Since the change in government in 2009, the ruling Democratic Party of Japan has implemented legislation for improving the situation for persons with disabilities and the elderly in line with the opinions of the people. Here are some of the DPJ’s achievements.

[Prevented the abuse of persons with disabilities]

Measures to prevent the abuse of persons with disabilities and to preserve their dignity are urgently required. After the change in government, the DPJ held discussions with the opposition parties and passed the Prevention Measures Support Program for Abuse of People with Disabilities as a lawmaker-sponsored bill in June 2011, based on the findings of the Policy Reform Promotion Council on Persons with Disability Issues. The legislation stipulates the prohibition of any abuse of persons with disabilities by care givers, welfare facility staff, or employers, etc.; the obligation of the government and relevant organizations to prevent the occurrence of abuse and to ensure early detection of any abuse; measures to protect persons with disabilities who have been mistreated and support their independence; and measures to support care givers.

[Enhanced prohibition of discrimination against persons with disabilities]

The DPJ Government has enacted various measures in preparation for the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which prohibits all forms of discrimination against persons with disabilities, whether in education or employment. The DPJ established the Policy Reform Promotion Headquarters on Persons with Disabilities in December 2009, developed basic principles and guidelines for reforming systems regarding challenged persons, and obtained the approval of the Cabinet. In accordance with the Cabinet decision, the government submitted a proposal to partially revise the Basic Act for the Disabled Persons. After some amendments, the revised proposal was established in July 2011.

[Developed regional measures for persons with disabilities to lead unrestricted lives]

Since the change in government, the DPJ has worked to improve policies affecting persons with disabilities, in order to create regional communities where they are able to lead unrestricted lives. The Government made welfare services for low income earners with disabilities free in April 2010, and in the same year the Government also implemented a lawmaker-sponsored bill that established a payment rate for welfare services for persons with disabilities that is based on their income. During the Diet sessions in 2012, the DPJ Diet members successfully abolished the Services and Support for Persons with Disabilities Act. In order to cover the blind spots in social welfare systems, the Government established a bill to expand the definition of persons with disabilities to include persons with intractable diseases, making them eligible for the same level of support.

Another lawmaker-sponsored bill was enacted in the Diet sessions of 2012 to promote the employment of persons with disabilities. In order to promote the employment of persons with disabilities and increase the volume of work received by organizations and businesses employing them, the DPJ are encouraging government organizations to favor the goods and services of such organizations and businesses, while also taking into account the legal employment rate among persons with disabilities and a suitable level of consumption of goods and services from organizations and businesses that employ persons with disabilities.

[Secured stable employment for the elderly]

The pensionable age for Old-age Employees' Pension (remuneration-based portion) will be raised to 65 in April 2013, but under the existing system, people aged 60 and above are obliged to retire, regardless of whether or not they want to continue to work. This would lead to a situation where the elderly had no income, either from work or from their pension, between the ages of 60 and 65. In order to secure stable employment, the DPJ amended the Act on Stabilization of Employment of Elderly Persons in August 2012, and the proposal will be enacted in April 1, 2013.