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Japan
The law of accessibility in a rapidly aging nation

Mis en ligne le 16/08/2005

In 1994, Japan established "The Law for Promoting Easily Accessible and Useable Building for the Aged and the Disabled", and in 2000, the "Barrier-Free Transportation Law". Japan has taken a number of legislative steps to address a very serious challenge : it is aging at a rapid pace, according Yoshihiko Kawauchi, President, Access Project, Japan.

Japan has a very serious challenge : it is aging at a rapid pace. Most experts say that more than 25 percent of the population will be age 65 + by 2014. It took only 24 years for the elderly population in Japan to grow from seven percent to 14 percent. The same demographic change took nearly 114 years in France. Since our society is in the midst of this rapid change, community accessibility and social welfare have become policy issues.
Japan has taken a number of legislative steps to address these challenges.
In 2000, Japan initiated the "Long-Term Care Insurance" system so senior citizens could receive enough care to lead dignified lives in their homes and communities.
In 1994, Japan established "The Law for Promoting Easily Accessible and Useable Building for the Aged and the Disabled", called the "Heart Building Law".
In 2000, Japan established "The Law for Promoting Easily Accessible Public Transportation Infrastructure for the Aged and the Disabled" or the "Barrier-Free Transportation Law".
These laws and other initiatives led by the government and socially concerned architects, engineers, and advocates are beginning to make Japanese society accessible to all.

Accessibility and infrastructure :
The original aim of the "Heart Building Law" was to encourage the proprietors of specialized public facilities – hospitals, government buildings, theatres, etc – to modify the design of entrances, corridors, elevators, stairways, and washrooms to accommodate the needs of those with disabilities.
The Japanese government has decided to revise the "Barrier-Free Transportation Law".
In Japan, we have approximately 9,000 public transportation stations.
Every station that is newly constructed or thoroughly remodelled has to comply with accessibility requirements. Major public transit hubs need to be more accessible to the general public, including the roads and pedestrian paths that lead to the station.
There is a steady increase in the number of stations that are accessible.
By the middle of the 21st century, 33 percent of the Japanese population is expected to be age 65 +. Japan aims at making this a super-aged society like no other the world has ever seen.
The government's belief that it can create a society where all people can live healthy and comfortable lives is a true possibility.

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