National parks rest on the ideal of universal access, yet persons with disabilities (PWDs) remain largely excluded from nature-based experiences worldwide. This paper compares how Japan and China govern disability inclusion in national parks, and examines the mechanisms through which park accessibility shapes the well-being of PWDs. Drawing on the social model of disability extended to ecological settings and the capability approach, we construct a four-dimensional analytical framework encompassing institutional, infrastructural, service, and attitudinal dimensions. Our analysis of policy documents, government reports, and existing empirical studies reveals that Japan’s five-decade trajectory has moved progressively from compensatory provision toward social inclusion, underpinned by mandatory legislation and civil society co-governance. China’s young national park system, by contrast, is constrained by legislative gaps and a residual welfare paradigm, though its centralised planning capacity and existing spatial zonation offer distinctive resources for rapid progress. We identify three mechanisms linking accessible environments to disability well-being, namely capability expansion, recognition through spatial integration, and participatory community-building, and conclude with policy recommendations grounded in China’s governance architecture. 

Wenquan Wang, Lin Du. Inclusive National Parks and Disability Well-being: A Comparative Study of Accessibility Governance between Japan and China. Academic Journal of Environment & Earth Science (2026), Vol. 8, Issue 1: 77-83. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJEE.2026.080111.

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