I have not had Coronavirus, but my lack of podcasting is kind of ‘COVID-19 related.’

Barrier Free Japan: https://barrierfreejapan.com

Episode links:

‘900 Welfare offices for persons with disabilities closed throughout Japan due to COVID-19’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/28/900-welfare-offices-for-persons-with-disabilities-closed-throughout-japan-due-to-covid-19/

‘Two employees at a Tokyo facility for disabled found to be infected with COVID-19 after ten were known to be infected’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/27/two-employees-at-a-tokyo-facility-for-disabled-found-to-be-infected-with-covid-19-after-ten-were-known-infected/

Episode links:

As the disability welfare facility in Kanagawa Prefecture, where 19 disabled residents and 26 others were injured by Satoshi Uematsu in July 2016, is rebuilt in a new location, part of the name of the old facility “Yamayuri” was registered with the Japanese Sign Language Institute on March 27 so that the massacre is not forgotten.

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/18/name-of-care-home-where-disabled-residents-were-killed-and-injured-registered-with-japanese-sign-language-institute/

Episode links:

Saitama Prefecture announced on April 12 that a total of 40 new coronavirus infections have been confirmed in the prefecture. In addition, at two facilities for the disabled, operated by a social welfare corporation in Tokorozawa City, a total of 10 staff members and users were found to be infected, and the prefecture was examined as a cluster.

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/13/40-new-covid-19-cases-confirmed-in-saitama-at-facilities-for-disabled-people/

Episode links:

‘Japan's PM Abe declares state of emergency amid widespread virus infections’:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/07/japans-pm-abe-declares-state-of-emergency-amid-widespread-virus-infections/

"I can't participate in TV or teleconferences." Japan's disabled face difficulties working from home:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/03/i-cant-participate-in-tv-or-teleconferences-japans-disabled-face-difficulties-working-from-home/

Episode links:

95 people confirmed as infected with COVID-19 at Chiba welfare facility for the disabled:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/01/95-people-confirmed-as-infected-with-covid-19-at-chiba-welfare-facility-for-the-disabled/

As death sentence is finalized, Sagamihara killer says he was “wrong to continue the trial”:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/04/01/as-death-sentence-is-finalized-sagamihara-killer-says-he-was-wrong-to-continue-the-trial/

Episode links:

Chiba Governor Kensaku Morita held a press conference on the night of the 28th, calling it a “grave situation” and saying that a total of 58 people were newly infected, including 32 of the staff of the Hokuso Ikusei-en facility as well as 26 of the residents.

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/28/57-people-at-chiba-welfare-facility-for-persons-with-disabilities-infected-with-new-coronavirus/

Sagamihara killer’s defense team to apply to appeal death sentence:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/28/sagamihara-killers-defense-team-to-apply-to-appeal-death-sentence/

Episode links:

On March 24, the man convicted of killing 19 disabled residents and injuring dozens more restated his intention to not appeal his death sentence.

Satoshi Uematsu said: “I had expected to be given the death sentence, but I’m not satisfied with the contents of the trial because it proceeded on the assumption that people with disabilities have human rights.”

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/26/as-deadline-approaches-sagamihara-killer-re-states-that-he-will-not-appeal-death-sentence/

Episode links:

On Thursday March 19th, Eiko Kimura, a representative of the House of Councillors and a member of the Reiwa Shinsengumi, who has cerebral palsy, was excluded from a cross-party committee meeting about the novel coronavirus threat.

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/23/lawmaker-with-cerebral-palsy-excluded-from-covid-19-committee-meeting-claims-discrimination/

Episode links:

The Yokohama District Court sentenced Satoshi Uematsu (30) to death on March 16th for killing 19 residents and injuring 26 others at a care home in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture in July 2016:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/16/sagamihara-massacre-defendant-receives-death-penalty/

Sagamihara Care Home Killings documents to be archived:

https://barrierfreejapan.com/2020/03/19/documents-and-materials-relating-to-sagamihara-care-home-killings-to-be-permanently-preserved/