Over the years, the Land of the Rising Sun has been consistently proactive when it comes to technological innovations. Japan is regarded as one of the most technologically advanced countries not only in Asia but all over the globe. Japanese products are commended for their excellent quality and durability.
A number of globetrotters and tech savvy tourists nowadays are looking forward to visit the country not only because of its beautiful sightseeing spots, delicious and iconic dishes but more so because of the technological advancements in the country which are manifested in various gadgets and even in their forms of accommodation and mode of transportation such as the shinkansen or bullet train.
At present, the Japanese also made use of their technological prowess in order to come up with devices that would help improve the social welfare services extended to the persons with disabilities. For instance, the various local governments in Japan has already allowed the use of digital identification cards which can be easily accessed by smart phone applications in lieu of the paper disability certification before persons with disabilities may avail of government benefits.
With these technological changes for improvement, it cannot be denied that there are also challenges along the way. According to one government official from Osaka, “We need support from the central government because hundreds of millions of yen may be needed to revamp our computer system.”
A number of prefectural governments in Japan are waiting for the response of the central Japanese government after national government officials expressed their plan to combine the issuance of the certification for the disable with the “My Number” card which is the identification card used to access the social security system.
Meanwhile, Mirairo Inc, a consulting company based in Osaka launched last July 2019 a new mobile application that would enable users especially persons with disabilities to receive discounts while on board trains as well as in showing plane tickets. When these Mirairo users will send photos of their certificates, the application will digitize them after conducting steps for authentication.
Reference: Technology improving access to services for Japan’s disabled
