PARALYMPICS
TOKYO 2020: HOW DID WE DO? Has the Paralympics changed Japan’s attitude and awareness to disabled access? BY SIMON FARRELL
T
he Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games will go down in history as the first Games to be postponed, and the first to be carried out with empty stadiums. The preparation for the year 2020 was immense, with a huge effort
among younger respondents in their twenties. In terms of D&I awareness, 40.2 percent of respondents said their understanding of D&I had increased. CC: A standout from
increasing, I feel that the "barrier-free" mentality has not progressed to the same extent. There may still be prejudice beyond simply not knowing how to treat people with disabilities. I believe that the first step is not to understand our differences, but to
from the Japanese government to prepare the country for the expected influx of tourists, here to attend events—as well as the athletes taking part in them. One concern was the accessibility of the country for those with disabilities—both Paralympic athletes and tourists alike. Tokyo did its best to diversify and adapt to this challenge. Almost a year on, when reflecting on the Games, how did Japan do? And has the country done more than increase accessibility—have the minds and attitudes of Japanese people changed? BCCJ ACUMEN spoke with Ichiro Kabasawa, Executive Director of private, non-profit grantmaking organisation, The Nippon Foundation, and Caroline Casey, the businesswoman and activist behind the Valuable 500, the world’s largest CEO collective and business move for disability inclusion.
the Tokyo Games has been the launch of the #wethe15 campaign— the world’s biggest multi-stakeholder coalition for disability inclusion—which will run from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games to the LA 2028 Summer Olympics. Leveraging the unique influence of the Paralympic Games as the third most-watched broadcast event, #wethe15 is building a movement to ignite a global wave of practical commitments across all industries to end disability exclusion. We are particularly excited to see the expansion of #wethe15 beyond sports, to engage key stakeholders to tackle disability exclusion in all aspects of life.
recognize that “we don't know the difference” first. CC: Every country, culture and industry can improve. I cannot speak to what Japan could do better because I am not Japanese. But I can certainly stress that this is a time for radical transformation and collaboration. Japan, through The Nippon Foundation and its visionary leader Ryoichi Sasakawa, are a Global Impact Partner of the Valuable 500. The 53 Japanese companies that are part of the Valuable 500’s global community will play a vital role in our ambition to transform the business system to include disabled employees, customers and suppliers. But for any country to progress, it must work in partnership with disabled people. It must treat them as equals and part of the solution, as well as consult with disability-led organisations to create change.
How successful were the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics in terms of helping create an inclusive society in which people with disabilities can actively participate without discrimination? IK: It was definitely a significant event. The Nippon Foundation surveyed 5,216 people to identify changes in their awareness and understanding of diversity and inclusion (D&I) before and after the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in both 2019 and 2021. We found that prejudice and discrimination against minorities decreased by 10 percent across the two-to-three-year period, with a particularly strong downward trend
How could Tokyo (and Japan) do better for people with disabilities? IK: I have a friend who is a wheelchair user, businessman and accessibility consultant for various organisations and businesses. When he attended the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics, he reflected that although the city was not wheelchair accessible, people would immediately rush to assist wheelchair users. On the other hand, in Japan, although barrier-free facilities are
Although barrier-free facilities are increasing, I feel that the "barrier-free" mentality has not progressed to the same extent Daisuke Uehara won silver for ice sledge hockey.
22 bccj acumen, may/june 2022
