Elderly Care

Weekend Beat: The sky's the limit for elderly care

"Japanese-especially the women-live a long time, and each generation raises the bar a bit higher. According to the government, average longevity for Japanese women in 1965 was 72.92 years. This rose to 84.62 years by 2000. For men, average lifespan increased from 67.74 years to 77.71 years over the same period.

The demand for nursing homes and special residences for the elderly is growing because there are more old people and because they cannot depend on their children to take care of them in their final years.

There were 155 private nursing homes in 1988. By 2003, this number had jumped to 662, while the number of public nursing homes and those run by social welfare bodies rose from 2,125 to 5,083."

IHT/Asahi: July 10,2004

Japanese alcoholism

Japanese alcoholism verging on epidemic

"JAPAN is struggling with an alcohol problem on a far greater scale than officials previously suspected.

Statistics from the end of 2002 found there were 17,100 alcoholics in the country.

But the latest figures, compiled using new techniques, have revealed that alcoholism is affecting 820,000 people.

And an expert this week claimed the true figure was closer to two million.

"The government’s figure is bigger than was previously estimated, but I feel it’s still too low," said Dr Michio Takemura, the director of the Akagai-kohgen Hospital in Gunma Prefecture, central Japan.

"According to our numerous studies on alcoholism, we put the real number at about two million." "

The Scotsman, 22 June, 2004

Sarin Victims

Trying to make sense of the terror

"Takahashi now heads a group of victims of the sarin attack and their families.

"After nine years, sarin attack victims are still left out in the cold. There has not been enough research on the effects of our suffering," she said.

That prompted her to journey to New York to meet with families of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Takahashi felt she must have much in common with people whose kin were seized so randomly, senselessly and suddenly."

IHT/The Asahi Shimbun, July 6, 2004

Child Abuse

Reported cases of child abuse soar in Japan

"26,573 of these consultations resulted in councelors taking some form of action, the highest such figure Japan has ever seen. The situation is forcing welfare centers to find ways to ease the burden on their staff."

Mainichi Daily News, June 29, 2004

820,000 alcoholics Japan

820,000 alcoholics in Japan

"Japan is not quite a nation of drunks, but a government survey Thursday estimated there are about 820,000 alcoholics in this country.

The health ministry survey, the first ever conducted in this country based on World Health Organization standards, far exceeds the previous official figure-17,100 as of October 2002.

That figure, also determined by the health ministry, was based on the total number of people receiving medical treatment for alcoholism as an inpatient or outpatient.

The latest findings were conducted by a health ministry group led by Susumu Higuchi, vice director of the state-run Kurihama Alcoholism Center in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture. The group is engaged in a three-year study, starting in fiscal 2002, of the drinking habits of Japanese adults. "

IHT/Asahi, June 18,2004

HIV

Japanese Health Labor and Welfare Ministry plans free HIV tests at hospitals

"The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry (Japan) will make free and anonymous HIV tests available at hospitals from fiscal 2005, ministry officials said Saturday.

The service will be offered in addition to the existing network of public health centers that offer HIV tests, according to the officials. "

Medical News Today, 14 June, 2004

Japanese Birthrate

Birthrate stats..

"the birthrate already has reached a critical level and it is expected to continue falling. If it does, it will create a number of social problems, such as an increase in the social welfare burden, a smaller workforce, diminished economic activities, a reduction in investment and a rise in abandoned farmland."

Asian Voices Today, June 15, 2004

Tokyo Homeless

Tokyo's homeless get chance to rent rooms

"The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will launch a program later this month to rent out rooms in private apartments and public housing to the capital's homeless, who number more than 5,000.

In a joint project with Tokyo's 23 special wards, the metro government said in February that it would rent out 2,000 apartment rooms in the next two years to people who currently live in Tokyo's parks."

The Japan Times, June 15, 2004

Sex Crime Victims

VICTIM SUPPORT: Sea changes on sex crime

"Makiko Sasagawa, a social worker and clinical researcher who also conducts seminars at the National Police Academy on interacting with sex-crime victims.

"There's an obvious change," said Sasagawa, citing her courses at the academy as proof. "Every year, there are more questions from officers on how to communicate with victims, how not to hurt their feelings."

Sasagawa attributed the greater sensitivity to a strongly worded -- yet barely reported -- 1996 National Police Agency directive that law enforcement officers should spare no effort to safeguard the rights of victims of sexual crime.

The directive, titled "Higaisha Taisaku Yoko (Outline of Measures to Help Victims)," acknowledged allegations of "secondary victimization" by police and spelled out concrete ways to better help victims, "while trying to see things from their perspective." Experts say that, in retrospect, the document affected a catalytic change in the way police think about sexual crime."

The Japan Times, June 13, 2004

Overtime Stress Suicides

Overtime seen as factor in suicides related to work

More than half of the 51 workers recognized as having committed suicide due to work-related stress between fiscal 1999 and fiscal 2002 had been doing at least 100 hours of overtime a month, according to a report by a government research team.

"Long periods of overtime work may be linked to mental illnesses," said Nobuo Kuroki, assistant professor at Toho University's Sakura hospital, who heads the team formed by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry..."

The Japan Times, June 12, 2004