35% in Japan Prejudiced against Ex-Leprosy Patients Says Government Survey

From Jiji

April 5 2024

TOKYO – A Japanese health ministry opinion survey has found some 35 pct of respondents having prejudice or discriminatory attitudes toward former leprosy patients and their families. 

“Knowledge about the issue of leprosy has not sufficiently spread in society,” the ministry said in a report summing up the survey. “Prejudice and discrimination (against former patients and their families) still exist, so the situation is serious.” 

The online survey was conducted last December and received valid responses from 20,916 people. This was the first survey by the ministry asking participants whether they have prejudice or discriminatory attitudes against former leprosy patients and their families.

Around 90 pct of the respondents said they know or have heard of leprosy, and only 9.8 pct said they do not know the infectious disease at all.

Meanwhile, 39.6 pct said they think prejudice and discrimination against former patients and their families currently exist in society, while 35.4 pct said they themselves have prejudice or discriminatory attitudes.