recognition of Disability Week is low.

As introduced so far, various initiatives are being conducted during Disability Week across the nation, but on the other hand,Public awareness of Disability Week has not increased.This is the current situation. Data regarding this situation has been cited from Cabinet Office materials, please refer below.

◆ Recognition Rate of Disability Week

In the awareness surveys conducted in 2007, 2012, and 2017,Over 70% of people are unaware of Disability Week.the recognition rate was low, and there has not been significant change.

So, how is the situation in recent years?

◆ Recognition Rate of Disability Week as of November 2022

While awareness has slightly increased, approximately 70% of people remain unaware, showing that recognition has not significantly risen. It is somewhat known among the elderly, butyoung to middle-aged individuals in their teens to 40s are largely unaware.You will understand that.

Additionally, how people have learned about Disability Week is shown in the graph below.

◆ How did you learn about Disability Week?

It is clear that there is an overwhelmingly high proportion of media like television, radio, and newspapers. Considering this data,Considering the recent decline of young people's engagement with the four major mass media, it will be difficult for awareness of Disability Week to significantly increase under the current circumstances.Indeed, information gathering for young to middle-aged individuals is now centered on the web. The government and local authorities should,I believe that actively using social media platforms such as YouTube, X, and LINE should be emphasized for raising awareness online.I believe that.

Source of graph:Overview of the 'Public Opinion Survey on Disabilities' (Reported in February 2023 / Cabinet Office Government Public Relations Office)

Conclusion

With the amendment of the Act on Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, providing reasonable accommodations becomes a legal obligation for private enterprises starting April 2024.All companies are required to ensure correct understanding of disabilities and provide accommodations for seamless social participation.However, many companies may be in a situation where they do not have knowledge and do not know what they should do. Such companies may,First, it is essential to listen to the voices of the individuals involved and understand the current situation..

Disability Week is a valuable week to listen to the real voices of individuals with disabilities and those with diverse perspectives, promoting understanding and reflecting on what is needed and how to provide accommodations.

Unfortunately, recognition is still lacking, but in today's society where diversity is demanded, such opportunities are expected to increase in demand.Both companies and individuals should actively raise awareness and engage in more robust initiatives.That's right.

Our company provides a web accessibility tool, 'Uniweb', which enables the easy implementation of 'website accessibility compliance', an essential aspect of providing reasonable accommodations for companies. The need for web accessibility is emphasized in workshops and seminars held during Disability Week, so if you are considering this, please feel free to contact us.