Accessibility & Infrastructure
A comparative analysis of how Brazil, Japan, and the USA approach inclusion in physical and digital spaces. What worked, what failed, and what must change.
Bia
Kaori
Mi
"To think, smile and understand a little more. Demystifying accessibility."
Researcher, speaker, and rare disease advocate. Bridging academic rigor with accessible communication on accessibility, aging, and plenty of Japanese-Brazilian culture and shenanigans.
LocationBrazil
FieldAccessibility · Japan · Marketing
DegreeMSc, USP
LanguagesPT · EN · FR · JP
GroupNUPRI-Asia, USP
My Journey
Research born
from lived
experience
I am a researcher and advocate specializing in accessibility, urban infrastructure, and population aging. Born and raised in Brazil with a huge mix of Japan culture, I've always had an unstoppable curiosity about the world around me. Not surprisingly, Brazil and Japan heavily feature in my research (with a good dosage of the USA and Europe as well). My research doesn't stay hidden in academic papers. I've always believed theory and practice must walk together, hand in hand. I bring theory into everyday life through social media, because I believe everyone has the right to knowledge.
My experiences as a disabled person and as a Brazilian-Japanese mixed-heritage woman have shaped a unique worldview that I share through talks, courses, and publications in multiple languages.
Passionate about languages, Japanese cuisine, animanga, and much more, I stay closely connected to my ancestral culture. I can't get through a day without tea (no fruit teas ever, please) or something to read.
See Full Experience →
What I Study
Population Aging
Japan is the world's first super-aged society. What does that teach us? Which policies (actually) work, and what can nations - both old and new - learn from each other?
Japanese Culture
Identity, immigration, and cultural heritage through a mixed-heritage, critical lens: celebrating without romanticizing. From the biggest Japanese diaspora in the world here in Brazil to everyday life in Tokyo.
Where My Work Lives
A bridge between
Brazil and Japan
My research, identity, and advocacy span two countries with one of the world's longest bilateral histories. Brazil holds the largest Japanese diaspora outside Japan. I navigate both worlds by birth, by study, and by choice.
1.5M+
Japanese Brazilians
largest diaspora outside Japan
10+
years of Japan-focused
academic research
Health & Rare Disease Advocacy
Living with FD/MAS
I live with two ultra-rare conditions: Fibrous Dysplasia (FD) and McCune-Albright Syndrome (MAS). Imagine a toddler trying their very first steps: The first fall was a fracture. That's how my parents discovered something was going on with my bones. Today, I advocate both in Brazil and in the USA, raising awareness and sharing my story.
1st
Brazilian in the FD/MAS Alliance
2023
Year I became an advocate
Work With Me
How I Can Help You
Researcher
Academic Collaborations
Available for research partnerships, peer review, and expert consultation on accessibility, aging, disability policy, as well as Japan-Brazil comparative studies.
Reach outSpeaker
Events & Panels
Academic conferences, corporate events, media panels, and patient advocacy gatherings. Available in English and Portuguese, in-person or online.
Book a talkContent Creator
Media & Consultations
Expert commentary for journalists coupled with consultations on accessibility and rare disease content for social media and broadcast.
Get in touchTimeline
Moments That Shaped Me
2023 – Present
FD/MAS Alliance Advocate (USA & Brazil)
First Brazilian in the FD/MAS Alliance. Co-host of the first global FD/MAS community meeting for patients and families.
2024
Guest Speaker, GEASIA/USP
Invited to teach on Population Aging in Japan and what Brazil can learn from it.
2021
Master's Degree, University of São Paulo (USP)
Dissertation on the challenges Japan faces as the world's first super-aged society.
2015 – Present
Researcher at NUPRI-Asia (USP)
Member of the Asian Studies research group for over a decade. Contributed to multiple courses and soon-to-be book author.
2021 – 2022
Volunteer at 20+ NGOs
Team leader, project manager, head interviewer, teacher, translator, editor and mentor. Wore many hats in volunteering across many NGOs and working with Brazilians, Haitians and Americans to expand access to knowledge in Brazil.
2016
BA in International Relations
Where it all started. At Faculdades Integradas Rio Branco, earned two academic merit awards.
Languages
Portuguese
Native
English
Fluent · TOEFL IBT 119/120
TOEFL · CELTAFrench
Advanced
DALF C2Japanese
Intermediate
JLPT N2Featured Publication
Latest Academic Work
Peer-Reviewed Article · Open Access
Invisible Beings: An Overview of People with Disabilities' Circumstances in Japan
Estudos Japoneses · Jornal da USP · 2024
Despite Japan's global reputation for technological advancement and social organization, people with disabilities continue to occupy a structurally invisible position within its society and policy landscape. This article provides a comparative overview of the legislative framework, institutional gaps, cultural factors, and lived realities that shape disability in Japan — drawing on Japanese-language primary sources and literature from Japan, Brazil, and the USA. The analysis identifies systemic barriers that persist despite landmark accessibility legislation.
Talks & Events
Where I've Spoken
2025Guest
Interview for the 1 of 20 Podcast
Episode: Fibrous Dysplasia/McCune-Albright Syndrome: Beatriz Kaori Miyakoshi Lopes
2025Guest
Guest Speaker in 3 Webinars, Geopolitics Observatory at TV GGN
Aging in East Asia · Work in Japan · Brazil-Asia Cooperation
2024Speaker
GEASIA Course, University of São Paulo
Mini course on Security, Strategy, and Defense: Geopolitics in Asia open to the public
2024Co-Host
FD/MAS Community Event (Global)
Co-hosted the first global patient and family meeting
2023Speaker
SIMPORI, Santiago Dantas
Presented my work at the national Symposium on International Relations in São Paulo
2021interviewee
Fiocruz Channel on Science, Health and Research
Live interview on TV for the channel Fiocruz
Work With Me
For Journalists & Event Organizers
For the Press
Media & Press Inquiries
Working on a story about accessibility, aging, rare diseases, or Japan-Brazil relations? Available for interviews and expert commentary in English or Portuguese.
Short bio (one-liner, 150 words, full)
High-resolution headshots
Expert commentary topics
Past coverage: O Globo, Folha, Jornal USP, Fiocruz
Speaker Kit
Book Me to Speak
Academic conferences, corporate events, media panels, and advocacy gatherings. Available in English and Portuguese, in-person or online.
AccessibilityPopulation AgingJapan & BrazilRare DiseasesDisability PolicyJapanese Culture
Send a Speaking Invitation →
Get in Touch
Let's start a
conversation
Whether you're a journalist on deadline, an event organizer, a researcher looking to collaborate, or simply curious, fill in the form and I'll get back to you within a few days. I respond in English or Portuguese.