On 17 December 2025, Japan Today, an English-language online newspaper, published an opinion piece by Jonghwi Park (Academic Programme Officer) exploring why inclusive education from early life is key to end the exclusion of persons with disabilities.
Published around the International Day of Persons with Disabilities (3 December) which this year called for “fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress”, the piece highlights the importance of enabling persons with disabilities to fully participate in society. It also underscores the need for countries to enact comprehensive and intersectoral interventions to support smooth school-to-work transitions for persons with disabilities.
Excerpt:
Education is a fundamental human right, but it is only one piece of the larger puzzle for a person with a disability to fully and equally enjoy all human rights. Even if they complete basic education, transition to the labor market for young persons with disabilities remains extremely challenging. It is encouraging that many countries enact more comprehensive and intersectoral interventions to support smooth school-to-work transition.
The full article is available on the Japan Today website.
