Why Disabled People Called
for Independent Living: Japan’s Experience
2011 6 25 Hirono Shunsuke(Doshisha university PhD student)

1. Background of My Presentation andCritical Perspectives
 My presentation focuses on why disabled people took action forindependent living.
 In this study, I address what caused disabled people to take action
for independent living given that other Japanese studies lack such
perspective.
 A crucial point for discussion is that even though disabled people
and their parents sought the construction of additional residential
facilities prior to the movement for independent living becoming
active, it is unclear why disabled people stayed away from thefacilities and demanded other options later.

2.Methods of Study My study is mainly based on literature. I gathered
many documents every where in Japan.
 I gave the most attention to autobiography andnewsletters published by disabled people.

 My presentation focuses on subjective view ofdisabled people.
 I had supplemental interviews with disabled people
who took part in independent movement.

2. What is Independent Living?
 It entails setting disabled people free from shackledenvironments (home and live-in residential facilities).
 It enables disabled people to manage and take responsibility
for their own lives.
 It includes seeking the necessary resources (accommodation,nursing care, income guarantees, and means oftransportation) to achieve the first two goals; and fourth,creating local communities that are disabled people-friendly.

3. The Entire Landscape of Historical
Backgrounds(1) The 1960s: Problems with residential facilities became clear. (On thewhole, however, residential facilities were in a more advantageousposition.)
 1970：A disabled child was killed in Kanagawa and local residents
appealed for reduced punishment for the criminal. Disabled people’sorganizations protested against this.
 1970: Disabled people protested about living at a residential facility inTokyo and called for independent living.
 1976: A wheelchair-bound disabled person and his nursing care worker
tried to ride a bus, but the driver refused to carry them.

3.The Entire Landscape ofHistorical Backgrounds(2) 1979: Edward V. Roberts visited Japan.
 1983: Judith E. Heumann and Michael Winter visited Japan tohold training seminars on independent living.
 1986: The Human Care Association was established at Hachiojiin Tokyo.
 2003: Support systems facilitating independent living fordisabled people were launched. Many centers for independent
living operated as nursing care offices.
 2005: The Law to Encourage Self-Reliance Among theHandicapped was enacted.Protest demonstrations over theburden of service fees were held.

4. Why Did the Movement for
Independent Living Begin?
4-1 Home as a Problem
 The word home is generally considered to havepositive implications. For example, home services
are considered to be a significant support for bothdisabled and elderly people. However, the word
had negative implications 50 years ago andimplied that a person had nowhere to go.
 Eｘ．(Kazuaki Akiyama [1981], Journey to Self-Reliance:
Visiting a British cerebral palsy sufferer, self-publishing, 2-3)

4-2 Changed Evaluations ofresidential Facilities(1) After the 1960s, disabled organizations called forthe creation of more residential facilities. The
following two points should be noted. First,
disabled people who had actually experienced life
in such residential facilities were in the minority
among the organizations calling for change.
Second, those who wanted to use residential
facilities were divided into two different categories.
①People looked upon residential facilities as ideal
places in which to live
②Another disabled person considered residential
facilities to be the second best choice4-2 Changed Evaluations ofResidential Facilities(2)Some disabled people left residential
facilities because of restrictions and harshtreatments.
(Hiroko Kimura [1967], The Autobiographyof My Life, the Earth Society, 50-51)

5. Conclusion
1. The requests for residential facilities by disabledpeople were based on dissatisfaction with awkward
and uncomfortable home environments.
2. Disabled people residing at home lived withrestricted freedom in exchange for which care andattention was provided by their family.
3. Disabled people residing at home could not
avoid changes to their primary carer as family
circumstances changed, resulting in more awkward
and uncomfortable living conditions.

5. Conclusion
 4. Few disabled people had actually experienced life in a
residential facility and many disabled people wanted toreside in residential facilities.
 5. However, care workers within such facilities often
displayed an arrogant and patronizing attitude.
 6. When disabled people decided to leave residential
facilities, they did not consider returning home since they
had sought to escape from uncomfortable living
conditions there. This induced disabled people to takeaction for independent living.

6.Suggestions(1)As in Japan, South Korea’s rate of retired
household expenditure as a proportion ofpublic expenditures is high, while public
expenditure on the unemployed is low.
Therefore, it is conceivable that family plays alarge role in providing care and attention fordisabled people. On this basis, it is likely that
disabled Koreans are prompted to reside awayfrom their family members as in Japan.

Suggestions(2) Similar to Japan, South Korea underwent rapid modernization. The
motivation for families to care disabled member has increased thedemand for residential facilities.
 In the meantime, as the Convention on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities suggests, the idea that disabled people have the right tochoose where to live will also become more ingrained.

 It is likely, therefore, that some groups will emphasize the need toresolve the awkward and uncomfortable conditions faced by thedisabled in their homes. Other groups will note problems withresidential facilities. This leads to the logical conclusion that
securing alternative living conditions is necessary.

Suggestions(3) It is clear that the requests made by disabled people forresidential facilities and the demands for independent living
are based on common logical threads.

Thank you!