【April Dream】 Creating a Flat Society Without Steps
WheeLog! NPO, which develops and operates the barrier-free map app "WheeLog!", is advocating for a society without steps. They are launching a signature campaign to update national building rules, aiming to mandate "zero-step entrances" for all new establishments, inspired by Tottori Prefecture's success.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 04:05
- 🔍 Collected: April 1, 2026 at 19:37
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 22, 2026 at 02:12 (486h 35m after Collected)
WheeLog! NPO (located in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Yuriko Oda), which develops and operates the barrier-free map app "WheeLog!", supports April Dream, a day to express dreams on April 1st. This press release is the dream of "WheeLog!".
## ■ Our Dream: For a Flat City Without Steps to Become the "Norm"
"That shop looks delicious!" Such everyday excitement can instantly turn into despair due to "just one step" at the entrance. A lovely cafe found on social media. A restaurant where friends meet. However, with just a 10-centimeter step, I, a wheelchair user, can only watch my friends laughing happily through the glass from outside.
We do not want to pass on the sadness of such "close but distant seats" to the next generation. Our dream is that "all newly built places are, from the beginning, kind to everyone."
## ■ Why Rules Must Be Changed Now
Japanese urban planning faces "structural issues" that cannot be solved by individual consideration or effort alone.
1. The Blank Created by the "2,000㎡ Wall"
Under current law, barrier-free obligations only apply to large buildings of 2,000㎡ or more (equivalent to two gymnasiums). Many convenience stores and cafes we use daily are exempt from this obligation, becoming "blank areas" for barrier-free access.
2. To Avoid Reserving "50 Years of Inconvenience"
Even the latest survey shows that new steps are being created at this very moment in approximately one out of four (23%) new establishments. Once built, a building remains in the city for over 50 years. Allowing these steps now is equivalent to "reserving" inconvenience until 2076.
3. Spreading "Tottori Prefecture's Success" Nationwide
This dream is not an impossible ideal. In Tottori Prefecture, a unique ordinance has made "zero-step entrances" a common sight, regardless of building size. What can be achieved in one region can certainly be achieved throughout Japan.
## ■ Knocking on the Nation's Door Through a Signature Campaign
We are conducting a signature campaign to resolve this structural flaw and update national building rules.
* Our Proposals:
* Mandate "zero-step entrances" from the design stage for all new establishments.
* Ensure standards for parts that are difficult to modify later, such as aisle widths, from the beginning.
This is not only for wheelchair users but also for baby carriage users.
## ■ Our Dream: For a Flat City Without Steps to Become the "Norm"
"That shop looks delicious!" Such everyday excitement can instantly turn into despair due to "just one step" at the entrance. A lovely cafe found on social media. A restaurant where friends meet. However, with just a 10-centimeter step, I, a wheelchair user, can only watch my friends laughing happily through the glass from outside.
We do not want to pass on the sadness of such "close but distant seats" to the next generation. Our dream is that "all newly built places are, from the beginning, kind to everyone."
## ■ Why Rules Must Be Changed Now
Japanese urban planning faces "structural issues" that cannot be solved by individual consideration or effort alone.
1. The Blank Created by the "2,000㎡ Wall"
Under current law, barrier-free obligations only apply to large buildings of 2,000㎡ or more (equivalent to two gymnasiums). Many convenience stores and cafes we use daily are exempt from this obligation, becoming "blank areas" for barrier-free access.
2. To Avoid Reserving "50 Years of Inconvenience"
Even the latest survey shows that new steps are being created at this very moment in approximately one out of four (23%) new establishments. Once built, a building remains in the city for over 50 years. Allowing these steps now is equivalent to "reserving" inconvenience until 2076.
3. Spreading "Tottori Prefecture's Success" Nationwide
This dream is not an impossible ideal. In Tottori Prefecture, a unique ordinance has made "zero-step entrances" a common sight, regardless of building size. What can be achieved in one region can certainly be achieved throughout Japan.
## ■ Knocking on the Nation's Door Through a Signature Campaign
We are conducting a signature campaign to resolve this structural flaw and update national building rules.
* Our Proposals:
* Mandate "zero-step entrances" from the design stage for all new establishments.
* Ensure standards for parts that are difficult to modify later, such as aisle widths, from the beginning.
This is not only for wheelchair users but also for baby carriage users.