Help Mark: Symbol’s Use is a Step toward Building a Supportive Society

Editorial

16:36 JST, August 4, 2025

It has become increasingly common to see people wearing the Help Mark, a symbol featuring a cross and a heart shape in white on a red background.

This mark is used by people with disabilities or illnesses that are not readily apparent from that person’s appearance, such as artificial joints or heart disease, to make it easier for them to ask for assistance. It is ideal to create a warm society in which people naturally extend a helping hand to those wearing the mark, such as by offering them seats on trains and buses.

The Tokyo metropolitan government created the mark in 2012, and it is now available free of charge in all prefectures. Those who need one can request it at local government offices and train stations, among other places.

In 2017, the mark was registered under the government-certified Japanese Industrial Standards. The metropolitan government designated July 20 as Help Mark Day after the date of registration.

In a survey conducted by the Cabinet Office, half of the respondents said they knew about the mark. However, this percentage shrank as respondents’ age increased, with only 30% of people age 70 or older recognizing it.

One would expect that many elderly people need to wear the mark. It is surely important to make the mark known among people in the senior generation to help them get support.

On the other hand, while many people recognize the mark, the number of people who can explain its meaning when asked is significantly lower, according to another survey. There have been cases of people using the mark even though they are not eligible for it, and of the mark being bought and sold. It is imperative to raise awareness and inform people about the proper use of the mark.

Apart from the Help Mark, which is used by people with disabilities or illnesses, the Maternity Mark that pregnant women attach to their bags and elsewhere is widely recognized.

Such marks will probably help people understand the user’s circumstances at a glance, without the person having to explain, so that the people around them will not hesitate to offer assistance.

These days, defamatory content on social media has become a societal problem. There is no end to cases of people participating in fraud and robbery that target senior citizens, as if they were doing ordinary part-time jobs. It is regrettable if there is a growing lack of consideration for others.

With the low birth rate and aging population, it is necessary to create a society where people of various backgrounds can coexist.

The Obu city government in Aichi Prefecture last year created its own help mark for people with dementia. The purpose is to help quickly locate people with dementia who have gone missing. The mark’s design is based around orange, the symbolic color for dementia support.

The idea for the mark came from a resident in the city who lost his father, who had dementia, in a train accident and faced a lawsuit filed by a railway company.

It is hoped that the central and local governments will work together with private support organizations and others to help spread awareness of the dementia help mark throughout the country.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Aug. 4, 2025)