“Aoi Shiba” and denial of love and

justice
-a starting point of a disability
movement and disability studies-
NAGASE Osamu
Nagase@bfs.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp
University of Tokyo

UK Disability Studies Association

6 September 2003
Congratulations!

• On the birth of UK Disability

Studies Association in 2003
Japan Society for Disability Studies
October 2003
• Inaugural Meeting of JSDS Inaugural
Meeting on October 11, 2003 at the
University of Tokyo

• Publication of Disability Studies Journal in

2004
“Invitation to Disability Studies” in
March 1999
 Developments since 1999 (a)
• Disability Studies Mailing List in Japanese
with more than 350 members
• A number of symposiums and lecture
series in Tokyo and Osaka
• 19 disability studies seminars in Osaka
(Kansai )area
• 35 disability studies seminars in Tokyo
area (Kanto) area
 Recent topics of disability studies
seminars in 2003
• Disability and development
• Rethinking rehabilitation
• Disability-phobia
• Reality of Personal Attendants
• Revision of Fundamental Law on Disabled
Persons and Disability Discrimination Law
• Ability and harm
• Sexuality of Disabled Men
 Developments since 1999 (b)
• Publications of a few books on disability
studies
• Introduction of disability studies as subjects
at some universities and colleges, including
the University of Tottori and University of
Tokyo
• Limited recognition of disability studies as an
emerging discipline
• Establishment of JSDS for the further
promotion of disability studies
 “Aoi Shiba” in 1970
beginning of disability movement and
disability studies
 A group of people with cerebral palsy, formed
in 1957
 Unsuccessful attempt to form their own, small

and separate community

 Gradual politicization, based on the real fear to

be killed by their family members

 Another murder in 1970 in
Yokohama
• A mother killed her two-year old daughter
with cerebral palsy.
• The neighbors and local organization of
parents petitioned the court to give her a
lenient sentence, citing lack of institutions
and services as the cause of the murder,
which was a typical response.
 Objections from Aoi Shiba
• Public objections and protest from disabled
people for the first time
• “in today’s production-oriented society, people
with cerebral palsy tend to be marginalized
and our rights are denied. Even our life is not
taken seriously” (Yamakita. A, 1970)
• Shocking to the public (comformist)
 Action Platform of Aoi Shiba in
1970: We Act Like This
• * We identify ourselves as people with
Cerebral Palsy (CP).
We recognize our position as "an
existence which should not exist" in
modern society. We believe that this
recognition should be the starting point of
our whole movement, and we act on this
belief.
 Action Platform of Aoi Shiba in
1970: We Act Like This
• * We assert ourselves aggressively.
When we identify ourselves as people
with CP, we have a will to protect
ourselves. We believe that a strong self-
assertion is the only way to achieve self-
protection, and we act on this belief.
 Action Platform of Aoi Shiba in
1970: We Act Like This
• We deny love and justice.
We condemn the egoism of love and
justice. We believe that mutual
understanding, accompanying the human
observation that arises from the denial of
love and justice, means true well-being,
and we act on this belief.
 Action Platform of Aoi Shiba in
1970: We Act Like This
• * We do not choose the way of problem
solving.
We have learnt from our personal
experiences that easy solutions to
problems lead to dangerous compromises.
We believe that an endless confrontation
is the only course of action possible for us,
and we act on this belief. (Kanagawa Aoi
Shiba, 1970)
 Action Platform of Aoi Shiba
• We deny able-bodied civilization.
We recognize that modern civilization
has managed to sustain itself only by
excluding us, people with CP. We believe
that creation of our own culture through
our movement and daily life leads to the
condemnation of modern civilization, and
we act on this belief. (Yokotsuka, 1975)
Activities of Aoi Shiba in 1970’s (a)
• Campaigns against the proposed revision of
Eugenics Protection Law in 1972, to include a
fetal impairment as a justifiable reason for an
abortion. “People with CP are not happy
because our children are not born with CP”.
• Protest against amniocentesis in 1977
• Over selective abortion, there was a conflict with
feminist movements, which claimed women’s
self-determination.
Activities of Aoi Shiba in 1970’S (b)
• Campaigns against segregated education
in 1975
• Street demonstrations against
inaccessible public buses in 1977
• Peer support to young disabled people
• Encouragement to future disability leaders
The founding of Disabled Peoples’
International (DPI) in 1981
• UK Disability Movement, based on UPIAS
and BCODP, represented by Vic Finkelsten
• US Independent Living Movement,
represented by Ed Roberts
• Japanese Movement, including Aoi Shiba
(Hosting the Second World Council of DPI
in Tokyo and Hiroshima, Peace Statement
1982)
DPI World Assembly October 2002
Sapporo Platform
• Bioethics
We must become part of the discussion on
genetics and bioethics.  We must assert our right
to be different.  We must repudiate any   
discussion that links the concept of "person" to a
set of abilities. We must promote disability
studies to change the image of disability in a
positive way among academics.
 Aoi Shiba ‘s Legacy
• Objections to the ablist culture and
production-oriented civilization
• Disability culture
• Right to be born
• Resistance to prenatal screening
(DPI Japan’s position paper on the
Convention on the Rights of Disabled
Persons in 2003)
• Right to be different
 Milestone in the development of
disability studies in Japan: 1990
• Tateiwa S., et al, “Sei no giho”, analyzing
Aoi Shiba and independent living
movements in Japan
• Tateiwa, S. ,1997 “On Private Property”
(partial English translation
http://www.arsvi.com/index.htm)
 Declaration of the Deaf Culture in
1995
• deaf culture and disability culture
• deaf studies and disability studies
 Challenges facing JSDS
 Establishment as a discipline
 Dominance of medical and individual
model
 Collaboration with the disability
movement
 Establishment of a focal point on
disability studies
 International collaboration (future agenda)