Japan’s New Minority: Persons with Hattatsu Shogai (Developmental Disability).

Abstract

This dissertation looks at the process by which a new category of disability, “hattatsu shōgai”, came to be defined in Japan. Hattatsu shōgai, literally translated as developmental disability, is considered to be a congenital disability caused by a functional disorder of the brain and includes learning disability, ADHD and autism spectrum disorder. The term gained a foothold in Japan over the past 10 years amidst the country’s economic and social stagnation, and the emergence of a group of young children with the diagnosis has caused much controversy and public debate over the meaning of the disability label and minority status. Based on an ethnographic study of several fields including schools, non-profit advocacy organizations and treatment programs, as well as interviews with parents, medical professionals, psychologists, disability rights activists and others involved with the community, this work is an attempt to take a close look at the local context by which the knowledge and practices concerning hattatsu shōgai has come to be shaped.