Asahi reported on a speech delivered last month in Tokyo by former Senator Harkin, the chief sponsor of the Americans with Disabilities Act. He offered advice on how Japan can address discrimination against people with disabilities in the workplace and elsewhere. He stressed the importance of seeking input from people with disabilities when formulating measures to remove societal barriers. While recalling complaints in the past that retrofitting school buildings to accommodate wheelchair-bound students would cost an exorbitant amount of money, Harkin said: “Spending lots of money on facilities is not necessarily a good thing…. You may find that a simple step is the best solution if you listen to the stories of people with disabilities.”