The aim of my thesis is to shed light on the topic of disability in Japan; try to identify with people with disabilities and encourage reflection amongst readers, which will raise awareness of the topic and eradicate possible prejudices. The thesis consists of three parts. In the first part, which is based on secondary non-empirical research and interpretation of source materials, the concept of disability and what the term encompasses is defined. Additionally, the changes in the social status of people with disabilities in Japan throughout history are presented. Next, two very important aspects of their daily lives: education and employment are analyzed. In the last part, which is empirical, the current social position of people with disabilities is presented. Furthermore, the society’s perception of people with disabilities is depicted. The above was achieved by conducting an interview with Dr. Mark Bookman, a historian of disability policy and connected social movements in Japanese and transnational contexts, who is also a person with a physical disability. During our conversation, I gained a new perspective on the perception of people with disabilities in Japan. Before I started to write my thesis, I formulated two research hypotheses. Firstly, the social position of people with disabilities in Japan has improved in the past fifty years, which is the result of newly established reforms and laws. Secondly, there is still a lot of prejudice against people with disabilities in Japan, which is reflected in the stigma surrounding the topic. With the help of the theoretical part, I was able to confirm the first hypothesis. The latter, however, I partially rejected and partially confirmed due to its complexity.
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