The House of Representatives passed bills Friday to amend 27 laws that ban the blind and deaf from working as doctors, dentists, nurses and pharmacists.
The bills, which have already cleared the House of Councilors, stipulate, however, that the government may deny the issuance of professional licenses to "people who will have difficulty carrying out tasks due to a physical or mental disorder."
The idea is to allow room for applicants to receive the licenses on a case-by-case basis. The old laws state the government will not grant professional licenses to people who are blind, deaf or mentally impaired.