March 19, 2025 Publication of "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2024"

　To create a society where everyone can enjoy the benefits of digital utilization and lead a fulfilling life, ensuring the information accessibility of ICT devices and services is crucial. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) has solicited good practices for information accessibility as a new initiative from FY2023. The purpose of this initiative is to: (1) Make products that consider accessibility widely known to the general public, and (2) Encourage companies and organizations that specifically focus on information accessibility and their efforts. After a review of these practices, MIC has decided to announce 16 products and services as "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2024."

1. ICT devices and services selected as good examples in 2024

　Note: The products published as "Information Accessibility Good Practices" were evaluated based on the documents submitted by the applicants and presentations from the companies. However, they were not reviewed from the perspective of actual operability.
Note: The selected products are also available on the Information Accessibility Support Website (Act-navi).
(https://www.actnavi.jp/products_service_db/ )

2. Overview of solicitation and announcement

(1) Solicitation period: Wednesday, September 4, 2024, to Friday, November 8, 2024
(2) Target products: ICT devices and services that satisfy all of the requirements set forth in (i) to (iii):
 (i) ICT devices and services designed with consideration for information accessibility
 (ii) The ICT devices and services mentioned in (i) above must be developed, manufactured, and sold by a company as its own products and must meet one of the following criteria: (If a company incorporates technologies, components, software, etc., from other companies into its final product, that product is eligible for application.)
  (a) Personal computers (products that comply with JIS X 8341-2)
  (b) Web content applications (products that comply with JIS X 8341-3/WCAG 2.1)
  (c) Telecommunications equipment (products that comply with JIS X 8341-4*)
  (d) Office equipment (products that comply with JIS X 8341-5)
  (e) Interactive software (product that comply with JIS X 8341-6)
  Note: Telecommunications equipment refers to equipment related to telecommunications that is directly operated by users of telecommunications services. A new concept product or product group that does not fall under the category of conventional telecommunications equipment is considered to fall under (c) if it has functions typically found in conventional telecommunications equipment.
 (iii) ICT devices and services must be sold or provided to businesses or consumers at the time of application.
(3) Review: The documents and presentations submitted by the applicant companies will be evaluated based on the evaluation items (*).
(4) Review results: Sixteen products were published as good examples.
* Evaluation items
　　(1) Consideration of information accessibility in products
　　(2) Development based on the needs of stakeholders
　　(3) Efforts to ensure information accessibility as a company policy

3. Overall evaluation by the review committee

 This is the second year. We reviewed materials submitted by companies and their online presentations. Through the review process, we were able to sense the sincere attitude of each company toward social contribution and their high aspirations for the realization of a universal society. All members of the review committee were deeply impressed by their work and express their sincere respect.
 This year, we selected 16 ICT devices and services submitted both domestically and internationally. Some products are designed for the general public with consideration for information accessibility, while others are assistive devices for welfare purposes, specialized for specific disabilities.

 The summary of the review based on each evaluation item is as follows:

○ Evaluation item (1) Consideration of information accessibility in the product
 General-purpose products that consider information accessibility were evaluated for their design or ingenuity, and enable people in various occupations, including professionals, to use them. In particular, efforts to enable online applications at government offices, ensure accessibility of computers and tablets to children at school age, and promote understanding of the diversity and usefulness were highly evaluated.
 On the other hand, for assistive devices or services for welfare purposes, the following efforts were also highly evaluated: providing comprehensive support to users based on their individual needs to ensure that they can actually use these devices or services by leveraging the potential of smartphones, and enabling people with low vision to appreciate culture or artwork through devices that use unique retinal projection technology.

○ Evaluation item (2) Development based on the needs of stakeholders
 For initiatives involving stakeholders in technology development, the following efforts were highly evaluated: collaboration with organizations for people with disabilities and external groups, involvement of staff with disabilities in checks and development, development based on advice from experts, and development tailored to the needs of the sites where the products will be used (such as schools, companies, etc.).
 The initiatives, conducted during the product provision stage following development, to establish a support system that facilitates understanding of the products and services by people with disabilities were highly evaluated. These initiatives include, for example, responding to inquiries via phone, email, and chat, as well as building an organizational structure that receives feedback from people with disabilities and takes appropriate actions, in collaboration with customer support.

○ Evaluation item (3) Efforts to ensure information accessibility as a company policy
 Company-wide and organizational efforts to improve accessibility, including the establishment of specialized departments and cross-functional teams, were highly evaluated. In particular, the revised Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities came into effect in April 2024, obliging private businesses to make "reasonable accommodation" This has led to the establishment of an in-house reasonable considerations committee, marking a departure from the previous fiscal year. Ongoing efforts to educate and train employees, including the creation of internal checklists, accessibility training, and regular study sessions, were also highly evaluated.
 Additionally, the following efforts were also highly evaluated: improving the quality of development and preventing redundant work in creating screens and functions by building a design system that considers accessibility, and addressing accessibility issues by developing components that are less likely to cause problems and integrating them into products.

○ Key areas for further consideration in the future
 Some comments indicate that while the information accessibility considerations for the products themselves are excellent, there are still challenges in their adoption and integration into the daily lives of the parties involved. Among the applied products, two were aimed at foreign visitors to Japan. By shifting targets from only people with disabilities to including a broader range of users, products that are more accessible to people with disabilities are expected to be widely distributed in the market.
 Another unique feature of this fiscal year is that we received three applications from what are known as platform operators. These business operators provide a platform for multiple companies, government agencies, and certification test organizers offering similar services, thereby supporting their service delivery to users. The members of the review committee also expressed their expectations that these business operators' efforts to promote information accessibility will effectively advance the progress toward a universal society. Additionally, they expect an increase in accessibility not only to the "platform" but also the "information" handled there.

 The publication of good practices, as in the previous fiscal year, will help publicize ICT products and services that consider information accessibility, as well as the positive efforts of companies and others involved. This will contribute to the realization of a society in which a diverse range of people, including people with disabilities, can enjoy the convenience of using digital technologies and lead fulfilling lives. We look forward to the continued expansion of efforts by companies and other organizations to improve information accessibility in the future.

4. Review committee members (in alphabetical order)

(1) Academic experts
• SAKAKIBARA Naoki, full-time lecturer at Seisen Jogakuin College
• NAKAMURA Kenryu, senior research fellow, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo
• MATSUZAKI Jo, professor of special needs education, Faculty of Education, Miyagi University of Education
• MIYAGKI Manabi, associate professor, Research Center for Higher Education Support for Persons with Disabilities, Tsukuba University of Technology
• YAMADA Hajime, professor emeritus at Toyo University
(2) Industrial organizations
• Communications and Information Network Association of Japan (CIAJ)
• Japan Business Machine and Information Systems Industries Associations (JBMIA)
(3) Organizations for the handicapped
• All Japan Association of Hard of Hearing and Late-Deafened People (Zennancho)
• Japanese Federation of the Deaf
• Japan Federation of the Visually Impaired
• National Federation of Organization for the Disabled Persons

5. Information Accessibility Self-Evaluation Form

 The "Information Accessibility Self-Evaluation Form (Self-Evaluation Form)" is required to be submitted as an application document for "Information Accessibility Good Practices 2024." The form is used by companies to self-assess whether their ICT devices and services meet information accessibility standards and to announce the results. It also serves as a reference for companies, public organizations, or individuals with disabilities when selecting ICT devices and services. The MIC is working to promote the use of this form in both the public and private sectors.