Cafe Space for self-enlightenment gaining popularity

(photo: http://kanazawa.keizai.biz/)

 January 27, 2012

The cafe-styled space "The Morning Extra Activities," which the design company located in Kanazawa-shi, Ishikawa Prefecture started last summer, is gaining popularity.

This space has attracted those who want to utilize a morning hour effectively for self-education before working.

The participants are most the office workers in their 30-40's, and students, professors, even chef, etc. are among them.

A theme is decided based on the opinions from the participants. Sometimes a participant becomes a lecturer on the theme related to his experience in many cases. The theme on "sign language" was especially popular because of the Deaf participant.

The company staff said, "It is a time when communication can be simply done on the Internet now. So we would like to offer a new place where people meet one another learning something from others."

The cafe space is held Fridays at 7:00-8:00 in the morning.
Fees are 500 yen; a capacity is about 20 persons.
It is requested to check a theme with Facebook before applying.

Japanese source:
http://kanazawa.keizai.biz/headline/1715/

Deaf couple arrested for fraud in Kagawa Prefecture

January 24, 2012

By January 23, the Takamatsu East Police Station arrested a Deaf couple, Sato Kiyoto (65) and his wife Sato Geraldine Mendoza (41) of the Philippines nationality who reside in Kimitsu-shi, Chiba Prefecture, as suspected for fraud.

They conspired plot with the part employee woman (59) from Takamatsu-shi, whom they have become acquainted with through chat on the Internet. Kiyoto said to her on video chat that he needed money to pay for medical treatment, and let her 800,000 yen transfer to his bank account.

According to the police station, the couple denied suspicion, saying that he planned to pay money and that it was only prolonging."

Japanese source:
http://www.shikoku-np.co.jp/kagawa_news/social/20120124000155

Interpreting to offer at briefing session for compensation of nuclear power plant disaster

January 21, 2012

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA), the Fukushima Bar Association, and the Japan Disability Forum will hold the briefing session for the persons with disabilities and their families in Koriyama-shi, Fukushima Prefecture on January 29.

The organizing groups have noted that the procedure to  demand for compensation, etc. may not have got across to the persons with disabilities who are the victims of the First Nuclear Power Plant disaster of Tokyo Electric Power (TEP) in Fukushima.

According to JFBA officials, TEP has sent a set of the compensation forms to the disaster victims, which were not printed in braille for the person with sight impairment. Many of the victims also complained: "I do not understand the difficult terms or vocabulary", "I don't know how to fill in the form," etc.

At the briefing session, two lawyers will explain problems peculiar to the person with disability such as aggravation of the disability due to the evacuation, the increase in needed support, etc.

On the day, sign language interpreting and note taking will be provided. Also the material to be distributed will be translated into braille.

Japanese source:
http://www.nikkei.com/news/category/article/g=96958A9C93819695E0E3E2E2908DE0E3E2E3E0E2E3E09180EAE2E2E2;at=DGXZZO0195583008122009000000

Film on DeafBlind woman made by sign language group in Kyoto

Konishi Kimiko (center) directs Haida Chiyoko (right) at Chiyoko's home during the shooting.
(photo: http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/)

January 20, 2012


A sign language theater group in Kyoto is making the movie on the life of a DeafBlind woman, HAIDA Chiyoko (69), who played the leading role.

It is about her life-long struggle to regain the human relationship with people through the tactile sign language.

Saying "I want people to know how I have experienced pain and happiness," Chiyoko stood in front of the camera at her home where the shooting was taken. She was born Deaf and lost sight later about at the age of 50. Group members worked as a crew as well as a supporting actor.

Certified sign language interpreter KONISHI Kimiko (58) who wrote the scenario is the leader of the sign language theater group in Kyoto. She met Chiyoko 16 years ago, taking her out outside. She has learned the tactile sign language with Chiyoko, supporting her life, too.

Kimiko says, "since the support to Deafblind people lacks, many of them are isolated. They can regain hope by direct contact with people if there are understanding and a support."

Chiyoko and the group members embraced each other after the shooting was over. "Though I am unable to see the completed movie, I will remember our work, because we all shared every wonderful moment." Her eyes were wet with tears in the back of the sunglasses.

The film is being edited in order to run for 20 minutes to enter for "The Saga Deaf Film Festival," which the national sign language training center will host in Kyoto on February 25.

Japanese source:
http://www.kyoto-np.co.jp/politics/article/20120120000027

Deaf owner opens new soup cafe in Tokyo

Yanagi Masahiro
(photo: http://www.nhk.or.jp/)

Muroga Yasushi (right)

January 19, 2012

A cafe called "SingwithMe" that the staff are all Deaf opened in Tokyo at the end of December, 2011.

YANAGI Masahiro (39), the owner and manager who is born-Deaf, had advanced opening preparation since two years ago. He said, "I have wanted to have a cafe where Deaf people can feel comfortable."

His own experience was the chance to start this kind of business. "There are many cafes/restaurants where sign language is not understood even when to order food. which made me frustrated many times."

Masahiro, who had worked to support persons with disabilities to find a job, had felt the necessity for a place to work which a disabled person can be satisfied.

What he thought of was something like a cafe which the Deaf manages. However, when a few major franchise companies were consulted on opening a cafe. their reaction was negative.

They simply said, "Spoken conversation always comes in business. Since the Deaf cannot speak, it won't be business."  So Masahiro was totally refused.

Fortunately MUROGA Yasushi, who owns a soup specialty store in Nagano Prefecture, offered help to Masahiro as he believed there would be a big chance in Masahiro's idea. "There is no store for Deaf persons to get relaxed while there are a number of people  interested in sign language. So why not the things get together for business opportunities."

About 70 percent of visitors are office girls and college students from the neighborhood. Communication with a visitor is performed by using sign language or writing on the board. The information terminal portable in the register is set so that those who don't know sign language can make an order smoothly. There are some visitors who get interested in learning sign language taking advantage of coming to the restaurant.

Although a secured place for people with disabilities to work shows a spread every year, a store where all the staff are Deaf called is unusual like the cafe "SingwithMe".

Masahiro says, "I want to develop the system which supports a disabled person who starts business based on my own experience."

Japanese source:
http://www.nhk.or.jp/shutoken/ohayo/report/20120119.html

Social Cafe Sign With Me official site (Japanese):
http://signwithme.in/
Video (JSL):
http://vimeo.com/32662521