Being independent from whom? Analysing two interpretations in the paradigm of ‘independent living’

Abstract

Welfare provision for disabled people in Japan has been transformed from a medical model to an independent living model. However, this rhetorical change does not constitute a complete ideological shift. Consequently, the implementation of the independent living notion by Centres for Independent Living is constrained by tight fiscal budget. This paper reviews two interpretations in the paradigm of ‘independent living’, and demonstrates that the incorporation of the new notion of independent living just provides another approach for the government to continue its old agenda of freeing individuals from depending on the state through market-based reform.

Keywords:

• Japanese welfare policy
• disability movements
• Centres for Independent Living
• independent living
• marketisation

Acknowledgements

Grateful thanks to Professor Takehiko Kariya, Anna Schrade, Daniel Baker, Non Arkaraprasertkul and Joanna Mitchell for their comments and assistance. Also, the author thanks two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

Notes

1. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha Hakusho [A white paper on disabled people]. http://www8.cao.go.jp/shougai/whitepaper/h17hakusho/gaiyou/index.html (accessed 1 August 2010).

2. Presently the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha ni Kansuru Shinchouki Keikaku no Gaiyou [Long-term programme for government measures for disabled persons]. http://www8.cao.go.jp/shougai/suishin/keikaku.html (accessed 6 December 2012).

3. This notion is no longer limited to disabled people. It also applies to other groups such as old people, children, women, and so forth.

4. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha Kihonhou [Disabled persons’ fundamental law]. http://www.dinf.ne.jp/doc/english/intl/z15/z15007le/z1500706.html#a1 (accessed 6 December 2012).

5. The World Health Organization definition of disabled people moved from simply ‘physical or mental impairment’ to ‘Interaction between a person with an impairment and the environmental and attitudinal barriers he or she may face’ in 2001.

6. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha Kihon Keikaku [Basic plan for disabled persons]. http://www8.cao.go.jp/shougai/suishin/kihonkeikaku.html (accessed 6 December 2012).

7. The United Nations. 2006. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/disabilities-convention.htm#19 (accessed 7 December 2012).

8. The sochi system: a referral placement procedure for deciding who is entitled to benefit from social services. The shienhi system: a monetary system for disabled people.

9. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha jiritsu shienhou [Services and supports for persons with disabilities act]. http://law.e-gov.go.jp/cgi-bin/idxrefer.cgi?H_FILE=%95%bd%88%ea%8e%b5%96%40%88%ea%93%f1%8e%4f&REF_NAME=%8f%e1%8a%51%8e%d2%8e%a9%97%a7%8e%78%89%87%96%40&ANCHOR_F=&ANCHOR_T (accessed 6 December 2012).

Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act (English version). http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---ilo_aids/documents/legaldocument/wcms_117329.pdf (accessed 6 December 2012).

10. For a full list of all CILs under the JIL, see http://www.j-il.jp/kamei/index.html. (accessed 9 October 2013).

11. Japan Council on Independent Living Centers. http://www.j-il.jp/matome/matome3_2005.html (accessed 9 Oct 2013).

12. Statistics are retrieved from the JIC website. http://www.j-il.jp/kamei/index.html#kanto (accessed 1 August 2010).

13. Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan. Shougaisha Hakusho [A white paper on disabled people]. http://www8.cao.go.jp/shougai/whitepaper/h17hakusho/gaiyou/index.html (accessed 1 August 2010).