The Yomiuri Shimbun’s Valuable 500 Commitment:
The Yomiuri Shimbun pledges, as part of the Creed of The Yomiuri Shimbun, to “promote humanism based on individual dignity and basic human rights.” Building on this ideal, and aiming to create a society in which those with disabilities can play a vigorous part, we have engaged in a broad range of actions going beyond our journalistic reporting. We intend to make our joining the Valuable 500 a catalyst for still more energetic activities on this front.
1. Journalism
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As a media organization, through our newspaper reporting we have thus far explored many important questions regarding the present state of welfare systems for disabled persons and the issues society must tackle in this area, as well as educating the public about ways to create a society more responsive to their needs. We will reinforce our efforts along these lines.
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Beginning with the 1998 Nagano Paralympic Games, when we organized a full-fledged media team to cover the events, we have reported on this quadrennial global festival of sport for the disabled. We were also early to dispatch reporters to cover the Deaflympics, an international sporting event for the hearing disabled that, despite having a history longer than the Paralympics, has received little attention from the major media. Through our newspaper coverage of these events we have strived to promote sports for the disabled. Our work will continue in the athletic realm, as well as cultural, artistic, and societal activities, to share with society the diverse activities of disabled persons.
1. Social contributions
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For the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece, The Yomiuri Shimbun was proud to become a charter Official Partner of the Japanese Paralympic Committee. We have continued to support the inspiring disabled athletes of the Paralympic movement since then, at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy, the 2008 Games in Beijing, China, and all the following Paralympics. We are a JPC Official Partner for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games as well, and intend to maintain this relationship and offer support to the Paralympians active on the global stage.
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In 2016 we established the Japan Para-Sports Awards, the only awards program in the country to recognize the achievements of disabled athletes and teams. Our efforts to publicly honor these athletes and further promote their sports will continue.
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To recognize the achievements of individuals and organizations taking part in innovative welfare activities, in 2003 we established the Yomiuri Fukushi Bunka-sho (welfare and culture prize). We continue to present these annual awards to shed light on the newly emerging actors working to create a society where those with disabilities live enjoyable lives as community members.
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The Yomiuri Light and Humanity Association, as The Yomiuri Shimbun Group’s social welfare corporation, has its roots in the Yomiuri Gift of Light Association, founded in 1961 to support children with vision impairment. Today, this association provides grants to organizations that employ disabled persons and volunteer groups helping them in other ways, operates an eye bank to facilitate corneal transplants, and otherwise works to help disabled persons live more independent lives. It also operates a home for elderly people requiring special care and a health facility for elderly nursing care recipients. The Yomiuri Shimbun provides financial and human-resource support to the Yomiuri Light and Humanity Association on an ongoing basis, and the Yomiuri Shimbun Group as a whole will continue to engage in a broad range of social contributions to support people with disabilities.
2. Empowering employee actions
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The Yomiuri Shimbun is a dedicated employer of disabled persons. We continue to strive to create workplace environments that let each of them make full use of their aptitudes and areas of interest while working comfortably in ways that match their lifestyles.
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Our employee training programs will continue to address the importance of diversity promotion.
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The Yomiuri Shimbun Building, which opened in 2014 in Chiyoda, Tokyo, allows barrier-free access via direct elevator from the nearest subway station, and all floors are equipped with accessible toilets for wheelchair users and others with special needs. We will continue making our facilities friendly to disabled visitors and workers.
