Tomoyuki Takahashi
- Organizer of SP Social Support Planning
- Social Activist: Support the social reintegration of patients with depression
- Nationality: Japanese
- Born in 1977, live in Hnamaki City, Iwate Prefecture
- Language: Japanese (native), English (upper intermediate)
Education and Career
- Apr. 1996 - Mar. 2000
- The University of Tokyo
Majored in cognitive psychology. Also learned acoustic psychology. - Apr. 2001 - Mar. 2003
- Studied architectural design and interior design at a vocational school.
- Mar. 2003 - Nov. 2004
- Worked at a residential design office: Sekkeidoujin Shirai Architect Office.
- Mar. 2006 - Jun. 2009
- Worked as a freelance English-Japanese translator.
- Nov. 2008 - Dec. 2012
- Opened Residential Design Laboratory based on physiological psychology.
- I acted as an architecture writer. The design of room comfort, such as thermal environment and room acoustics, was the topic. I studied under many leading experts: design technology critics Mr. Yuzo Minami and Mr. Tetsuro Kai, and the renowned audio critic Mr. Shinichiro Ishii.
- Oct. 2020 - Present
- Operate SP Social Support planning
Publish the English version of the site (my first Japanese - English translation)
Turning Point in My Life
- In Apr. 2010, Depression has developed.
- I was made to realize how hard it is for a depressed patient to return to work and reintegrate into society in Japan.
The difficulty forced me to move from job to job. Eventually, I fell into “relative poverty.”
- In Sept. 2016, “The New Grade Determination Guidelines for Mental Disorders” came into effect.
- Since then, we can no longer receive disability pensions as long as we live alone.
We have been forced to live hand-to-mouth.
- On April 17, 2020
- In Japan, as a countermeasure against the economic impact of COVID-19, 100,000 yen (about $960) was distributed equally to the needy and those who were not in need.
- But originally, 300,000 Japanese yen (about $2,900) was planned to be distributed “only to the needy.”
- This series of unreasonable actions has convinced me that “the Japanese government will never save the socially disadvantaged and minorities.”
I've given up on the public support system. Instead, I began to think of establishing a private support system, or a private disability pension system. This wish is the cause for the establishment of SP Social Support Planning.
Qualification
- TOEIC 885 (1999)
- Second-class architect (2006)
Interests / Hobbies
Running, photography, PENTAX fan, listening to music (mainly Jazz), and an audiophile.