Why is Japan better than Britain for disabled people

Samantha Fletcher

When Ellie Simmonds went to Japan in November to celebrate her 30th birthday, the swimming champion was astonished by how easy the country made things for her.

The Paralympian swimmer, who has dwarfism, found that when she had to cross a road or summon a lift, the buttons were placed at the correct height for her. She noticed that braille was commonplace as well as tactile paving, which helps the visually impaired navigate their surroundings.

In Britain, however, she cannot even go to her local supermarket without having to wait for somebody to help her leave the car park.

Simmonds, who became a household name aged 13 when she won two gold medals at the Beijing Paralympics in 2008, said: “There were two buttons all the time, one at average height and one at low height.”

All of these things are simple but need to be brought in at the design stage.

Read the full interview: https://www.thetimes.com/.../ellie-simmonds-japan...