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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / AIDS / September 2004Japan and HIV/AIDS
AIDS worsens slowly but surely in Japan Agence France-Presse - September 8, 2004 Niels Planel http://www.aegis.org/news/afp/2004/AF040922.html --------------------------------------------------- TOKYO, Sept 8 (AFP) - For the last five years, gynecologist Tsuneo Akaeda has been venturing into the heart of Tokyo's clubland to raise the alarm over the spread of AIDS in Japan, a predicament he warns "is soon going to explode". The 60-year-old director of the Akaeda Roppongi Clinic gives out free advice to young people at a bar in Tokyo's pulsating nightlife district of Roppongi. Since 1999, he's seen over 2,000 of them. "Japanese people think that AIDS isn't real, they have no awareness and don't feel directly affected," Akaeda, 60, tells AFP. "Young people think it's cool to have sex without a condom." Japan is the only developed nation in which AIDS is on the increase, and health campaigners like Akaeda are determined to tackle the problem. The tally in 2003 set a record since the first case was tracked in 1985. The government counted 336 new cases of AIDS, of which 67.6 percent were caused by sexual contact. But only 640 were found to be infected by HIV, the virus that causes the condition, far lower than expected. "The HIV cases should number about 10 times the AIDS cases, but only 640 have been counted. So where are the other infected people?" Akaeda asks. The answer is clear, according to Masanori Suzuki, chief of the AIDS Health Care Section at the health ministry: "There are probably more cases than the number that have been proven and verified." Wataru Sugiura, head of the Laboratory of Therapeutic Research and Clinical Science at the national AIDS Research Center, estimates that there were "three or four times the number of HIV/AIDS cases than statistics show," adding that the number of total cases has tripled in the last 10 years. Excluding those infected by tainted blood transfusions, there were 2,892 AIDS patients reported in Japan at the end of 2003 while the HIV cases came to 5,780. "Japanese people don't get themselves tested. For young people, free testing conflicts with their schedules," Dr Akaeda argues. Home-delivery prostitution, known as "delivery health", has become a major new factor in the spread of the sydrome, along with the existing problem of sex tourism abroad, the doctor says. The many Japanese who do not use condoms have also multiplied the risks of transmission, he adds. Condoms are more often associated with contraception than disease prevention in Japan, agrees the health ministry's Suzuki, warning that "sales of condoms are on the decline." Akaeda says there are a lot of young people who are unaware they are HIV positive, since symptoms can remain dormant for a decade. Japanese HIV cases in Japan were concentrated among people aged 20 to 34 years old last year, government data showed. "The young people I see drink and smoke a lot and have very fragile health," he says. "I think that in the next five or six years, there will be a surge in the number of new cases." But he complains the government "had no will at all" to fight a condition it does not consider serious. "The government has a budget to fight AIDS, but it is happy just to edit brochures," says Akaeda. He continues to wage his own battle. Sitting at a table with flyers in front of him, he is visited both by young people with HIV/AIDS who ask him how to live a normal life, and by others who are not infected but who want to know about to stay safe. Akaeda also has a radio show called 'Girls Guard' which has raised his own profile, and he makes occasional 'drop-ins' on other bars in Roppongi. He is urging more sex education in schools because young people do not receive information from anywhere else about the condition. Teachers in Japanese schools who discuss sex with pupils risk getting complaints from parents, who fear that talking about it will only get their children more interested. Sugiura adds that discussion of AIDS is no longer taboo but it remains a touchy subject to talk about. "It's a problem that people don't want to hear about," Sugiura says, adding that the government should launch an educational campaign. "I have never seen an advertisement about it on television." "The number of new cases are definitely going to increase in the next four or five years," Sugiura says. The health ministry said that its testing centers are open on weekends and it is has increased the number of free tests it offers, but Akaeda says: "It's already too late." 040908 AF040922 ---------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) AFP or Agence France-Presse, 2004 - AFP stories and photos shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium. AFP news material may not be stored in whole or in part in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use. AFP will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions in any AFP news material or in transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages whatsoever. As a newswire service AFP does not obtain releases from subjects, individuals, groups or entities contained in its photographs, graphics or quoted in its texts. Further, that no clearance is obtained from the owners of any trademarks or copyrighted materials whose marks and materials are included in AFP photos or materials. Therefore you will be solely responsible for obtaining any and all necessary releases from whatever individuals and/or entities necessary for any uses of AFP stories, photos or graphics. http://www.afp.com/ AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted grants from Boehringer Ingelheim, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, and donations from users like you. Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2004. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor. (c)1990, 2004 - AEGiS. AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content. Here's an excerpt from an article written about the self appointed "AIDS czar", Tsuneo Akaeda: "He added that young girls need to be better educated about sex to make them realize that sexual decency is important not only from a moral perspective but also to safeguard their health." ... ..But Akaeda admits that his zeal[to fight AIDS] comes not only from his concern for young girls but also from his nostalgia as a long-term Roppongi resident. "I've lived here for more than 20 years and liked it better when it was a quieter, more mature and arty area of Tokyo," he said. "I don't want to see Roppongi deteriorate too much." http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20010304b1.htm GMCarter, it seems to me you are a typical, niave, HIV devotee who believes everything he reads if it supports his stubborn establishment convictions on HIV/AIDS. Do you see how Mr. Tsuneo may have less than altruistic reasons for his "concern" About "AIDS"? He is basically like the radical right in the US--having a moral agenda which is masqueraded as a desire to improve public health. > AIDS worsens slowly but surely in Japan > [quoted text clipped - 146 lines] > copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the > party credited as the provider of the content. Exactly, thank you for saying that so well, Jeff. As for the 'HIV/AIDS' epidemiology of Japan, they are low and out of all proportion to what they should be IF 'HIV/AIDS' WERE AN INFECTIOUS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE OF 'EPIDEMIC' PROPORTIONS... THE REAL QUESTION IS: Why has Japan never entered the great hysteria mode over 'HIV/AIDS'? That's a better question. Considering 'HIV doesn't descriminate', and the Japanese do indeed have sex, one wonders. This is especially strange considering it's legal for Japanese men to have sex with girls as young as twelve.(1) In fact even though prostitution is technically illegal there, young female prostitution is happens fairly regularly. (1). One wonders why all these girls and the men who visit them aren't dropping like flies from 'AIDS'. The adult prevelence of 'HIV' is <0.1% meaning a Japanese citizen is more likely to die in an earthquake than 'contract' 'HIV'.(2) 1) http://www.iastate.edu/~rhetoric/105H17/nnguyen/cof.html 2) http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqsmajr.html While there is drug usage in Japan, I'm not sure of its level compared to other countries. What I DO believe is a major factor in the lack of so-called AIDS in Japan is this lack of poverty, malnutrition and constant exposure to things like malaria. What I find funny is the alarmist propoganda that still insists Japan is about to just explode with 'HIV'. For instance, on the avert.org website, they say of Japan, 'In Japan, where a record 621 people (most of them males) became infected in 2001, the virus is increasingly spreading amongst young people...' Then, from a sfgate.com article we read, 'But during 2002, Japan set new highs with 301 new cases of AIDS and 595 cases of HIV infection. Health experts predict the number of infected adults nationwide will jump to as many as 50,000 by 2010...' So, even though there was a DECLINE of this already SMALL number of people who had antibodies which reacted on the 'HIV' test from the previous year, in just six years we're going to see a freakin' EXPLOSION! Run away, run away... Remember, Japan has about 127 MILLION people. Yet the sfgate article goes on to say of the looming shamdemic, 'the lack of an effective government AIDS awareness program and the low status of women in Japanese society.' will contribute to this about-to-happen explosion. Hmm. Let's see. It would seem that Japan doing NOTHING about 'HIV/AIDS' has been pretty effective so far. Wouldn't you think so? Japan is probably the most glaring example of the huge disparities between so-called "AIDS" in the U.S. and the rest of the world. How is it also possible that the U.S. has more than three times the number of "AIDS" cases as compared to ALL OF EUROPE?! (See: http://www.who.int/docstore/wer/pdf/2002/wer7749.pdf for the most recent figures available.) It bears repeating that ALL of these countries in these comparisons are industrialized nations, hence the excuse that there must be huge numbers of unreported cases simply does not fly. It might be that Japan is one of the designated whorehouses for the US military. Of course they have huge bases there and there have been sex scandals with US troops. I went to the Phillipines last year, which is probably once again (as it was up until a few years ago) set up as a US military whorehouse. I was there in the 80s when it was supposed to be rife with Aids - and in fact there was almost no so-called Aids there and the philipinos were being told to watch out for the Aids-ridden tourists. Now last year I found it had been announced that the Phillipines is completely free of HIV!!!! This in a country reknowned for its sex industry to tourists. I read a university newspaper - had an article about the dangers of STD's and it did not even mention HIV/Aids once!!! YOu would think there would be some safeguards at the airport to protect this seemingly precious status - but I wasn't even asked if I had HIV let alone tested. Of course it is absurd, and reeks of being "designated" by the CIA-run Aids industry. Providing their troops with cheap sex romps in countries like the Phillipines seems to be standard US military policy to keep them happy. CHECK FOR YOURSELF AT:- http://www.japanetwork.org/aidsnews/stats/02oct_dec.html Grand totals of HIV/AIDS cases to date among Japanese... From the latest official statistics (Don't be misled by deceptive scare stories that have no basis in fact and figures lacking creadibility) HIV CASES Total to Date 3,421 AIDS CASES Total to Date 1,902 ============================================== AS FOR ALLEGED RISE IN 'EPIDEMIC' MISREPORTING ============================================== HIV/AIDS, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, and Tuberculosis Prevention News Update March 27, 2003 International News Japan Only Now Confronting Rising HIV Rate San Francisco Chronicle 03.17.03; Suvendrini Kakuchi At a popular Tokyo restaurant, a dozen young sex workers are engrossed in a heated debate over ways to avoid AIDS and other STDs and still keep their jobs should a client insist on not using a condom. The women are attending a monthly meeting led by former prostitutes and health activists working for the nongovernmental organization Sex Work and Sexual Health (SWASH). UNAIDS reports that just 12,000 adults out of 127 million Japanese have HIV. But during 2002, Japan recorded unprecedented new infection rates with 301 new cases of AIDS and 595 HIV cases. Health experts say this number could increase to 50,000 by 2010 because of a booming sex trade (estimated at $13 billion annually), declining condom use, lack of an effective government awareness program, increased sexual activity among young people and the low status of women in Japanese society. The "unprecedented new infection rates" that has the Japanese health ministry in an uproar = 595 out of a population of 127 MILLION. Of course they think this number could jump to 50,000 in the next 6 years because of their booming sex trade industry. AS IF JAPAN NEVER HAD A BOOMING SEX TRADE INDUSTRY IN THE PAST! Is it me? Or do people really just accept this slurp as truth? I mean, how can anyone read this article without shaking their head and saying, "WHAT"? Anyone care to figure out what percentage 595 is of 127 million? I'm too tired to write out all those zeros. AIDS DISSIDENT SCIENTIFIC COMMENTARY: 595 out of 127 million is 0.000469%. Sometimes disease rates are reported as per 100,000 population. In this case, the number would be 0.469... quite negligable. Japan is one of the greater inconsistencies in the AIDS "epidemic". As you pointed out, Japan has a booming sex industry that probably has been around for a while. Yet, the Japanese don't openly advertise this to the rest of the world and most people view Japan as a conservative culture based on their traditions and hard work ethic of the 1980's (which has gone downhill during the 1990's). Despite the large sex industry, Japan has a very low prevalence of HIV/AIDS cases and I think this is due to the fact the most people in the AID$ industry don't see Japan as a potential breeding ground for a sexually transmitted disease. Hotspots in the AIDS "epidemic" always seem to follow where ever the AID$ industy wants to focus. "HIV/AIDS" DOES NOT FIT THE PARAMETERS OF AN INFECTIOUS, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE OF 'EPIDEMIC' PROPORTIONS... HIV cannot be the cause of AIDS. Why would a virus infect 1% of the US population and 30% of some Africa countries? Why would a virus cause different symptoms depending on your age, gender, and location? Why hasn't 20 years worth of research and billions of dollars spent created a vaccine or "cure"? Why do the pharmaceutical companies and the government censor the scientists, doctors and laypeople that ask these questions and provide reasonable answers? The infectious model does not work that way. See how 'HIV=AIDS' unfills Kochs' Three Postulates of the Infectious Model of Disease. This is why there will never be an 'AIDS' vaccine or cure for 'AIDS' or a manner to prevent transmission of the alleged 'HIV.' REBUTTAL TO NIAID/NIH "Evidence for HIV" DOCUMENT http://www.healtoronto.com/nih RESOURCES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION The GROUP for the SCIENTIFIC REAPPRAISAL of the HIV/AIDS HYPOTHESIS [100s of pages of articles, papers] http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/find.htm BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL [BMJ] MODERATED ONLINE DEBATE ON HIV/AIDS http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/326/7387/495 [especially note referenced contributions of The Perth Group of Austrailian AIDS Dissident Scientists, lead by biophysicist Eleni Papadopulos-Eleopulos, whose other extensive archives are found here http://www.theperthgroup.com and here: http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/perthgroup/ ] Roberto Giraldo, MD President of The Group for the Scientific Reappraisal of the HIV/AIDS Hypothesis http://www.robertogiraldo.com/eng/papers/papers.html TREATING AND PREVENTING ILLNESS ATTRIBUTED TO OR ASSOCIATED WITH "AIDS" http://www.robertogiraldo.com/eng/papers/TreatingAndPreventingAIDS.html INTERNATIONAL AIDS PANEL, INTERIM REPORT Synthesis of deliberations by the panel of experts invited by the President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki and the ten experiments the Panel designed in attempt to resolve the controversy, endorsed by the African National Congress [AIDS Dissidents/'Denialists' and AIDS Apologists/Orthodoxy] http://www.polity.org.za/govdocs/reports/aids/aidspanel.htm REBUTTAL TO DURBAN DECLARATION http://thedurbandeclaration.org/ HEAL [Health Education AIDS Liason] http://www.healtoronto.com ANOTHER LOOK [Breastfeeding and 'HIV/AIDS'] http://www.anotherlook.org MOMM [Mothers Opposing Mandatory Medicine] http://www.informedmomm.com AIDS MYTH EXPOSED [Largest AIDS forum on MSN] http://www.aidsmythexposed.com HIV/AIDS ALTERNATIVE VIEWS [Largest AIDS forum on Delphi] http://forums.delphiforums.com/innocuous SIGN and READ SIGNATORIES OF THE ONLINE PETITION TO SUPPORT SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT THABO MBEKI's SEARCH FOR THE TRUTH ABOUT THE DEFINITION, DIAGNOSIS, CAUSATION AND PREVENTION OF 'HIV/AIDS:' http://www.virusmyth.net/aids/news/mbeki.htm >Exactly, thank you for saying that so well, Jeff. Sadly, he didn't say anything much at all. Certainly, nothing that supports your quaint notions. The use of the silly rhetorical question in the fashion that you do only reveals your ignorance. Sorta like when Bush uses this lame tactic. Sadly, though, you can blind some people with such foolishness for a time. Eventually, though, the lies and hollowness of the position catch up with you and the rhetoric doesn't save you. Ask David Pasquarelli. George M. Carter > THE REAL QUESTION IS: Why has Japan never entered the great hysteria mode > over 'HIV/AIDS'? Never traveled, have you? That the idea that everyone is just like us only different is with you? Partly because it's a very different country with a very different culture and attitude. One of those attitudes is that personal illnesses are personal failings and not to be talked about. B/ Ofcourse I have traveled, though not to Japan. My sister and cousin lived in Japan for a number of years actually and I got first-hand reports. It seems there is no anomoly that the AIDS Apologists can't explain away. Oh, Japan is different culturally. Well, ofcourse that is one explanation. Though even the numbers don't seem to support that. In any case, another very plausable explanation that could just as well be true is that there simply is not much AIDS attributed 'illness' or 'HIV' positivity among the Japanese to speak of it. I was recently discussing these issues on a forum of Japan Today and there is a widespread disbelief in 'AIDS.' kjl >Here's an excerpt from an article written about the self appointed "AIDS >czar", Tsuneo Akaeda: >"He added that young girls need to be better educated about sex to make them >realize that sexual decency is important not only from a moral perspective >but also to safeguard their health." ... Some people have those beliefs. Ah, it doesn't take much to know that sexual activity may lead to infectious diseases or unwanted pregnancy. >..But Akaeda admits that his zeal[to fight AIDS] comes not only from his >concern for young girls but also from his nostalgia as a long-term Roppongi [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20010304b1.htm Thanks for the citation. It is an interesting article and also notes: "Among male students, 37.8 percent said they had had sex, up 10 percent from the 18.5 percent in 1987. What is more surprising is the low ratio of teenagers who regularly use condoms -- only 22.6 percent of the girls and 26.8 percent of the boys said they use condoms after their second sexual experience." > GMCarter, it seems to me you are a typical, niave, HIV devotee who >believes everything he reads if it supports his stubborn establishment >convictions on HIV/AIDS. Do you see how Mr. Tsuneo may have less than >altruistic reasons for his "concern" About "AIDS"? He is basically like the >radical right in the US--having a moral agenda which is masqueraded as a >desire to improve public health. What is less altruistic about wanting to prevent infections and unwanted pregnancies? Including HIV? Now, if the good doctor said that young people should never have sex and practice abstinence only, like the ridiculous right wing extremists of the U.S. press, then I would agree that HIS agenda was flawed and silly. Such admonitions have the force and effect of passed gas. An unpleasant odor briefly pervades, dissipates and then the party goes on. However, if he is trying to teach young people about the risks of sexuality and means to REDUCE those risks through condom use, safer sex activities (e.g., masturbation, frottage, kissing, massage, oral sex) and the like, then at least young people would be more conscious about their activities. There are data that support these positions and just common sense. In any case, though, I'm sure you realize that HIV exists and causes AIDS, don't you? Or are you another denialist who believes the quixotic blend of lies, distortions and dismally supported foolishness of the dwindling numbers of denialists? George M. Carter GMCarter, Why is it important for you to be able to categorize postings as coming either from an AIDS dissident or from a non-dissident? Is it so you can erect your shield against taking them seriously and having to properly(scientifically) refute what they say? You should address only the issues and points that are made otherwise you risk prejudicing your objectivity. In clinical studies it's known as "blinding'--but I'm sure you already are familiar with that. BTW, so you will further allow yourself to give my postings some legitimacy I wish to inform you that I think we are like-minded in other areas. One, is that I think George Bush is a moron and the worst president we have ever had, and two, is that I am an agnostic and would love to see organized religion just sort of dissipate out of existence. If I have misconstrued your position on these two matters I apologize in advance. Jeff > >Here's an excerpt from an article written about the self appointed "AIDS > >czar", Tsuneo Akaeda: [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > > George M. Carter >> > GMCarter, it seems to me you are a typical, niave, HIV devotee who >> >believes everything he reads if it supports his stubborn establishment >> >convictions on HIV/AIDS. >> Or are you another denialist who believes the >> quixotic blend of lies, distortions and dismally supported foolishness >> of the dwindling numbers of denialists? > Why is it important for you to be able to categorize postings as coming >either from an AIDS dissident or from a non-dissident? Is it so you can >erect your shield against taking them seriously and having to >properly(scientifically) refute what they say? (No comment.)  SignatureDavid Canzi Religion is taught to children as soon as they can talk. Logic is taught in university. > GMCarter, > Why is it important for you to be able to categorize postings as coming >either from an AIDS dissident or from a non-dissident? Stupid rhetorical trick. Who said this was important to me? Nobody. >BTW, so you will further allow yourself to give my postings some legitimacy >I wish to inform you that I think we are like-minded in other areas. One, >is that I think George Bush is a moron and the worst president we have ever >had, and two, is that I am an agnostic and would love to see organized >religion just sort of dissipate out of existence. If I have misconstrued >your position on these two matters I apologize in advance. Nope! On those issues, we're in agreement. George M. Carter |
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