Though HIV/AIDS has decreased in almost all developed nations, it is on the rise in Japan.
Japan appears to be the only developed country where the number of HIV positive and AIDS infected people is growing. These statistics about the spread of HIV and AIDS in Japan are particularly alarming because cases of infection are decreasing in rest of the developed world (according to UNAIDS).
According to the AIDS Trend Committee, 2008 was the year with the highest number of new cases recorded: 432 people were diagnosed with AIDS and 1113 as HIV positive. So far the statistics for 2009 are no more reassuring: in June, 249 people were diagnosed HIV+ and 124 with AIDS.
Individuals with HIV/AIDS are mostly male, homosexual and in their 20s and 30s. The causes of the increase in HIV diagnoses are most likely a lack of information and a need for an awareness raising campaign.
The government ignores the problem
The Japanese government has not taken any steps to acknowledge the issue. While organizations such as WADS, JFAP and others seek to raise the level of public awareness, government policies have not proven to be very effective so far.
Though there was a recent election in Japan, none of the competing parties addressed the problem in their manifestos. An anonymous comment on the AIDS & Society Association’s blog highlights this point [in Japanese]:
AIDS countermeasures disappeared from the election debate. Mm, so is that the Japanese government’s intention I wonder? Everywhere in the world international conferences about AIDS are held, and what is emphasized is the need for ‘government’s leadership’ but though every official announcement or statement by the Japanese government has taken this line, in matters regarding internal policy, little is done! Is that OK?
HIV positive bloggers speak out
HIV positive and AIDS infected individuals have learnt to express their feelings in online diaries.
Ryuta started his blog a few hours after he was told he was HIV positive, as a way to fight, he says. In this post, he recalls the moment he first knew he was infected [in Japanese]:
“Today, I was led into a room, where a doctor standing in front of me told me that I am HIV positive.
“Let’s check your number together, ok? 295657. It is yours, right?”
“Yes, 295657. Correct”
“Look at this paper. This value stands for the quantity of virus. Usually it is under 1.0 but in your case it is 105.00”
“I see”
“This is the test result. It means that you are positive”
Hearing that, I check the paper again”.
A family secret
Rana, a 26 year old woman, shares her thoughts in her blog over the decision whether to let her friends and family know that she is HIV positive.
I haven’t told my family that I am ill. I feel sorry for them, so I can’t.
I really am a disobedient daughter. I also think that it’s better if they don’t know. Of course, since this is not an illness that I can bear by myself I told it to my best friends. Because I’d like them to support me and because I’d like them to understand what being positive means.
Blogging til the end
Among the first Japanese bloggers to keep an online diary about having AIDS was Eizu, a 23 years old prostitute who, in 2006, chronicled her deteriorating condition until she died. Though she could write only a few posts until she became too weak to continue, a friend of hers kept on updating the blog until the end. Eizu’s words still remain on the web.
This blog-post was originally published at www.globalvoicesonline.org in a longer version.
About
Scilla Alecci is a journalism student, based in Tokyo. She is also the Japanese language co-editor for Global Voices.
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