TOTTORI, March 2: The manager a prefectural housing complex appointed by the Tottori  Prefectural Government refused to rent apartments to three people on the grounds that they had disabilities, it has been learned.

It has also emerged that a prefectural official passed on information on disabilities and other personal information on 25 people who were initially selected to enter the apartments, following a request from the prefectural housing complex manager.

The Western Tottori General Office, which is handling the situation, plans to punish the workers involved and sack the manager.

Officials said that the 25 people were selected to enter the 156-apartment complex in Yonago, Tottori Prefecture, in August and December last year and January this year. A prefectural official reportedly handed over information on the 25, including the name of the householder, the number of people in each home, and data on whether there were elderly or people with disabilities. The official also verbally conveyed the level of disability of three candidates who used wheelchairs.

The manager subsequently refused to allow two of the disabled people to enter the apartments. One other person with a hearing disability who was selected in June last year was also turned away by the complex manager on the grounds that he had a disability. Eventually the three entered other apartment complexes.

A prefectural ordinance on the protection of personal information forbids the use or release of personal information for any purpose beside its intended purpose. The office apologized to the 25 after the incident, telling them the worker lacked awareness of human rights.

In July 2003, a system was introduced to give elderly people, those with disabilities, single-mother households and other specified people priority when allocating prefectural housing. The managers of apartments have no right to refuse entry to people who are selected or request personal information.

Source: http://mdn.mainichi.jp