This article is also available in: 日本語
Hi, this is Mizuki!
In the U.S., there are 10 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) centers*.
Each ADA center supports different states, and provides technical assistance and trainings to people who have rights or responsibilities under the ADA.
Examples include government agencies and private companies, such as restaurants, hotels, movie theatres, grocery stores, etc.
The ADA also covers public and private transportation agencies.
In the Bay Area, I visited one of the ADA centers, the Pacific ADA Center** which covers Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific Basin.
I spoke with Ms. Jan Garrett, the Pacific ADA Center’s Program Manager.
Pacific ADA center provides information and materials to people who have questions related to the ADA.
People submit questions by phone and email about the law and implementation of the law.
One of the frequent questions the Pacific ADA Center gets is about service animals.
A lot of questions received by the Pacific ADA Center surrounding the use of a service animal in public areas and the owners of the property often call and consult with Pacific ADA center if those animals should be accepted in those public areas.
There is still a lot of work to be done throughout the nation especially in smaller communities and where English is not the first language.
Japan also has a law that mandates service animals must be accepted in all public areas including restaurants and cafes.
Actually I didn’t know about this law until recent days.
One day my friend told me how hard for her to find a restaurant which welcomes a service animal when going out with her colleagues with seeing-eye dog.
So I asked my other friend who moves around with her service dog,
“Do you have a restaurant list that accepts service animals?”
I did not know how laughable I sounded to my friend when I asked that question.
I barely have seen people with service animals in restaurants and cafes before in Japan.
That is why I thought that the places where accepts service animals are limited.
I think many people are also unaware of that law like I am.
If we don’t see results the law should be producing, we may not even notice that the law exists.
It is important more people with service animals to go out and let other people know, but also it is necessary for Japanese government to put more effort to raise the awareness of the law.
Each of us also should pay more attentions and share with family and friends to spread the information.
In the US, I see a word “ADA” everywhere and also easily find places where the law is working and producing the expected results in daily life, such as in restaurants, schools, public transportations, parking.
Although people in the US keep telling me that ADA is not perfect yet, I think it is still good because I actually can see results.
To be continued…
* National website for all the ADA Centers
National ADA Center for people in the US phone number
+1-800-949-4232
** Pacific ADA Center