Research Policy

The Department of Social Rehabilitation contributes to the independence, the promotion of social participation, the improvement of QOL and ensuring safety of persons with disabilities and is conducting research on social systems, information communication technology and views on disability and persons with disabilities in society for the purpose of contributing to the accumulation of scientific knowledge, policy planning and human resource development through the interdisciplinary efforts of social sciences / behavioral science / information science. (Established in November 1986)

Research unit

　(September 1, 2024)

   Acting Director - Daisuke Sakamoto

   Senior Researcher - Kenji Gasawa, Ph.D. (Economics)

   Research Fellow - Yufuko Takashima, Ph.D. (Linguistics)

   Research Fellow - Tomo Odajima, Ph.D. (Social Welfare)

Psychological Experiment Section

　Section Chief - Kai Seino, Ph.D. (Social Welfare / Psychology)

 

Disability Support Services Data Analytics Section

　Section Chief - Kumiko Imahashi, Ph.D. (Health Science)

　Researcher -　Takashi Saito , Ph.D. (Gerontology)

 

Research Subject

Research and development of information systems and psychological or social techniques to support independence and social participation of persons with disabilities

 

  • Study on support system maintenance for persons with disabilities having difficulties using existing services (2018-2019)

Firstly, as a physical factor, population in various areas that provide all kinds of disability welfare services was calculated to obtain the population cover rate of all the 47 prefectures in Japan.

Next, our focus was shifted to employment among persons with disabilities and then a survey was implemented, teaching materials were developed and a workshop was held in cooperation with a number of institutions to examine psychosociological issues.

  • Estimation of demand for assistance dogs for persons with physical disabilities (2019-2020)
  • Prevention and solutions for poverty and social exclusion among persons with disabilities (2016-2020)
  • Clothes for persons with disabilities 
  • Vocational rehabilitation
  • ICT for disability welfare

 

Study on organizing a sustainable disability welfare system

 

  • Research on the construction of items in the prosthetic device grant provision system and the nature of standard price setting

Our research mainly consists of following two parts: (1) the creation of a functioning classification of prosthetic device grants and module parts for them and (2) the production of evidential data on surveys targeting supply companies for public pricing on prosthetic device grants.  Through our research, we aim to provide information on the Prosthetic Device Grant System to all stakeholders: users, suppliers, people who provide support, medical professionals and government staff, and to contribute to the sustainable supply of devices with necessary and sufficient specifications for the users, and to their social participation and independence.

Samples-of-prosthetic-devices.jpg

Samples of prosthetic devices: 

Artificial leg / Seating system

  • Studies on the certification criteria for physical disabilities and disability statistics (2017-2019
  • Studies on the certification criteria for physical disabilities (2014-2016)
  • Studies on current trends in disability statistics (2014-2016)
  • Comparison of welfare systems for elderly persons with disabilities: independence support benefits for persons with disabilities and long-term care insurance (2017-2019)

Presentations/Publications (English only)

2023

  • Saito, T., & Imahashi, K. (2023). Barriers to the utilization of low-vision rehabilitation services among over-50-year-old people in East and Southeast Asian regions: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(23), 7141.
  • Saito, T., Imahashi, K., & Yamaki, C. (2024). Use of general health examination and cancer screening among people with disability who need support from others: Analysis of the 2016 Comprehensive Survey of Living Conditions in Japan. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 21(2), 219. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21020219
  • Seino, K. (2024). An exploratory literature review of robots and their interaction as assistive technology for persons with disabilities: Focus on promoting activity and participation. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 14522, 323–344.
  • Seino, K. (2024). Diversity and inclusion in telework for persons with disabilities after COVID-19: A literature review. In A. M. Even & B. Christiansen (Eds.), Effective human resources management in the multigenerational workplace (pp. 102–114). IGI Publishing.
  • Seino, K. (2023). Vocational rehabilitation, information, communication technology, and assistive technology devices for employment. In New trends in assistive technologies (pp. 1–21).
  • Seino, K., Enomoto, Y., & Miyazawa, S. (2023). Textual requirements for high school students with developmental disabilities: Text analysis about assessing educators and employment support professionals in Japan. Journal of Developmental Disabilities Research, 1, 1–17.
  • Seino, K., Enomoto, Y. Issues for persons with disabilities in Japan to achieve SDGs: Poverty, employment, and education using national survey, The 18th Science Council of Asia Conference Abstract & Full papers. Tokyo, Japan. 2018. pp.1-6.
  • Wada, M., Hayashi, K., Seino, K., Ishii, N., Nawa, T., & Nishimaki, K. (2023). Qualitative and quantitative analysis of self-care regarding sensory issues among people with neurodevelopmental disorders. Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 2. https://doi.org/10.3389/frcha.2023.1177075

2022

  • Saito, T., & Imahashi, K. (2023). Barriers and enablers of utilization of low-vision rehabilitation services among over-50-year-old people in East and Southeast Asian regions: A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-22-00429
  • Seino, K. (2023). International comparison of the systems and realities of employment of people with disabilities in seven countries: Effects and relations of quota employment system and anti-discrimination system. CSRDA Discussion Paper Series, 33, 1–29.
  • Seino, K. (2023). Perspective chapter: Vocational rehabilitation, information, communication technology, and assistive technology devices for employment. In New Trends in Assistive Technologies (pp. 1–21). https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.110620
  • Wada, M., Hayashi, K., Seino, K., Ishii, N., Nawa, T., & Nishimaki, K. (2023). Qualitative and quantitative analysis of self-reported sensory issues in individuals with neurodevelopmental disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, Article 1077542. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1077542

2021

  • Seino, K., & Ishizaki, S. (2022). A literature review of psychological narratology in the clinical domain: Artificial intelligence and robots to assist individuals with disabilities. Journal of Advances in Artificial Life and Robotics, 2(3), 332–344.

2020

  • Seino, K., Nomoto, A., Takezawa, T., & Heike, B. (2020). The diversity management for employment of persons with disabilities: Evidence of vocational rehabilitation in the United States and Japan. In Research anthology on rehabilitation practices and therapy (pp. 1445–1468). IGI Global.

  • Seino, K. (2021). Extension of clinical/psychological approach using post-narratology: Possibility of application on artificial intelligence and robot. In Proceedings of the 2021 International Conference on Artificial Life and Robotics: 26th AROB International Meeting Series (pp. 205–216).

  • Seino, K., & Ishizaki, S. (2020). Extension of clinical/psychological approach using post narratology: The proposal of a psychological narratology and review for systematization. In T. Ogata & J. Ono (Eds.), Bridging the gap between AI, cognitive science, and narratology with narrative generation (pp. 43–62). IGI Global.

 

 

Contact Information

Department of Social Rehabilitation 
Research Institute
National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities

  • Address: 4-1 Namiki, Tokorozawa, Saitama 359-8555, Japan
  • Phone: +81-4-2995-3100
  • Fax: +81-4-2995-3132