Revised Disability Welfare Services Basic Guidelines Effective April 1 2027

The Children and Families Agency and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare published Children and Families Agency Notice No. 10, which partially amends the basic guidelines for ensuring the smooth implementation of disability welfare services and outpatient support for children with disabilities, in the legal notices section of the Official Gazette (Extra Edition) dated November 10, 2026. The amended guidelines will apply from April 1, 2027. This notice directly binds the content of the disability welfare plans and children’s disability welfare plans formulated by municipalities and prefectures, and will also affect the outlook for service providers.

The legal basis for the amendment is Article 87, Paragraph 1 of the Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities (Act No. 123 of 2005) and Article 33-19, Paragraph 1 of the Child Welfare Act (Act No. 164 of 1947). The target of the amendment is the current basic guidelines established as Children and Families Agency/Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notice No. 4 of 2026, promulgated in 2026; the notice adopts a method of replacing the content in a tabular format. The notice was promulgated jointly by Tomoko Fujiwara, Commissioner of the Children and Families Agency, and Kenichiro Ueno, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Defining the Scope of Persons Requiring Medical Care in Paragraph 3 of the Basic Philosophy

The amendment affects Paragraph 3, “Development of a service delivery system to address issues such as transition from institutionalization to community living, support for the continuation of community living, and employment support,” under “1. Basic Philosophy” of the guidelines’ “Part 1: Basic Matters Concerning the Securing of the Delivery System for Disability Welfare Services and Outpatient Support for Children with Disabilities.” The current expression “persons requiring medical care” has been revised, and the targets for transition support to community living have been redefined in accordance with legal terminology.

The amended guidelines define persons requiring medical care as those who fall under any of the following:

• Persons who were children requiring medical care (children for whom it is indispensable to constantly receive medical care to lead a daily and social life) and for whom it remains indispensable to constantly receive medical care.
• Persons for whom it is indispensable to constantly receive medical care, and who are in a state where it is difficult to lead an independent daily or social life as a result.

The guidelines explicitly state that a service delivery system shall be ensured so that even persons with severe disabilities, such as those requiring medical care or those with severe behavioral disorders, can transition to community living.

Consultation Systems and Facility Development Continued to be Required of Municipalities

In the sections that remain unchanged, municipalities will continue to be required to provide consultations regarding the transition to community living and independence from parents, opportunities for trial stays in group homes (Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities, Article 5, Paragraph 18: Community Living Assistance), and the securing of emergency acceptance systems by improving the convenience and responsiveness of short-term residential care. Additionally, ensuring expertise through the recruitment, training, and coordination of personnel, as well as establishing regional systems through the development of service bases and the appointment of coordinators, will be maintained as challenges within the plans.

Plan Formulation and Impact on Service Providers

The Basic Guidelines serve as a high-level framework applicable to both the Municipal/Prefectural Disability Welfare Plans (Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities) and the Municipal/Prefectural Disability Child Welfare Plans (Child Welfare Act). Because the target population will be aligned with legal definitions in this revision, local governments will need to review the basis for demand estimation and projected service volumes for the next plan, while service providers will need to review the development of capacity to accept children with medical care needs after graduation and the community transition of persons with severe disabilities. The application begins on April 1, 2027, coinciding with the start of the standard planning period.

«»
Source: Official Gazette Extra (November 10, 2026) Legal Notice, Children and Families Agency Notice No. 10 (Partial Revision of the Basic Guidelines for Ensuring the Smooth Implementation of Disability Welfare Services and Disability Child Outpatient Support). Legal Basis: Act on Comprehensive Support for Persons with Disabilities (Act No. 123 of 2005), Article 87, Paragraph 1; Child Welfare Act (Act No. 164 of 1947), Article 33-19, Paragraph 1. Subject of Revision: Children and Families Agency/Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare Notice No. 4 of 2026. Application Start Date: April 1, 2027. Signatories: Tomoko Fujiwara, Commissioner of the Children and Families Agency, Kenichiro Ueno, Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare.