Japan’s ‘first visit date’ rule shows gaps in disability pension system

A Tokyo man in his 50s who was forced to quit his IT job after developing Parkinson’s disease faced difficulties obtaining Japan’s disability pension due to the system’s requirement to prove the date of first medical consultation, highlighting structural hurdles for applicants. Kenichi Sato (pseudonym), 54, was told he needed to verify an initial clinic visit from about 20 years ago, but records had been discarded under the legal five-year retention rule for medical charts. Episode notes: ‘Japan’s ‘first visit date’ rule shows gaps in disability pension system’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2026/02/13/japans-first-visit-date-rule-shows-gaps-in-disability-pension-system/