Nineteen Paper Cranes: Remembering the Disabled People Killed in Japan

It’s already been one year since the mass murder of people with disabilities at the Sagamihara institution in Japan. I remember vividly how shocked I was to hear the news. Nineteen people were killed and many more injured.

I work for several months a year in Japan, and the stigma around disability is still very strong. But this incident brought change, more awareness and acceptance. You see people with disabilities and their caregivers on the streets more often; hiding them away has been the norm until recently. Still, like many other countries, Japan has a long way to go until complete acceptance has been reached.

I find it very moving to see how people with disabilities deal with the trauma of the incident. Laura, my daughter with Down syndrome was also very moved. Everyone with a disability or who has a loved one with a disability should watch this.

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Thinkstock photo by Tomacco.