“I think it’s wonderful that the rate of ventilation is high in Japan” writes the late Yuri Hayashi, ALS patient

By Barrier Free Japan

July 30 2020

It was reported on Thursday 24 July 2020, that two doctors were arrested by the Kyoto Prefectural Police for allegedly murdering a woman who had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, at the patient’s request.

The deceased, a woman aged 51 named Yuri Hayashi, ran a blog and a Twitter account.

In a blog post on June 4 2018 entitled ‘View of life and death and euthanasia’, Hayashi notices that the use of respirators in Europe and America is low, although praises that ventilators are at least available in Japan as it seems to signify that at since it is an option that it “means that such an environment is in place.”

However, Hayashi also speaks of Europe and America whilst talking about countries that “that admits euthanasia that respects the subjectivity and will of that individual.”

I heard that the proportion of respirators worn by ALS patients is much lower in Europe and America than in Japan. The reason seems to be the difference in view of life and death. What do you have to say “live”? Of course, I think it’s wonderful that the rate of ventilation is high in Japan. It means that such an environment is in place. However, there are individual differences in what to bring with you. There seems to be a difference between Europe and America and Japan. And it is the country that admits euthanasia that respects the subjectivity and will of that individual. At least I don’t think I’m living a human life with this body that can’t move, can’t talk, can’t live without sucking saliva all the time. It seems unlikely that life waiting for the illness to progress and suffocation has earned decent human rights. It is my personal opinion. If you ask people who go to the town “Do you want to live in a body like me?”, many people will choose “death”. In fact, so was my friend’s answer. So why don’t we allow others to make that choice? The people in this country. (A foreign friend actually offers accommodation and transportation in Switzerland.)

The big wall of my desire to be euthanized in Switzerland (as I’ve written many times) is how to capture suicide assistance and the condition of breathing on my own. I want to move forward little by little.