When asked the question, "What is barrier-free?", what comes to your mind? Many people might think of "handrails" or "ramps" installed at stations and buildings.
However, the true meaning of barrier-free is to "consider those who find it inconvenient to do things that many people take for granted, and transform society into one where everyone can live comfortably." By doing so, everyone can smile.
This time, we will explain barrier-free not only in terms of its meaning but also by providing specific examples.
1. What is Barrier-Free?
Originally, the term barrier-free was a type of construction terminology. It means "removing barriers," that is, eliminating physical barriers to make life easier, especially for the elderly and people with disabilities.
So, what constitutes a barrier?
Steps at entrances, stairs, steep roads, and gaps between trains and platforms can all be barriers.
However, barriers are not limited to physical ones.
Barrier-free truly means removing social, institutional, and psychological barriers to social participation for everyone.
Barrier-free is more prevalent in our daily lives than you might think.
"Ramps and handrails" are one example. They are easy to understand and use for everyone and are found in many places.
These two are mainly designed to help the elderly, wheelchair users, and people with disabilities move smoothly.
Other examples include barrier-free toilets for people with physical disabilities and acoustic signals installed at crosswalks to help visually impaired and physically challenged individuals cross safely.
All of these are designed to be user-friendly for people with disabilities, the elderly, and even small children.
In this way, our daily lives are filled with various barrier-free elements, and you should be able to feel them too.
Let's think about why barrier-free is necessary, based on a correct understanding of its meaning.
2. The Four Types of Barriers
Specifically, what kinds of "barriers" are there? The various barriers in society can be broadly divided into four types.
2-1. Physical Barriers
Physical barriers are those that cause difficulties for people using public transportation, roads, buildings, etc., when moving.
For example, gaps or steps between train platforms and trains, elevator buttons out of reach for wheelchair users, and slippery floors or steps leading into buildings.
2-2. Institutional Barriers
Institutional barriers are those where social systems or rules prevent people with disabilities from having the same opportunities as able-bodied individuals, regardless of their abilities. Examples include refusal to allow guide dogs in facilities, restrictions on taking entrance exams or qualification tests due to disabilities.
Ayumi has an article about the Act on the Elimination of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities. Please also see the link below.
Reference:
2-3. Cultural and Informational Barriers
Cultural and informational barriers refer to situations where people with disabilities cannot access the same information or cultural activities as able-bodied individuals. Examples include touch-panel-only control panels, events or lectures without sign language interpreters, and audio-only announcements at stations or on trains.
Additionally, the information gap where barrier-free information cannot be found or accessed online is also a significant barrier.
2-4. Attitudinal Barriers
Attitudinal barriers refer to feelings of "pity" or "sympathy" towards the elderly or people with disabilities, as well as prejudices and discrimination. Even casual actions like standing on or placing objects on tactile paving can create significant psychological barriers for visually impaired individuals.
3. Why is the Concept of Barrier-Free Necessary?
Barrier-free is not just for people with disabilities or the elderly.
For example, steps can also be a barrier for mothers using strollers. In this way, it is needed by many people, including pregnant women, parents using strollers, and those with injuries like fractures.
Additionally, Japan entered a super-aging society at an unprecedented speed in 2007. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, it is said that 28% of the total population is aged 65 or older.
Reference: Statistics on the Elderly in Japan｜Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications
Furthermore, a survey by the Cabinet Office revealed that about 8% of the total population, approximately 9.65 million people, have disabilities.
Reference: Recent Trends in the Field of Disability Welfare｜Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare
When combining the elderly, people with disabilities, and children under two using strollers, more than 45 million people need barrier-free environments.
Consider barrier-free toilets, which are designed to be wider than regular toilets and equipped with handrails, making them accessible not only for wheelchair users and the elderly but also for parents with children, thanks to the availability of baby beds.
In this way, the presence of barrier-free facilities ensures that everyone can live their daily lives without inconvenience.
4. Introducing Familiar Examples and Innovations of Barrier-Free
Barrier-free is not something special but is abundant in everyday life.
One example is the non-step buses that have become more common in recent years.
Originally, buses were designed with high floors, making them inconvenient for wheelchair users, the elderly, and pregnant women.
However, non-step buses are designed without steps at the entrance or inside, and they are equipped with wheelchair spaces, making them comfortable to use.
Additionally, audio guidance is a thoughtful feature for visually impaired individuals. Combined with tactile paving, audio guidance helps them understand where things are, assisting them in going out.
"Ekimatope," introduced in 2022, is a barrier-free facility that visualizes ambient sounds on train platforms, allowing hearing-impaired individuals to use trains safely.
Read the article by Reiko Katayama, CEO of Hougaku Co., Ltd., who designed Ekimatope, at the link below.
Reference:
When you look around the city, you'll find many barrier-free initiatives. Try exploring the barrier-free elements in your surroundings.
5. Is Barrier-Free Progressing in Japan? Comparing Japan's Current Situation with Overseas
So, how widespread is barrier-free in Japan?
As mentioned earlier, physical barrier-free measures are widely seen everywhere.
In particular, barrier-free measures at stations, which we use daily, are notably different from other countries.
In Japan, 94.3% of railway stations with an average of 3,000 or more daily passengers have tactile paving for visually impaired individuals. Additionally, 89% of stations have at least one barrier-free route, indicating a high level of consideration for barrier-free access.
Reference: Is Japan's Barrier-Free Progressing? Current State of Public Transport and Historical Buildings｜NHK
In major cities overseas, such as London and Paris, some underground stations lack elevators, making them very inconvenient for people who need barrier-free access.
On the other hand, hotels and rental housing in Japan lag behind compared to overseas.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism mandates that when constructing new hotels or expanding existing ones with a floor area of 2,000㎡ or more and a total of 50 or more guest rooms, at least 1% of the total number of guest rooms must be barrier-free rooms.
However, in France, barrier-free rooms are installed on each floor, and in Turkey and South Africa, one room is installed for every 50 rooms, indicating that barrier-free measures in hotels are not as advanced as in other parts of the world.
Moreover, the disclosure of barrier-free information is also delayed.
For those who need it, this is most acutely felt when choosing a residence.
In Japan, there are not many barrier-free rental properties. Additionally, such information is rarely listed on real estate portal sites, and even when found, contracts may be refused simply because the tenant uses a wheelchair.
Even in Japan, a super-aging society, there is still a need for further barrier-free development. Along with physical barrier-free measures, mental barrier-free is equally important.
6. Definition of Barrier-Free in SDGs
SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are international goals set by the United Nations from 2016 to 2030. There are 17 goals, and among them, initiatives for barrier-free are emphasized.
Details can be found at the United Nations Information Center, so if you're interested, please see the link below.
Reference: Sustainable Cities and Communities｜United Nations Information Center
Goal 11, "Sustainable Cities and Communities," aims to create cities that are easy to live in for everyone, with targets such as:
By 2030, expand public transportation and ensure that everyone, especially women, children, people with disabilities, and the elderly, can use affordable, safe, and sustainable transportation.
Source: 11. Sustainable Cities and Communities｜Japan Committee for UNICEF
By 2030, ensure that everyone, including women, children, the elderly, and people with disabilities, can use safe and accessible green spaces and public areas.
As you can see, barrier-free initiatives are globally important and necessary for the future.
7. Explaining the Difference Between Barrier-Free and Universal Design
A term often confused with barrier-free is "universal design." Many people may not know the difference.
Simply put, barrier-free is primarily designed for people with disabilities and the elderly, while universal design considers individual differences and nationality, regardless of disability.
In other words, universal design can be seen as a step further than barrier-free.
Examples include the textured surface of shampoo bottles, sensor-activated faucets, and pictograms. These are all familiar items.
The textured surface on shampoo bottles is not only for visually impaired individuals but also for people washing their hair with their eyes closed. Sensor-activated faucets are convenient for people with hand disabilities, children with weak grip strength, and the elderly.
Additionally, pictograms are designed to be easily understood by anyone, regardless of nationality, including tourists who do not understand Japanese and the elderly who have difficulty reading small print.
Recently, the concept of inclusive design, which respects diversity and considers human rights by including specific people who feel inconvenienced by conventional products and services, is spreading.
While universal design refers to a generic design that can be used by as many people as possible regardless of their situation or abilities, inclusive design involves designing from the perspective of the target audience, which is a significant difference.
Examples include NIKE's "Go FlyEase" and TOTO's "Public Toilet." For more details, please see the article below.
Reference:
In the United States, there are also parks designed with universal design.
These parks include play equipment tailored to children's developmental stages, areas decorated differently for the visually impaired, and sandboxes with height adjustments so that children in wheelchairs can play together, among other innovations.
However, implementing universal design requires large land areas and funding. While it can be implemented in municipal facilities, public transportation, and commercial facilities, it is challenging for individual stores to implement it.
On the other hand, in recent Japan, there is an increase in inclusive design parks where everyone, regardless of disability or age, can play. For more details, please see the article below.
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