Practical Challenges of Creating and Managing the “Barrier-Free Basic Plan” for Better Accessibility in Cities by Local Governments in Japan

Abstract

The Barrier-Free Basic Plan (BFBP) of Japan is based on Article 25 in the Act on the Promotion of Smooth Transportation, etc. of Elderly Persons, Disabled Persons, etc., abbreviated as the “Barrier-Free Act”. BFBPs are created by municipal governments and play a crucial role in progressing the accessibility of existing buildings/facilities in cities. However, the number of municipal governments which have their own BFBPs stands at only 304 out of a total of approximately 1700 municipalities in 2020. The purpose of this paper is to describe the barriers and difficulties that administrative officers face in creating and managing BFBPs. The questionnaires were distributed in 2018 to 183 municipal governments which have their own BFBPs. The procedures of analyzing the results were as follows: 1) motivation for creating their own BFBPs, 2) supportive advisers in proceeding with the creation of BFBPs, 3) difficulties of creating their own BFBPs, 4) key factors promoting the quality of BFBPs, and 5) self-evaluation of their own BFBPs. In conclusion, the challenges that administrative officers faced in creating BFBPs and the required measures to raise the quality of BFBPs on a practical level were discovered, by considering the population scales of municipalities and the establishment year of the BFBP. The continuous removing of obstacles in existing buildings based on BFBPs will allow for more comfortable and accessible cities for everyone.

Co-design knowledge mobilization tools for universal accessibility in municipalities

“…Many studies have shown that involving knowledge users in the knowledge creation process significantly and positively impacts the implementation of innovation ( 5 , 6 ). It also positively influences individual changes in knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs ( 7 – 9 ). The benefits of engaging stakeholders in the implementation process have been supported in the knowledge production process ( 4 , 7 , 10 ).…”

“…This can be attributed to contextual factors (e.g., recent emphasis on universal accessibility issues, large number of universal accessibility measures and administrative rules) ( 17 ) and complexities lying within municipal organizations (e.g., multiple hierarchy levels, staff retention, large number of employees and administrative units, diversity of actors and stakeholders) ( 9 , 17 – 19 ). By 2050, it is estimated that more than two-thirds of the world's population will live in urban areas ( 20 ).…”