What is "zenkaren"

Zenkaren (the National Federation of Families of the Mentally Ill in Japan), established in 1965, was the oldest and largest stakeholder organization in Japan and the only organization officially designated for promoting vocational rehabilitation for people with mental illnesses. It had over 130,000 members and covered 1,600 associations nationwide. It operated 800 psychiatric sheltered workshops throughout Japan, where social stigma largely prevents employers from hiring a person who has been treated for mental illness (Johnson, 2001).