Companies in Japan are facing?the need to improve job opportunities and work environments for people with disabilities, after the statutory minimum employment rate for such people was raised to 2.7% from 2.5% on Wednesday.

Even before the hike, based on the law to facilitate the employment of people with disabilities,?less than half of companies had reached the minimum rate. Companies need to ensure not only sufficient employment opportunities for people with disabilities but also the quality of their employment.

Nomura Kagayaki, a special subsidiary of securities giant Nomura Holdings, is working to expand the scope of work for employees with mental and other disabilities. It handles operations entrusted to it by group companies such as mail sorting, document digitization and message card creation.

The number of departments consigning work to the subsidiary has increased fivefold from the previous year to 108 in fiscal 2025.

In the year, which ended in March this year, the subsidiary introduced a system enabling employees to transfer to other Nomura group companies.

¡°We want to support career development by providing options so that employees with ability and motivation can continue to play an active role,¡± Nomura Kagayaki President Mio Nakama said.

Aflac Heartful Services, a special unit of Aflac Life Insurance Japan, has expanded its operations to include designing novelty goods, adding to its traditional role of enclosing documents for customers in envelopes. It is also considering opening a cafe for Aflac employees.

According to the welfare ministry, the number of people with disabilities employed by corporations reached 704,610 in 2025, hitting a record high for the 22nd straight year. However, only 46% of companies in Japan attained the minimum employment rate.

A labor affairs official at a Tokyo company that has failed to meet the statutory rate for many years said that it is difficult to assign work according to employees¡¯ abilities.

While the minimum rate has been raised gradually, more companies are using outside services that provide workplaces for people with disabilities.

However, such services often separate employees with disabilities from those without disabilities and assign them tasks with little connection to their companies¡¯ core businesses.

This runs counter to the purpose of the statutory rate, which is to have employees work together regardless of whether they have disabilities or not. The services have also raised concerns about employees¡¯ career development.

A welfare ministry report released in February called for improving the quality of employment for people with disabilities. A ministry panel is discussing measures to do so, such as creating guidelines for companies.