Documentation for the Workshop / Country Papers : Japan

Administrative sources of national disability data

Country: Japan

1. Overview of administrative sources

There are two registers, that is, "register of deliver of Disabled persons' notebook" and "register of deliver of mental disordered persons' notebook". These are set in every prefecture and designated city (big city). Though statistical information of contents of these registers by prefecture/designated is not published, The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare gathered information of a part of contents of these registers and make the statistics and published data in "Report on administration of social welfare".

List the titles of the different registers and the ministry/organisation responsible for them
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
1. Number of persons on register of deliver of Disabled persons' notebook
2. Number of newly registered persons aged 18 and over on register of deliver of Disabled persons' notebook
3. Number of persons on register of deliver of mental disordered persons' notebook
What purpose do they have?
To have the basic data on national administration of social welfare
How often are they updated? (continuously, annual, ad hoc, etc.)
Every fiscal year

2. Brief summary of register(s)

Describe what information on disability is collected
Report on administration of social welfare
1. Number of persons on register of deliver of Disabled persons' notebook
  - Classification of disability
  - Age: 18years or over, under 18 years
  - Number of disabled persons on the register as of the end of previous fiscal year
  - Number of newly registered persons in this fiscal year
  - Number of disabled persons moved from register of other prefecture
  - Number of persons moved to other prefecture or returned disabled persons' notebook in this fiscal year
  - Number of persons who changed the contents in register (became to be 18 years old, type of disability)
  - Number of persons on register as of the end of this fiscal year
2. Number of newly registered persons aged 18 and over on register of deliver of Disabled persons' notebook
  - Type of disability
  - Residence (prefecture, designated city)
3. Number of persons on register of deliver of mental disordered persons' notebook
  - Grade of disability
  - Age: 18years or over, under 18 years
  - Number of disabled persons on the register as of the end of previous fiscal year
  - Number of newly registered persons in this fiscal year
  - Number of disabled persons moved from register of other prefecture
  - Number of persons moved to other prefecture or return disabled persons' notebook in this fiscal year
  - Number of persons who changed the contents in register (became to be 18 years old, type of disability)
  - Number of persons on register as of the end of this fiscal year
What uses are made of the data and who are the users?
Use for national/local government policy making by administration officer or researchers/scholars
Were users involved in deciding what information to collect?
No.
What definition of disability is used?
National definition of type and grade of disability
Are the definitions used in the register(s) compatible with survey or census definitions? With international standards?
Compatible with survey
Not compatible with international standards

3. Coverage

Residents in Japan

What population is covered in the register(s)
Disabled persons delivered disabled persons' notebook
How complete is the coverage? (who is included? who is missed out?)
Disabled persons delivered disabled persons' notebook are included but disabled persons not delivered that notebook are excluded.
The number of latter is unknown.
How is/are the register(s) evaluated for completeness?
There are some amounts of disabled person not delivered that notebook.
Manner of updating the register(s)? (automatic from computerised forms, from paper forms, other?)
Automatic update by computer

4. Highlight some of the strengths and limitations of your administrative register(s)

Strengths: unified administration of disabled persons and the data are very useful for policy planning.
Limitations: We cannot have the information on disabled persons not delivered that notebook.

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