“My feet are on the shelf behind my seat” Kumamoto wheelchair-bound lawmaker demands removal after more than 2 years, construction completed

For more than two years, the Minamata City Council in Kumamoto Prefecture has been asking for the shelves attached to their seats in the council chamber to be removed because a wheelchair-using councilor is getting their feet caught on them. I did this to make the shelf removable.

Kazuki Sugisako, a member of the Minamata City Council who is partially paralyzed and uses a wheelchair, has had his feet get caught in the shelves installed inside his seat for storing documents since December 2021, when the chamber was renovated. became.

Mr. Sugisako has been asking the council to take reasonable measures, such as removing the shelf, as he has no feeling in his feet and there is a risk of pressure sores caused by his feet touching the shelves for long periods of time. .

During discussions at City Council committees, there were objections such as ``I don't understand what the inconvenience is,'' and so far, the request has not been realized.

Under these circumstances, Chairman Tatsuo Iwamura, who was in charge of the response, reported at the representative meeting on the 15th that work had been done to make it possible to remove the shelf at Representative Sugisako's seat.

The cost was approximately 42,000 yen.

After the meeting, Rep. Sugisako went to his seat in the chamber and removed the shelves to make sure his feet wouldn't get caught on them.

Rep. Sugisako said, ``I thought it would be done quickly because it was just a matter of taking a shelf, but two years was a long time.The words ``reasonable accommodation'' came up a lot in Congress, but the word and human rights awareness have spread. I'm glad I did," he said.

Chairman Tatsuo Iwamura: ``It's difficult to consolidate because there are so many different people.''

Tatsuo Iwamura, chairman of the Minamata City Council, said at a representative meeting on the 15th, regarding the work to make the shelves removable, ``There were so many different opinions that it was difficult to consolidate them.'' It was left up to the chairman.Even though we give reasonable consideration, there are times when we have to compromise with each other, and when the budget is high, we cannot do what we can't do, so we get estimates, invite bids, and proceed with the construction work. We have completed it.”

Expert: “It’s not something that will take two years.”

Hideo Inoue, a professor emeritus at Kanazawa University who is familiar with the issue of political participation by people with disabilities, told NHK that ``the improvements are a step forward,'' but added, ``It is natural to make reasonable accommodations, and human rights The basic premise is to guarantee what is necessary for people from a variety of positions to participate in politics and to act in the parliamentary chamber. "We have an obligation to make sure that we can continue our activities. It's not something that will take two years to accomplish."

On top of that, he said, ``Changing society so that people with disabilities can live like human beings, or changing the consciousness of people without disabilities, will lead to normalization, the true meaning of an inclusive society. I want all citizens, including other people, to discuss and think about this."

Representative of a parliamentary organization for people with disabilities: ``The reality has come to light''

Hiroshi Murakami of the Kumamoto City Council, who is the representative of the ``Network to Promote Independence and Political Participation of Persons with Disabilities,'' a national organization made up of local politicians with disabilities, said in an interview with NHK, ``In the end, things turned out the way they wanted.'' "While this is commendable, this is an example that highlights the fact that the situation in which it is difficult for councilors with disabilities to work or be active is still deeply rooted in local councils, where the situation is not easily resolved." .

He then called on the government to ``reaffirm that all local governments are obligated to provide reasonable accommodation, and to respond seriously when requests are made.''