Can the Paralympics shape social policy and bring social change ?

Abstract

Having already hosted the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 1964 and Nagano in 1998, Japan will once again be hosting the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2021. Those Paralympic Games have generated major impacts on social policymaking, especially related to policies for the disabled and the continued development of disability sports. For example, the 1964 Tokyo Paralympic Games encouraged a shift toward having the disabled leave welfare institutions to live in communities. Moreover, vocational rehabilitation was promoted to help the disabled participate independently in community life. The 1998 Nagano Paralympic Games encouraged the disabled to compete in sports. The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee has produced 3 visions regarding the Games, one of them stating that the Games should contribute to the creation of an inclusive society. Such positive influences can be seen in Japan. After the bidding for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, the Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities was implemented, and other related legislation has since been enacted as well. Paralympians came to take part in the policymaking processes at both national and community levels. There have also been numerous changes since the bidding for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This paper discusses how the Paralympic Games have influenced the development of social policy in Japan.