Accessibility Is Freedom เข้าถึงและเท่าเทียม | Accessible and Equal
On a journey to study the basic accessible facilities, the most important was to be able to test and examine whether it’s suitable and can be used in our daily lives.
This is why I call my trip as a “mission for everyone”. In addition, testing is very important and also the information would be much more valuable when we could hear the stories from people who were being involved and work close to these issues. Finally, I got an opportunity to visit the DPI-JAPAN (http://dpi-japan.org/).
And I felt privileged to have been given this chance to meet the Mr. Sato, the secretary General of DPI Japan. We’ve got a chance finally to talk and exchange information between Japan and Thailand. Very kind that Mr. Sato, had prepared all the documents and information about ‘Japan Accessible’ for us. All about transportation systems in various forms, locations, legal systems the past, the current situation and even the future plans of Japan.
In summary:
1. Japan is upgrading their accessible laws.
We all know that in terms of the accessibility facilities and services, Japan is the best. But when we look down closely, Japan also still having problems which is normal like any other places. And there’re a lot of things could get improved such as buildings or places that are not yet covered by the law, the size of the elevators, the complications with the services of railway stations, taxis, city buses and all other public transportation. (I was yelled off “This is NOT YET PERFECT?..”, Mr Sato said “Yes we do still have problems and getting it better improved”)
2. Taxis for wheelchair.
Currently there are very limited taxis in Japan providing this service. All we can see Taxis with wheelchair sticker are only wider space in the backseat.
Toyota is making taxis that are well designed for wheelchairs users and will have no more any other types of taxis. And soon, Japan will have comfortable and compatible taxi cars that we wheelchair users can use (this is insanely good!).
3. And when?
According to the Tokyo 2020 picture below, the aim is to complete the project within time of the Olympics & the Paralympics in 2020. This is exciting to catch up and follow.
Thanks to DPI-JAPAN by giving us the opportunity to meet up from their very busy schedule, we will get in touch each other more and more.
Saba
Accessibility Is Freedom
Bangkok
10/10/2017
