The vocational rehabilitation service system in Japan

Working-age Japanese with disabilities (ages 15–64) experience substantially lower employment rates compared to non-disabled Japanese, indicating a need for policy and programs that promote disability employment opportunities in competitive settings. Historically, the vocational rehabilitation (VR) service system in Japan has involved two government administrations – the Ministry of Labour and the Ministry of Health and Welfare – that, despite the merger in 2001, continue to focus on competitive and facility-based(sheltered) employment, respectively. In this paper, the authors provide an overview of the enabling legislation, key policies and measures, and personnel resources of the VR service system under labour. A cornerstone policy and practice issue is the engagement of a mandatory disability employment quota for public-sector and private-sector employers administered by public employment security offices (PESO), and public employment and rehabilitation services delivered through a network of PESO offices, local and regional vocational centers, vocational training centers and employment support centers for persons with disabilities. The authors conclude with a discussion of current issues and trends in rehabilitation in Japan and implications for future cross-national comparative research. The information presented in this paper is based on a literature review and key informant interviews conducted between May 2012 and June 2012.