Report: Wheelchair-accessible rooms hard to find for Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics
The 2020 Olympics and Paralympics are fast approaching in Tokyo, and the city is rapidly preparing to host the two massive events.
Tokyo is promoting the Paralympics just like they are the Olympics, started planning for the Paralympic games before Rio de Janeiro and London did when they hosted the games, and the athletes village is well prepared to offer easy access for those with disabilities.
The International Paralympic Committee, though, has one major concern: Tokyo doesn’t have enough wheelchair-accessible hotel rooms.
“The IPC remains concerned there will be an insufficient number of accessible rooms ready for the games — and I emphasize ready for the games,” Xavier Gonzalez, CEO of the IPC, told the Associated Press.
While the Paralympic athletes — more than 40 percent of which use wheelchairs — shouldn’t have an issue, plenty of others may struggle to find accessible hotel rooms.
Many staff and officials, media members, sponsors, fans and relatives who attend the Paralympic games are also disabled, yet are on their own when finding somewhere to stay. According to the Associated Press, the IPC said they need 400-500 hotel rooms that are “accessible” to wheelchair users.
While the Tokyo organizing committee said the city has about 700 “accessible rooms,” that number is believed to be as low as 30. Many of the rooms may be accessible, but the bathroom may not be due to narrow doors and small spaces, according to the report.
“There is no expectation (in Japan) of independent living for wheelchair users — rather the expectation that anyone with mobility issues will have full-time care support,” Tim Hollingsworth, the British Paralympic Association CEO, told the Associated Press. “This means that hotel rooms that are described as accessible are designed in a way that is not accessible for an independent person — the bathroom, especially.”
The Japanese government announced this week that, starting Sept. 1, 2019, all hotels with more than 50 rooms must set aside at least one percent for wheelchair users. According to the Associated Press, they are also offering subsidies for hotels to make modifications, and will require new and refurbished hotels to be “barrier-free” to help solve this problem ahead of the games.
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics kick off on July 24 and will end on August 9. The Paralympics will run from August 25 through September 6.
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