◆Zeng Jiahui 2025/10/25-26 "Workplace Personal Assistance System for Persons with Disabilities in Japan: An Analysis of the Policy-Making Process",　障害学国際セミナー2025,　於：京都（日本）
◇障害学国際セミナー2025 ◇障害学国際セミナー
◇障害学

Zeng Jiahui 2025/10/25-26 "Workplace Personal Assistance System for Persons with Disabilities in Japan: An Analysis of the Policy-Making Process",　障害学国際セミナー2025,　於：京都（日本）

SUMMARY

This study examines the policy-making process of the Special Program for Employment Support for Persons with Severe Disabilities in Collaboration with Employment Policies (hereafter, "Employment Support System" or ESS) in Japan, focusing on why the system remains difficult to utilize despite efforts toward integration. Through document analysis, the study reviews meeting minutes and official reports from advisory councils of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare during the policy formulation phase. Although the initial discussions emphasized the importance of coordination between employment and welfare sectors to facilitate the employment of persons with severe disabilities, several recurring concerns shaped the institutional design. These include difficulties in coordination and role-sharing between administrative bodies, challenges in determining the scope of employers’ responsibilities for reasonable accommodation, and persistent concerns over financial burdens. As a result, while the system nominally aims for integration, the final design retains fragmented administrative structures, particularly in budget management and service application procedures. This study highlights how underlying policy concerns remained consistent throughout the process and contributed to the current limitations of the system.