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Messages from Keidanren Executives December, 2021 Moving toward the Achievement of an Inclusive Society

Kazuhiro TSUGA Vice Chair, Keidanren
Chairman of the Board, Panasonic Corporation

Despite being held without spectators, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, which came to a close on September 5, had the longest ever television coverage for these games and inspired many people. I believe that this motivated people to think about an inclusive society where everyone can live positively irrespective of disabilities.

According to the International Paralympic Committee, about 15% of the world's population are living with some type of disability, whereas the figure in Japan is approximately 8%, or 9.65 million people, according to a report by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Nearly 70% of individuals with physical disabilities are over the age of 65, implying a further increase in an aging population. Considering the fact that even people who are currently healthy can face some type of disability as they get older, the achievement of an inclusive society is a familiar issue for everyone.

The Japanese government established the Universal Design 2020 Action Plan in 2017, which represents the basic philosophy that it is essential for all people to understand the social model of disability and raise awareness. The social model views a disability as the result of the interaction between individuals living with mental and physical impairments and barriers in the social environment, and therefore considers society to be responsible for eliminating such barriers.

Business enterprises have been contributing to the achievement of an inclusive society by promoting the employment of people with disabilities, providing universal design products and services, and facilitating barrier-free urban development. After the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games were confirmed, support for parasports from Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) members and other companies took root.

Meanwhile, during the London 2012 Paralympic Games, which garnered much attention, the city relied on people's natural reaction of reaching out to those in need, rather than promoting the development of barrier-free infrastructure.

As business enterprises, we must not only continue to strengthen our respective initiatives, but also focus on encouraging each individual citizen to take action toward the achievement of an inclusive society.

I truly hope that, inspired by the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, people will mutually respect individual diversity, reach out to those in need, and feel invigorated and encouraged through such acts. Under an ideal state of society, we will be equally helping each other, eventually bringing together the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

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