At yesterday’s NHK Central Broadcasting Program Council meeting, the council unilaterally set “Dialogue” as the theme and discussed three programs: “Anime in the Dark,” “Are Those School Rules Necessary?,” and “Aim for Global Standards in Accessibility.”

As for why I chose “dialogue” as the theme, it’s because of the influence of the Olympics and Paralympics (*^^*)

The Olympic Opening Ceremony brought to the surface various problems stemming from a perception of diversity that diverged too greatly from international standards; it not only highlighted the sense of dissonance with the traditional “Showa-era” model but also signaled the end of that era. In contrast, the Paralympic Opening and Closing Ceremonies brilliantly embodied Diversity & Inclusion and brightly illuminated the dawn of a new era.

How can we break free from the constraints that have been imposed on us, whether consciously or unconsciously? I believe that “dialogue” is, after all, the key to that.

■Anime in the Dark

A program that follows the process of depicting “a world unique to the blind” through animation.

I’m often struck by the words of people with visual impairments. “I can tell how someone is feeling just by the way they breathe,” and “In Harajuku, the smells are natural, but the sounds are urban. Tokyo is a place where both the city and nature coexist.”

Perhaps I was so fixated on what I saw that I wasn’t actually seeing the world clearly. This program really made me think about what “seeing” really means.

How do we imagine what we cannot see? People with visual impairments say that precisely because there is no “right” answer, they are free to let their imaginations run wild. It is precisely because their vision is blocked that they can show us a world that becomes visible.

In goalball, a Paralympic sport, the players are constantly whispering to one another during matches. They say this is “a fundamental form of communication that provides a sense of security.”

In creating this anime, the director came to realize the necessity of “dialogue.” It’s not just about one person or even a few people—it’s about creating it together. Instead of saying, “Let’s go with this!” it’s about asking, “What do you think?” and creating through dialogue. It’s not just about what’s visible to the eye; how each person perceives the world varies from person to person.By sharing the worlds we each see through dialogue, new perspectives and new worlds come into view. This series made me realize that, beyond that, a new kind of relationship—one in which we help one another while acknowledging each other’s existence—will likely emerge.

Perhaps that is precisely the world that becomes visible only because it is invisible—and perhaps that is the true nature of the act of “seeing.”

Television may be a medium enjoyed primarily through sight, but there are people who “watch” with their eyes, their ears, their sense of touch, and their sense of smell. It would be wonderful if television evolved into a medium where everyone could watch using their own senses and share in that enjoyment. Perhaps that is what a “rich and happy” world looks like, and I look forward to NHK’s future programming.And as a first step toward that goal, I hope to see more diversity within the production teams (*^^*)

■Are Those School Rules Really Necessary?

Rules are fundamentally intended to ensure the healthy and sustainable development of a community. If society changes and a rule comes to hinder its original purpose, it must be amended immediately. Amid the significant changes society is currently undergoing, there are many rules that need to be revised.

The process of “reviewing school rules” is extremely important not only for amending outdated regulations, reducing the hardships children face, and fostering their independence, but I also believe it yields significant educational benefits from a long-term perspective.

Data shows that the percentage of Japanese children who believe they can “change their country or society on their own” is extremely low compared to other countries. But what about children who have had the experience of changing school rules themselves?

Building our own society with our own hands. I wonder if that’s where a sense of pride comes from. “Think for ourselves, decide for ourselves, and take action ourselves.” That is truly the “driving force that changes the future.”

However, as the children go through the process of changing the rules, they are exposed to a variety of opinions from people with diverse perspectives. For example, while some were considering abolishing school uniforms, there are also students who want to keep them. Children from low-income families have voiced concerns that they would be at a disadvantage if uniforms were eliminated.

Decisions based on a majority vote aren't always the best. That's precisely why we want to continue the discussion and engage in ongoing dialogue. That is the conclusion the children reached.

I felt that the teacher’s remark at the beginning of the program—“I’m afraid of change”—captured a sentiment that applies to all of modern Japan, which remains unable to break free from the Showa era.The program touched on a society overly reliant on schools, where parents expect schools to make uniform decisions for everyone, but it’s not just school rules that need to change. It’s time for schools, teachers, parents, and the local community to change as well. When school rules were actually revised, it reportedly led to positive outcomes such as “increased autonomy,” without any negative effects like “disorder.”

I just thought it couldn't be changed, but it actually can. I had a vague sense of anxiety about change, but in reality, nothing bad happens.

That was a program that offered some very valuable insights.

NHK provides a forum for ongoing discussion on its “Minna de Plus” page.

There are still many rules that need to be changed and many organizations we need to engage with. I really hope similar movements will spring up around other issues as well.

■Let's Aim for World-Class Accessibility!

In designing the National Stadium, an inclusive design process was followed in which people representing diverse perspectives—including those with physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, as well as older adults and parenting groups—participated in the design. Consideration was given to people with disabilities that are not easily discernible from the outside, such as those with developmental disabilities, which is still quite rare in Japan.Although the program stated that its “mission is to spread this approach to various public facilities across the country,” it truly fulfilled that role.

On the other hand, the issue of “mental accessibility” isn’t so simple.In some cases, the more physical infrastructure is improved, the higher the psychological barriers become. When I travel to Europe, there’s always someone willing to help carry a stroller up the stairs, but I rarely have that kind of experience in Japan. Or rather, elevators are so widely available that people don’t need assistance from others. While this is certainly a good thing, it sometimes makes me wonder which society is truly more enriching.

The architect of the National Stadium said there was something he only came to understand through dialogue with those directly involved. Simply calling for “consideration” won’t bring about change. True emotional accessibility can only be achieved once mutual understanding is reached through dialogue.

Even for the Olympics and Paralympics, if we rethink the rules, we should be able to create sports where people with and without disabilities can compete on the same field. People with disabilities make up 15% of the world’s population. As we work toward building a society without distinctions between people with and without disabilities, I hope the media will continue to play a role in deepening our understanding of individual differences and creating opportunities for dialogue.

So, even though this has gotten a bit long, we at B Lab would like to address this topic as well.

*The attached image is a page from a booklet published by Dialogue in the Dark in March 2004. I believe I first experienced it in Tokyo in 2003. Now there’s a permanent exhibition called the Dialogue Museum in Takeshiba.