ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the origin and development of reasonable accommodation, the difference between it and accessibility, the legal framework for reasonable accommodation in Japan, reasonable accommodation and undue hardship, lawsuits and cases involving reasonable accommodation in Japan, reasonable accommodation outside of religion and disability, reasonable accommodation as a useful tool for promoting diversity and inclusion, and, finally, critical arguments about reasonable accommodation. A number of disability policy reforms were introduced when the liberal and left-leaning Democratic Party of Japan and its coalition partners were in power from 2009 to 2012, a rare period in Japan's political history. The Basic Policy for the Discrimination Elimination Act stipulates that government agencies and private businesses should look into the excessive burden issue on a case-by-case basis, comprehensively and subjectively taking into account the effects on the services being provided; feasibility; costs; size; and the financial situation.
