Japan reports over 5,000 syphilis patients in 2017 for 1st time

Jan 06, 2018 | News On Japan

Jan 06, 2018 (Japan Today) - Japan reported in 2017 over 5,000 syphilis patients for the first time since comparable data became available in 1999, with the number rising particularly among women in their 20s, data by a national research center showed Friday.

With Tokyo accounting for roughly 30% of the reported patients, the metropolitan government is set to start providing more free syphilis tests from April to contain the disease, which is curable at an early stage but has serious consequences if left untreated.

As of Dec 17, 2017, the total number of syphilis patients in Japan stood at 5,534, up from 4,518 in 2016, according to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases. The cause behind the increase in the number of people contracting the sexually transmitted disease remains unclear.

By area, Tokyo reported the largest number at 1,705, followed by Osaka Prefecture at 788, Aichi Prefecture at 325, and Kanagawa Prefecture at 312.

To prevent further spread of the disease ahead of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020, the Tokyo metropolitan government has earmarked funds in its fiscal 2018 budget to conduct more free and anonymous tests and train doctors who have limited experience in treating syphilis.

Typhoons No. 28 and 29 Bring High Waves to Japan's Pacific Coast

Two typhoons moving across the Pacific southeast of Japan are expected to remain well away from the Japanese mainland, but powerful swells could bring rough seas to a wide stretch of the country's Pacific coastline throughout the three-day holiday weekend, according to forecasts updated at 3 a.m. on October 10.

Cyberattacks Spread Across Japan

A series of cyberattacks has disrupted business operations and exposed millions of customer records across Japan, with a ransomware attack on a cloud service provider affecting 495 companies and local governments nationwide, while convenience store operator Lawson has disclosed a separate breach involving more than 2.15 million personal information records.

Japan's First 360-Degree Projection Mapping Opens in Osaka

Japan's first 360-degree projection mapping show will open at the Osaka City Museum of Fine Arts on October 10, transforming the historic building into an immersive world of light, music, and seasonal imagery, with organizers hoping the attraction will also help stimulate the city's nighttime economy.

Tokyo University Professor Wins Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Tokyo University of Science professor emeritus Kenzo Soai has been awarded this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry together with French chemist Henri B. Kagan for discoveries that transformed scientists' understanding of how chemical reactions can favor one of two mirror-image forms of a molecule.

US Military Halts All Okinawa Operations for 48 Hours

The US military suspended activities by all forces stationed in Okinawa for 48 hours from noon on October 7, an unusual measure following the arrest of a US Marine in connection with a robbery and murder case that has renewed scrutiny of crimes involving American service members.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Most Sightings of Fugitive Yoichi Hatta Reported in Kanto

Police in Oita Prefecture have revealed that the Kanto region accounts for the largest number of reported sightings of Yoichi Hatta, a fugitive wanted in connection with a fatal hit-and-run incident in Beppu in 2022, with authorities preparing to distribute new wanted posters nationwide from November as the search enters its fifth year.