The 6th Challenged Japan Forum (CJF) will be held on August 30 and 31 in Tokyo to discuss a new social system where the disabled can be independent. CJF has been participated by many energetic people eager to improve the society from the industrial and academic field and the government. The forum is entitled "6th USA-Japan Symposium on Challenged Japan Forum: Let's be proud!" and the host invites an American from the Department of Defense. Nami Takenaka, the representative of Prop Station, a social welfare corporation visited the Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP) and requested its Director to participate in the forum as a speaker. Following report is summary of an interview of Takenaka on the aim of the invitation and her hope on the coming forum.

Reason why the Pentagon supports the challenged.

Ms Dinah F. B. Cohen is the Director for the Department of Defense Computer/Electronic Accommodations Program (CAP). CAP started operation in 1990 to provide assistive technology accommodations and services to persons with disabilities at the Department of Defense (DoD).

I first met Ms Cohen in October, 1999, at an international conference on remote working held in Seattle. When I participated in a subcommittee on remote working and the challenged, rather a small lady in uniform lectured. That was Ms Cohen.

First I did not understand the relationship between DoD and telecommuting of the challenged. I was also surprised to know that DoD had a section called CAP to 'ensure people with disabilities have equal access to the information environment and opportunities in DoD.' She told that CAP tried to employ more challenged with skills and abilities by utilizing the latest information technology and offering desirable working environment for the challenged. One of their effort for supporting the staff with disabilities included a system of working from home. Her lecture on the activities of CAP greatly impressed me.

Then I had a question: why DoD endeavors so much for the challenged? The Japanese Defense Agency would not make such effort as they have done for the challenged to work and get employed. After the lecture, I raised my hand and asked Ms Cohen the reason. She answered determinedly,

"The first step of defending the home country is to enable every citizen to live with pride." I was greatly moved and sympathized with the idea of the human pride. The defense of a country and the employment of the challenged seem to have no mutual relationship. But both of them are based on the human pride.

While Ms Cohen pointed the importance of human pride from the viewpoint of the defense, Prop Station has had a slogan "Making Japan where the challenged can be taxpayers," which can be paraphrased "Making Japan where the challenged can live with pride," or "Making Japan where everyone can live with pride." I thought our basic idea was very similar to CAP's.

America's federal agencies eagerly employ excellent challenged workers.

After the lecture, I told Ms Cohen about Prop Station and CJF, and requested her to speak at the forum. As she expressed her interest in the forum, I exchanged e-mails with her, and visited the Pentagon in February to learn the activities of CAP.

I could see from very small ideas to high-tech machinery assistive devices there. I was most surprised by the fact that they applied the most advanced technology developed for the national defense to support the people with most serious disabilities. For example, if they develop a combat aircraft to be piloted under extreme conditions such as low visibility or audibility, or restricted move of limbs. Then they consider that the same technology should be applied to the challenged living on the earth having similar disabilities.

I was also astonished by their eagerness to employ the challenged. They do not only prepare desirable environment and wait for the challenged to apply for the work, but receive 300 student with disabilities as interns every year. Whomever I asked the reason, the answer was always that of course they wanted excellent workforce.

Ms. Cohen also gave me an opportunity to visit a section similar to CAP in the Department of Agriculture. I visited the section listening to the explanation from several employees and saw their working environment with many facilities for the challenged. I noticed a visually-impaired employee with a white cane printed out documents with practiced hands.

In USA, utilizing informational instruments, many of the challenged have obtained job opportunities equal to those without disabilities. Federal agencies even compete with one another to employ larger number of efficient workers with disabilities.

By employing more workers with disabilities, federal agencies try to realize the idea of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and to show examples to private sectors. The ADA, established on July 26, 1990, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, programs and services provided by state and local governments, goods and services provided by private companies, and in commercial facilities. In addition, in June 1999, President Bill Clinton issued an executive order that all federal agencies should provide applicants with mental illness the same opportunities as other applicants with disabilities.

The DoD had another, special reason of making efforts in this area. I heard from many people that Vietnam War had deprived pride of many Americans. Ms Cohen's words "The first step of defending the home country is to enable every citizen to live with pride" may also imply USA's or the DoD's trauma from the war.

Whatever the starting point is, I find their way of thinking wonderful. The American people reflected from the terrible war, began to utilize the most advanced technology of national defense for the people injured in the war to participate in the society again, for the challenged to get employment, and for both of them to regain pride to love their own country, which results in defending their own country.

"Living with pride" is mostly required for the present Japanese people.

Visit to the Pentagon impressed me and made me to think about many things. I requested Ms Cohen again to lecture at the Challenged Japan Forum, and after exchanging several e-mails, I received her acceptance.

She could not accept my offer immediately not only because of her tight schedule, but she herself, the chief of the section to support the challenged to get employment, has a serious disease unknown from her appearance. Besides, she had several problems to clear before accepting my invitation: she had to get permission from her doctor to travel to distant places and had to find someone to care her parents, who needed assistants.

In Japan, being female or disabled, or having a family member who need assistance prevents anyone from being promoted to or continuously holding a responsible position. Ms Cohen, female, having a serious disease and parents who need assistance can work as the Director of CAP. Certainly she has made great efforts, but she also has been assisted by CAP and other federal services.

At present many people complain about the social system of Japan where many barriers exist including gender and age.

The issue of everyone's pride lectured by Ms Cohen has significance especially in Japan's present situation. I hope the Challenged Japan Forum to be participated by many people and to provide the participants through many sessions including Ms Cohen's lecture with important messages about creating the future society for the people to live with pride.