AIDS in Japan

[Taizeniki]

Yahoo! News Wed, Jul 14, 2004

Oblivious Japan May Be on Brink of AIDS Explosion

Tue Jul 13,10:09 AM ET

By Elaine Lies

YOKOHAMA, Japan (Reuters) - As midnight nears, lights flash and rock music throbs, as a line forms in one corner of the busy club in the port city of Yokohama, near Tokyo.

Reuters Photo

Reuters

Slideshow: HIV/AIDS

Faces tense, each person is ushered behind a curtain, steeling themselves as Tsuneo Akaeda draws their blood.

Akaeda, a doctor, is casual in a baseball cap, T-shirt and purple-striped Bermuda shorts, head bobbing to the music, but his mission is deadly serious: free AIDS (news - web sites) tests, an attempt to check what experts say may be a looming explosion of the disease.

Some say it may already be too late, noting that while the numbers still are relatively small, Japan is one of the only advanced nations where AIDS cases have not dropped dramatically.

"There is no sense of urgency," Akaeda, 60, said. "But there are many people who have HIV (news - web sites), and, in five years, lots will get sick and everyone will be surprised.

"Right now AIDS is like a ghost. It's sort of scary but since it's still noon, it's far from everybody's mind."

But it is there. In 2003, 976 new HIV/AIDS cases were reported, the highest annual figure and about a tenth of all cases since 1985.

Some experts warn cumulative numbers could jump to 50,000 by 2010 due to increased youth sexual activity, less condom use and official indifference, symbolized by falling budgets.

Worse though, may be general public apathy.

"It's impossible for people to think AIDS has anything to do with them," said Masahiro Kihara, a professor at Kyoto University. "AIDS is Africa. It's America. It's gay.

"The ignorance is huge ... so this is a very dangerous situation," he added. "I think the estimate of 50,000 by 2010 might be an underprediction."

Japan's view of AIDS has been colored by a scandal involving tainted blood products that led to about 2,000 of Japan's hemophiliacs becoming infected, the deaths of several hundred and sparked a series of lawsuits.

NOT US

"More than 90 percent of young people say they're aware of AIDS, but they think of blood, not a sexually transmitted disease," said Masako Kihara, an associate professor at Kyoto University and Masahiro Kihara's wife.

In addition, when AIDS first appeared in Japan in the mid-1980s, it was portrayed mainly as a "foreigners' disease," an attitude that still lingers.

But while in the past many cases involved foreign women in the sex trade or men who picked up the virus overseas, the sources of infection now are almost all domestic -- and spreading from major centers like Tokyo to cities around Japan.

Homosexuals made up the majority of new 2003 HIV cases, and though they are a high-risk group, experts say more of them are tested than the general population, perhaps raising the numbers.

All of this, though, reinforces the idea that AIDS is limited to special groups.

The rising figures are "a matter of real urgency," says Health Ministry official Go Tanaka.

But only four people in the ministry work full time on AIDS policy, and budgets are falling steadily. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun daily, funds for dealing with AIDS in major cities have fallen by 70 percent since 1995.

Most worrying is the increase among youth. Of new HIV cases in 2003, at least 33 percent were in people under 29, a reflection of increased youth sexual activity.

Some 20 to 30 percent of 16-year-olds have sex, and nearly a quarter of these have four or more partners, said Masako Kihara.

"Only 20 percent use condoms every time," she added. "They think they have a set partner, so it's safe."

TESTING PROBLEMS

Another problem is a dearth of places to go for testing.

Hospitals require people to give their names, a move that puts off those fearing prejudice after a positive result, and while public health centers offer anonymous testing, their hours are extremely limited and results can take a week.

As a result, experts say, there may be thousands who do not realize they carry HIV until they actually become ill.

Enter Dr Akaeda, who began free testing in several clubs around Tokyo a few years ago.

"If you just wait in a clinic, young people won't come," he said, snapping his rubber-gloved fingers to the music in between the 40 tests he did on a recent Saturday. "Here, I tell them like a friend to be tested."

Akaeda uses a blood test that gives results in 15 minutes, with manicures and makeup tips offered as people wait. Others dance or drink. One man got his results while clutching a beer.

"In other places you wait a week, but here you know fast," said Sasaki, who described himself as "very relieved" after his test was negative. "A week would be scary.

"I didn't used to think AIDS had anything to do with me, but now it's different," he added. "I'll be more careful now."

[Kintamayama]

Oblivious Japan May Be on Brink of AIDS Explosion

By Elaine Lies

Should we believe her, then??

[Taizeniki]

(Blinking...) It seems to be a growing problem.... so I assume time will tell if she speaketh the truth.

[amgaa99]

It is most seriously problem in the world, not only in Japan.

[Hashira]

AIDS will soon be a major problem in Japan. The problem is that young people are ignorant of it, and don't seem to care about theur own health even when things are explained to them. Using a condom is not cool, and most girls are afraid to ask guys to use one. Young people in Japan today are extremely promiscuous and because of a combination of a lack of education, and recklessness, it will soon be a major epidemic.

[Mark Buckton]

Education on medical issues IS severely lacking in Japan.

About 1 million abortions a year point to the fact that the pill has only recently been 'allowed' in and abortions are a standard form of birth control.

AIDS is a foreign problem and so even the cards in your post box promising 'delivery health' (Japanese for hooker to the door) promise Japanese hookers only - so AIDS is not an issue.

Doctors and nurses seem confused when you ask them to wear gloves when they take your blood and say they are clean so no need - right after they have taken blood from others and HAVEN'T washed their hands but have applied that little alcohol swab thingy direct to the 'hole' (cross contamination is said to be a major problem in Japanese hoispitals) -

and ironically most Europeans on Sumo Forum - wouldn't be allowed to give blood to the Japanese Red Cross because of all the issues in European health - BSE / CJD / water in various regions. (NB: Japanese BSE / AIDS transmissions via blood transfusions and even encephalitis in the south of the country as well as huge percentages of those over 40 having Hepatitis C (shared needles during school vaccinations being the norm till recently) ISN'T considered a major problem. (Shaking head...)

the list goes on but is depressing.

I agree with the posters above - sadly so.

[Sasanishiki]

Education on medical issues IS severely lacking in Japan.

About 1 million abortions a year point to the fact that the pill has only recently been 'allowed' in and abortions are a standard form of birth control.

It is not only about education. Politics plays a huge part.

Part of the delay with allowing the Pill was that the Japanese medical lobby represents doctors who were earning a lot of money from performing abortions. This was a method of birth control that was far more lucrative than the Pill.

The classic example of women's health issues being placed secondary to men's was the length of time it took to allow the Pill compared to the speed of permitting Viagra (which took only a few months).

[Taizeniki]

This was a method of birth control that was far more lucrative than the Pill.

why must human life seemingly always be reduced to money and unfettered sex? what sad lowest common denominators by which to define the human person :'-( .... :-)

[Kaikitsune Makoto]

About 1 million abortions a year point to the fact that the pill has only recently been 'allowed' in and abortions are a standard form of birth control.

Not to harrass colons but that figure can't be so high? If you roughly estimate that half would be women in Japan..about 65 million. Out of the 65 million maybe 25 million can't even get pregnant due to age leaving 40 million. Out of the 40 million many are pregnant, infertile or sexually inactive so can't get pregnant and have an abortion. So lets assume 20 million are "at risk". Out of these 20 million how many get pregnant every year? Don't know but certainly a large minority gets abortion and if that 1 million is the amount of abortions, Japan is on its way to catch India and China in population....

Doctors and nurses seem confused when you ask them to wear gloves when they take your blood and say they are clean so no need - right after they have taken blood from others and HAVEN'T washed their hands but have applied that little alcohol swab thingy direct to the 'hole' (cross contamination is said to be a major problem in Japanese hoispitals) -

Sometimes it is odd hearing these kind of information. Japan is high tech country with all high tech stuff one can imagine and yet health care would lack the most simple principles like proper needle hygiene and hygiene in general? Japan must have these antiseptic liquids doctors and nurses use between patients to get rid of as much bacteria as possible and also to avoid cross-contamination. In the present day world where the so called "hospital bacteria" are on a rampage (like MRSA), the thought that a country like Japan would take these issues lightly is somehow very very bizarre regardless of the cultural points. JApan probably has world's best technology to get rid of bugs so why not use some of that too....mysterious.

Understandable that public is reckless. It usually is. Youngsters as a whole are notoriously "stupid" all over the world when it comes to risk calculations or lack thereof. Immortal feeling is probably some kind of natural state for many genki teenagers and 20+ people.

Since condoms are considered uncool in Japan (and in Finland too lately) and sumo is considered uncool...maybe it wouldn't be the best idea to put a rikishi in a condom commercial promoting condom use (Punk rocker...)

[Mark Buckton]

Japan must have these antiseptic liquids doctors and nurses use between patients to get rid of as much bacteria as possible and also to avoid cross-contamination. In the present day world where the so called "hospital bacteria" are on a rampage (like MRSA), the thought that a country like Japan would take these issues lightly is somehow very very bizarre regardless of the cultural points. JApan probably has world's best technology to get rid of bugs so why not use some of that too....mysterious.

The million figure comes from a media report (based on a doc released by the gov IIRC) saying Japanese had 'suffered' over 60 million abortions since 1945. In a nation where farmers were documented as killing daughters (new born) until the middle of the last century and daughters were still sold (for cash) into prostitution until the same or slightly earlier era (last known in Hyogo?) perhaps abortion was 'better' they thought. (recommend a look into 'cabbage patch' kids in Japan - a newborn left in a cabbage patch overnight was deemed strong enough to feed and keep if it survived - if not.....)

The bit I quoted is a mystery indeed but evidenced personally in at least 3 or 4 hospitals I know and huge numbers of aliens commenting on such in the media and on the net. Nurses I know 'understand' when told but still admit their docs and they don't use gloves - mendokusai as it is.

Also, one former column on cross contamination problems listed my locale - (J) as one of the highest regions for such in the world - because of this ignorance? but I have no idea where to find that now.