Category: Medical

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 13, 2025 Number of comments0
Crime Japan Medical

Tokyo Doctor Ruled Not Guilty in Remanded Indecency Case

The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday found a 49-year-old doctor not guilty of licking a patient’s breast just after he operated on her at a Tokyo hospital in 2016. In the case sent back from the Supreme Court, Presiding Judge Hiroaki Saito upheld a district court ruling acquitting the doctor, Susumu Sekine, of indecent assault performed on an incapable person. “The possibility cannot be denied that the woman hallucinated,” the judge said, dismissing the prosecution’s appeal. Sekine was indicted for allegedly licking the left breast of the patient immediately after she underwent an operation to remove a tumor in her right breast at the hospital May 10, 2016.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 9, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Japan Medical

(Update) Japan’s PM Ishiba Cancels Increase in Medical Expense Cap in August

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that his government has canceled plans to raise the ceiling on out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care in August. His ruling coalition plans to revise the government’s fiscal 2025 budget bill, which is being deliberated in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament, after its passage in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, earlier this week following revisions to the original bill. If a government budget bill is approved after revisions during Upper House deliberations, it will be the first time that such a change is made under the current Constitution.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 8, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Japan Medical

Japan Government Mulls Forgoing Plan to Hike Medical Expense Cap in August

The Japanese government is considering shelving a plan to raise the ceiling of out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care in August, it was learned Friday. The move came after cancer patients’ groups and some ruling bloc members opposed the hike, although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba had indicated his policy of not changing the plan. To forgo the hike, the government may have to revise the fiscal 2025 budget bill, currently being deliberated in the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament after clearing the House of Representatives, the lower chamber.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt March 3, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Japan Medical Welfare

Japan PM Ishiba Says Government to Reconsider Medical Expense Cap Hike Plan

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Friday that his government will reconsider its plan to raise the ceiling on out-of-pocket expenses for high-cost medical care. The government will conduct the first phase of the expense cap hike this August as planned, and make a decision by this autumn on further increases, currently scheduled for August 2026 and later. Ishiba made the announcement in response to a question from Yoshihiko Noda, leader of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, at a meeting of the Budget Committee in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt February 16, 2025 Number of comments0
Health Japan Medical

Japan Revises Plan to Raise Individual Medical Expense Limits

For patients with an annual income of about 7 million yen, the original plan called for raising the monthly limit by about 60,000 yen to about 140,000 yen for the first three times. For the fourth time and later, the limit was to rise from the current 44,400 yen to 76,800 yen in August 2027. Under the revised plan, the current limits for the fourth time and later will not be raised, regardless of patients’ income levels.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 30, 2024 Number of comments0
Disability Health Japan Medical

Japan to allow convenience stores to handle over-the-counter drugs

The health ministry announced plans Thursday to revise regulations to allow over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to be picked up at convenience stores without the presence of pharmacists or registered salespersons. Customers will be required to receive explanations about the medication online from a pharmacist or registered salesperson before making a purchase.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt December 19, 2024 Number of comments0
Care Disability Japan Medical

Kanagawa Prefecture holds first meeting considering measures to address medical issues at sister facility to ‘Sagamihara Massacre’ care home

The first meeting of the “Medical and Health Management Issues Reform Committee,” which will consider measures to address high health risks for residents of Nakai Yamayuri En (Nakai Town), a prefectural facility for the intellectually disabled, was held on December 18th at the prefectural office in Naka Ward, Yokohama. As investigations into cases of abuse of residents at the facility progress, issues such as residents not receiving appropriate medical care have emerged. At the beginning of the meeting, Governor Yuji Kuroiwa said, “A new issue of medical gaps has come to light. We would like to position this as part of the reform of Nakai Yamayuri En.” ‘Nakai Yamayuri En’ is ran by the same company that manages the ‘Tsukui Yamayuri En’ care facility where, in the early hours of July 26th 2016, a former employee broke in and killed 19 residents between the ages of 19 and 70 with a knife, injuring 26 others.

by Michael Gillan Peckitt October 28, 2024 1
Disability Health Japan Medical

Medical society in Japan recommends steps to prevent mycoplasma pneumonia

A respiratory society and other institutions in Japan have jointly announced measures to prevent the spread of mycoplasma pneumonia, which is on the rise in the country. Mycoplasma pneumonia is a respiratory disease caused by bacteria. Children are more susceptible to infection than adults. Symptoms include a fever and a persistent cough. Cases of mycoplasma pneumonia began to rise this summer in Japan. Data from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases show that the weekly average number of cases reported by about 500 medical institutions nationwide hit a new high on October 13. It was the third straight weekly high since a new method of data collection was instituted.