Symposium to be Held as Part of the Project for Dissemination and Promotion of Safety Measures for Electric Wheelchairs and Other Apparatuses

1. Purpose of the symposium

Aiming to enhance social understanding and acceptance of electric wheelchairs, METI conducted a series of demonstration tests for introducing electric wheelchairs into communities (target cities: Yokohama City, Chofu City, Tsukuba City, Kyotango City and Shizuoka City) and also examined challenges in introducing such wheelchairs into facilities. The results of these demonstration tests suggested the potential for expanding utilization of electric wheelchairs as mobility devices to encourage the elderly to go out by themselves or engage in activities. Following this, the symposium will explain the details of the results and hold discussions on and convey to the public points to note in social implementation of electric wheelchairs.

2. Overview

Date and time: March 15 (Mon.), 2021; from 13:30 to 16:00
Meeting format: Online style (Zoom)
Expected participants: Personnel in charge in municipalities, manufacturers and vendors and parties concerned
Admission: Free

3. Agenda

Part 1: Briefings on the demonstration tests

1. Significance, purposes and outline of the demonstration project
2. Briefings on the results of the tests in target communities (scheduled speakers: representatives of municipalities participating in the project)
3. Briefings on the results of the tests in target facilities (scheduled speakers: representatives of facilities participating in the project, e.g., hospitals and tourism facilities)
4. Conclusion

Part 2: Panel talks (Title: Efforts for expanding utilization of electric wheelchairs)

Scheduled speakers: Representatives of municipalities participating in the project, manufacturers of electric wheelchairs, etc.

Talk themes

Theme 1: Advantage and effects that utilization of electric wheelchairs brings about
Theme 2: Approaches to securing safeness in using electric wheelchairs
Theme 3: Actions to be taken for encouraging more people to make use of electric wheelchairs

4. Prior registration for attending the symposium

The symposium will be held online. If you wish to attend it, please visit the following website and complete prior registration by 17:00, March 11 (Thur.), 2021.

• Website for prior registration (in Japanese)

Division in Charge

Medical and Assistive Device Industries Office, Commerce and Service Industry Policy Group