Comments on: Things I Learned in Japan About Being Blind

By: Xdpaul

Xdpaul — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:56:54 +0000

Oh, and here’s one organization’s take on the past decade or so of progress in Japan:

http://v1.dpi.org/lang-en/resources/details?page=714

By: Xdpaul

Xdpaul — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:55:14 +0000

What is very remarkable about Japan is that it has a long history of very nearly quarantining the handicapped. Only within the last ten years or so has the country really made public strides.

When I first visited Japan in 1992 or so, the handicapped were still very much considered outcasts, and were not to be seen in society. About that time, things began to change somewhat, and good strides have been taken since then.

A good article capturing the start of the shift was written in the NY Times in the mid-nineties:

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A03EFD71339F934A35757C0A960958260

By: Tombstone

Tombstone — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:51:29 +0000

Well, it makes perfect sense.

Any country that subject to random Godzilla attacks must provide methods for the impaired to quickly flee on their own, as everyone will be running in terror and unable to provide assistance due to abject terror.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:33:02 +0000

Yeah. Those were very cool.

By: Will

Will — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 15:16:41 +0000

The country as a whole is more blind-friendly than here. Did you see any of the raised, or textured sidewalk paths for the blind?