Overview of disability services in higher education in Japan

Students with disabilities (SWDs) account for approximately one percent of all students in Japanese institutions of higher education. Though relatively small compared to the number of SWDs in some other countries, this number is steadily increasing, as are supports and accommodations provided to SWDs. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which Japan ratified in 2014, was a major factor in legal changes that fostered greater provision of disability services and reasonable accommodations to SWDs in higher education. In the 2020-21 academic year, students with health impairments or chronic conditions accounted for the greatest proportion (30.3 percent) of SWDs, followed by those with mental disorders (27.4 percent) and developmental disorders (21.7 percent). Some 50% of SWDs utilize accommodations or supports. One major issue in Japan is that many higher education institutions lack personnel with the specialized knowledge, skills, and resources to meet the accommodation and service needs of SWDs. This chapter will present an overview of the education system in Japan; provide context surrounding SWDs in higher education in Japan, including recent statistics; and will describe current efforts related to the development of supports and services for SWDs in Japan.