Learning Area: Conference

"Let's Discuss - Information Accessibility"
 
capacity of participants: up to 350 persons - Numbered ticket (with an individual seat number) will be distributed on the day of the events at the Conference Reception of Dai Bldg. on the day. All the tickets are only valid for a program.
Venue: Akihabara Convention Hall, 2nd floor, Dai Bldg.
December 12th (Sat)
 
10:00-12:00 (Ticket distribution starts at 9:00)
S1 Challenge to Information Access
Through the ongoing projects by companies and organizations to improve information accessibility that deaf and hard of hearing persons demands, as seen in the field of TV commercial film, public transportation, and products, panelists and participants discuss its current issues and future prospects.
Coordinator: Mr. Ken Sagawa (National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology)
Presenter: Ms. Miwa Morikawa (The Accessible Design Foundation of Japan)
Presenter: Mr. Daisuke Sawada (The Foundation for Promoting Personal Mobility and Ecological Transportation/The Ecomo Foundation)
Presenter: Ms. Karin Matsumori (Universal Design Consultant)


 
13:00-14:30 (Ticket distribution starts at 11:30)
S2 We DPOs Challenge: Toward Information Access
What is information accessibility? Disabled people's organizations (DPOs) with hearing and visual disabilities present their ongoing approaches, emerging issues and requests.
Coordinator: Eiichi Konaka (Vice President, Japanese Federation of the Deaf)
Keynote Presenter: Fujisaburo Ishino (President, Japanese Federation of the Deaf)
Presenter: Mr. Tomoyoshi Shintani (President, All Japan Association of Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened People)
Presenter: Mr. Takayuki Suzuki (Vice President, Japan Federation of the Blind)
Presenter: Mr. Satoshi Fukushima (Executive Board, Japan Deafblind Association)


 
15:30-17:00 (Ticket distribution starts at 14:00)
S3 Challenges of Disability Sports
Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is regarded to be a catalyst to advance information accessibility.
The panelists will discuss further development and diversity of disability sports, as well as realization of enhanced sports environment that disabled athletes aspire.
Coordinator: Mr. Chikara Oikawa (Professor Emeritus, Tsukuba University of Technology)
Commemorative Speaker: Mr. Mitsunori Torihara (Chairman of the Board, Japanese Para-Sports Association)
Panelist:Yosuke Ota (Chairman, Japan Deaf Sports Committee)
Panelist:Mr. Jun'ichi Kawai (Paralympic medalist (swimming): 5 golds, 9 silvers, 7 bronzes)
Panelist:Ms. Harumi Takeshima (Deaflympic medalist (table tennis): 9 golds, 3 silvers)

December 13th (Sun)
 
10:00-11:30 (Ticket distribution starts at 9:00)
S4 Challenges of Entrepreneurs
This session explores what enables working environment that maximizes skills and potentials of employees with hearing disabilities, through the perspectives of corporate management, job assistance, and labor administration. With scrutinizing case studies, panelists and participants share ideas on appropriate career development and job assistance for deaf and hard of hearing persons, as well as its reasonable accommodations.
Coordinator: Mr. Yasushi Ishihara (Vice President, Tsukuba University of Technology)
Panelist: Mr. Kazuo Endo (Deputy Director, Keidanren Labor Policy Bureau)
Panelist: Mr. Shin Kobayashi (Executive Director of Labor and Human Resource Policy, National Federation of Small Business Association)
Panelist: Mr. Takehiro Kobayashi (Disability Job Consultant, Public Employment Security Office Shinagawa Branch)
Panelist: Mr. Makoto Iwayama (Doctoral Student, Kagoshima University Graduate School, former staff of Public Employment Security Office)

 
12:30-14:30 (Ticket distribution starts at 11:00)
S5 Challenges of Local Governments
Nationwide movement on Sign Language Act promoted local government bodies to establish legislations on sign language and communication. The prefectural and municipal leaders discuss their ongoing attempts and future prospects for the implementation of information accessibility.
Coordinator: Yoshihiro Hasegawa (Vice President, Japanese Federation of the Deaf)
Speaker: Mr. Shinji Hirai (Governor, Tottori Prefecture)
Panelist: Mr. Katsusuke Taoka (Mayor, Ishikari City, Hokkaido)
Panelist: Mr. Fusai Izumi (Mayor, Akashi City, Hyogo)
Panelist: Mr. Masato Shinagawa (Mayor, Koriyama City, Fukushima)
Panelist: Mr. Masatoshi Hamada (Mayor, Shintoku Town, Hokkaido)
Panelist: Mr. Taisuke Miyamoto (Mayor, Narashino City, Chiba)
Panelist: Mr. Masayoshi Yasuda (Mayor, Kato City, Hyogo)

 
15:30-17:00 (Ticket distribution starts at 14:00)
S6 A National Challenge
Japanese government ratified the United Nations Conventions on the Rights of the Persons with Disabilities, which prompted to reform national legislations into Act on Elimination of Disability Discrimination to be enforced in April 2016. What will become of information accessibility, such as sign language interpretation service and relay service, in the new disability policy? Learning the updated information through government report and panel discussion, participants are encouraged to identify what is demanded to do the next.
Coordinator: Mr. Nobuyuki Kurosaki (President, National Center of Sign Language Education)
Presenter and Panelists: TBA