Documentation for the Workshop / Country Papers : Japan

Survey and census sources of national disability data

Country: Japan

1. Overview of survey or census

Title of survey or census
Basic Survey on Children (people) with mental Retardation
Date of latest data collection
As of September 1st ,2000
Periodicity of survey or census (continuous, annual, ad hoc, 10 or 5 yearly in case of census etc.)
Every 5 years
Contact person(s) for the survey/census (include title, office mail address,
phone, fax, email, website, etc.):
Mr. Noriaki Ito
Chief of Planning Section, Policy Planning Division,
Department of Health and welfare for Persons with Disabilities,
Social Welfare and War Victims' Relief Bureau,
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Address: 1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku,Tokyo 100-8916 JAPAN
Phone: +81 3 5253 1111(ext.3018)
Fax: +81 3 3502 0892
e-mail: itou-noriaki @ mhlw.go.jp
website: http://www.mhlw.go.jp

2. Brief summary of survey or census

Describe what information on disability is collected
As for persons:
Type and grade of mental retardation, activities of daily life, advisor, working, reception of various pensions and so on.
As for children:
Type and grade of mental retardation, activities of daily life, advisor, working, reception of various allowances and so on.
What uses are made of the data and who are the users?
This Survey aims to have the information about situation of persons (children) with mental retardation in Japan. The national/local administrative officers and researchers/scholars use this survey outcome and also it is published to the general public.
Were users involved in deciding what information to collect?
Yes. We made reference to pressure group related to persons with mental retardation.
What definition of disability was used?
Intelligence quotient is about 70 and under.
Were data collected and compiled according to international standards or national classifications and definitions? (e.g.ICIDH or ICF)
National classifications

3. Scope of survey or census

Describe the population covered in the survey (age, private dwelling population, institutionalised population, etc.)
Private dwelling children (people) with mental retardation
Children: under 18 years old
People: 18 years old or more

4. Coverage and sampling

Coverage of survey or census (how well was the scope achieved)
Residents in Japan
Sample frame(s) (sample size? Sample frame based on lists, area, register, etc.)
2,027 persons/ children reside in the survey districts random sampled from the survey districts of National Population Census by proportion of 1/150.

5. Are there other data sources which you use to benchmark your survey results? (e.g. previous surveys to compare with? what evaluations did you make of the results?)

There are previous surveys to compare with.

6. Response and non-response

What was the response rate?
81.0%?
Did you evaluate the non-response? (e.g. break it up into full and partial? impact of non-response? follow-up studies? imputations for missing items?)
We do not make follow-up studies.

7. Data collection (Attach or mail us a copy of your questionnaire)

There is no questionnaires in English.

Manner of collection (face-to-face interviews, self-administered questionnaire, telephone, other?)
Self-administered questionnaire.
Type of respondent (who replied? The disabled person or proxy for the person?)
The disabled persons replied as possible but proxy for the person in the case of impossible.
Format of questions (how many questions? pre-coded standardised?)
Number of questions is 15.
Non pre-coded
List the languages used in the survey or census
Japanese

8. Measurement error

Which special data collection procedures were undertaken to reduce measurement error (e.g. pilot testing of questions and questionnaire? training of interviewers? detailed coding instructions? follow-up of non response by specialist staff?)
Instruction manual of survey for interviewers is made.

9. Highlights of the strengths and limitations of survey or census

Strengths: (e.g. a very detailed survey; sound sample design; use of international standard concept and classifications, etc.)

Information on the situation persons/children with mental retardation are grasped because the survey districts are sampled from national population census survey districts.

Limitations: (e.g. high relative standard error for small population groups/geographic areas; respondent overload due to length of questionnaire; lack of consistency or survey items across surveys, etc.)

No limitations.

10. List published sources on disability statistics

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/houdou/0109/h0919-3.html

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