What does an orientation and mobility instructor do?

They teach people with visual impairments to travel safely and independently. Training covers cane skills, route planning, street crossings, public transport use, and navigation apps. Sessions are personalized and often delivered in homes, schools, hospitals, and community settings. The role underpins access to education, work, and daily life.

Why is Japan facing a shortage now?

Training capacity is small, pay is modest, and many instructors are older. Rural travel loads and dispersed caseloads add strain. With only two training institutions and about 200 active instructors, vacancies persist. Without targeted incentives and better pay bands, hiring struggles to match local needs across prefectures.

How could policy changes affect investors in 2026?

If governments expand Japan welfare funding, municipalities may issue more contracts for rehabilitation sessions, staff training, and devices. Reliable operators and distributors could see multi-year tenders. The pace depends on budget approvals, hiring timelines, and measured outcomes. Strong local partnerships and service quality will matter more than rapid scale promises.

What indicators should we monitor this year?

Watch municipal budget documents, council minutes, and public RFP portals for new rehabilitation lines. Track the number of training slots, prefectures adding instructors, job posting volumes, and contract renewal rates. Rising procurement and shorter vacancy periods would signal improving coverage and stronger demand for services and devices.

Law and Government

Japan Policy Today, January 11: Mobility Trainer Shortage Spurs Funding Push

ByDanny Kontos January 11, 2026January 11, 2026

mobility trainer shortageJapan is now a policy risk and an investment signal. Japan has roughly 200 active orientation and mobility instructors nationwide, and four prefectures report zero availability. Advocacy groups are urging more training slots and better pay, aiming to expand Japan welfare funding for disability services. We outline the policy levers, how procurement could shift in FY2026, and where assistive tech demand could strengthen. Our goal is to help investors map credible catalysts without speculation.