April 5, 2024 Publication of “Information Accessibility Good Practices 2023”

 Because of the importance of ensuring information accessibility of ICT devices and services to realize a society where everyone can enjoy the convenience of digital utilization and live a fulfilling life, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has solicited good practices for information accessibility as a new initiative from FY2023 that is mainly aimed at the following:
 (1) Making widely known to the general public products with consideration of accessibility
 (2) Encouraging companies, etc. and their efforts, especially regarding information accessibility
 After a review of compiled practices, MIC has decided to announce 24 products and services as "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2023."

1. Overview of application and announcement

1. 1.
   Application period: Tuesday, November 7, 2023 to Friday, January 19, 2024
2. 2.
   Target products: ICT devices and services* with consideration of information accessibility
   

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     “ICT devices and services” refers to the following products developed and manufactured in house:
       ・Personal computers ・Telecommunications equipment ・Website content　・Computer applications ・Office equipment ・Interaction software

3. 3.
   Number of applications: 24
4. 4.
   Review: Document review based on the evaluation items (*)
    A review committee consisting of academic experts, organizations for handicapped persons, and industry groups was held in March this year.
5. 5.
   Results: All 24 cases were announced as good practices.

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  Evaluation items

1. 1.
   Is the ICT product designed with consideration of information accessibility?
2. 2.
   Is the ICT product in line with the opinions of experts who understand the circumstances of the elderly and the handicapped and their supporters?
3. 3.
   Are measures for information accessibility taken as corporate policy?

2. Overall evaluation by the review committee

 Although it was the first initiative launched this fiscal year, there were as many as 24 applications for a variety of ICT devices and services both in Japan and abroad, including consumer ICT devices and services with information accessibility in mind and supportive welfare devices and services specific to particular disabilities.
 What was common to all applicants, from individual developers to companies and other organizations, was, regardless of business scale, their faithful attitudes toward making social contributions and their high aspirations for realizing a universal society, which deeply impressed the review members and gained their heartfelt respect.

The review based on the evaluation items was outlined below.

○ Evaluation item (1) Consideration of the information accessibility of products
 Consumer products manufactured with an attempt to be information accessibility friendly were highly evaluated for their ingenuity with a view to be used by a wide variety of people engaged in various jobs including professionals. Regarding so-called supportive devices and services, ICT devices and services that can be customized or ensure simple operation according to the nature of disability while maintaining a variety of increasingly sophisticated capabilities based on the latest technology have been delivered to realize smooth communications and improve the quality of daily life. Also highly evaluated were after-sales support systems such as on-site visits to make adjustments and improvements to accommodate to the diversified requirement for users.

○Evaluation item (2) Development based on the needs of users
 It was, for example, learned that business operators have taken various efforts such as the case of a team that included the handicapped persons that identified specific situations in cooperation with a school for the deaf. Their efforts strive to seek higher quality by carefully listening to the opinions of not only users but also supporters, families, related sections of local governments, and experts in the relevant fields in every stage of planning, development and after-sale services, as well as asking users about their experiences in the course of development.

○ Evaluation item (3) Efforts to ensure information accessibility as the company policy
 The applicants were highly evaluated for having a system of continuously ensuring information accessibility, including the formation of a team for promoting accessibility, the development of guidelines and checklists, and regular inspections by the users of their products. Additionally, what was found to be worthy of evaluation are their attempt to widely publicize in-house efforts, actively utilize social networks to reinforce their information dissemination systems to ensure that the latest information reaches the handicapped.
 In light of the increase in the legal employment rate for private companies (*) that took effect in April this year, accessibility friendly consumer ICT devices and services will largely enable the handicapped to participate in social activities, promote employment, and even encourage them to start new businesses. The review members also hope that these products and services will be used in a variety of situations.

 Publishing good practices like these will widely inform the public about ICT products and services that take information accessibility into consideration, as well as the positive efforts of companies involved, which is believed to be valuable for realizing a society where a various people including the handicapped can enjoy the convenience of digital utilization and lead fulfilling lives. These companies and other organizations are highly expected to continuously expand their efforts for information accessibility in the future.

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  The legal employment rate for private companies will be 2.5% from April 2024 according to Article 43, paragraph (1) of the Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities.

3. Review members (individuals and organizations, etc. in alphabetical order)

1. Academic experts

• Sakakibara Naoki, Full-time Lecturer at Seisen Jogakuin College
• Yamada Hajime, Professor Emeritus of Toyo University

2. Industrial organizations

• Communications and Information Network Association of Japan (CIAJ)
• Japan Electronics and Information Technology Industries Association (JEITA)
• Japan Business Machine and Information Systems Industries Associations (JBMIA)

3. Organizations for the handicapped

• Japan Deafblind Association
• Sendai Ability Network
• All Japan Association of Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened People (Zennancho)
• Japanese Federation of the Deaf
• Japan Federation of the Visually Impaired
• Nation Federation of Organization for the Disabled Persons

4. Observers

• Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
• Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
• Digital Agency

4. Information Accessibility Self-Evaluation Form

 The "Information Accessibility Self-Evaluation Form (Self-Evaluation Form)," which was requested to be submitted as an application document for "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2023," is a form of self-assessment by companies, etc. to announce the results of their self-evaluation regarding whether their ICT devices and services meet the information accessibility standards. This self-evaluation form is based on the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) in the United States, which requires the government to procure accessible products by law when procuring electronic information equipment. MIC is working to promote the use of this form in both the public and private sectors.

(Reference)
○ Call for nominees for "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2023"
https://www.soumu.go.jp/menu_news/s-news/01ryutsu05_02000156.html

○ Promotion of the dissemination of information accessibility self-assessment form
https://www.soumu.go.jp/main_sosiki/joho_tsusin/b_free/jikohyokayoshiki.html

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  References are available in Japanese only.