Japan AIDS Prevention Awareness Network

Japan's HIV/AIDS Cases as of September 30, 2012

Surveillance figures announced by the Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention reveal the following:

Between Jun 25, 2012 and Sep 30, 2012 there were a total of 273 new HIV cases and 111 new AIDS cases. Of the 111 new AIDS cases, 2 cases had been previously reported in the HIV statistics.

The total number of HIV cases now reported is 14,448
the total number of AIDS cases now reported is 6,603, and
the total number of cases due to unheated blood products (in the 1980s) is 1,439.

TOTAL NUMBER OF HIV/AIDS CASES according to Japanese Foundation for AIDS Prevention as of June 27, 2010: 22,490

Total number of deaths: 1,587

Student Writing

2009 Entry: Introduction to Sunburst/Sunburst by Teshima Satoru

Read past creative writing student entries for 2007 and 2008 by clicking on the link at the left under "For Students".

In the news (from InterPress Service http://ipsnews.net/print.asp?idnews=56079):

JAPAN HIV Cases Rise as Awareness Wanes

by Suvendrini Kakuchi

TOKYO, Jun 15 (IPS) - Slackening awareness and deep-rooted social discrimination are behind the latest figures that show Japan with a record number of HIV-positive and AIDS patients, officials and experts say.

Yorimasa Nagai, director of the Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention, said the climbing figures are a wake-up call for the government, which has announced it is slashing budgets for organisations working on the issue.

Last month, the Health and Welfare Ministry reported 1,075 new HIV-positive cases for 2010, an increase of 54 from 2009. The number of new patients with full-blown AIDS also rose to an unprecedented 469, with the highest numbers recorded among homosexuals.

The upward trend in HIV-positive and AIDS cases has been observed for the past two years, but a leading grouse from grassroots workers is the apparent official reluctance to include analysis and forecasts in the annual release of HIV and AIDS statistics.

"Japan, a rich country, is simply not prepared to deal with protecting the public from contracting the HIV virus. The problem is a tendency to view the issue as a foreign one, leading to the denial of an effective national solution," said counsellor Abbey Freu at the AIDS Network Yokohama, a grassroots AIDS prevention group.

"Japanese authorities release statistics based on tests, a system that creates a false sense of security because the figures are small. The result is less public awareness, that has pushed HIV and AIDS to remain an underground issue," Freu added.

"HIV and AIDS are discovered in Japan only during testing or after people fall seriously ill. There could be much higher rates in the country which we will not find out as the lack of awareness has reduced testing rates as well," Nagai explained.

Voluntary testing in Japan, despite being free, dropped to 130,000 in 2010, from 150,000 in 2009. Experts reveal that the use of condoms has also plunged steadily to 200 million annually, less than a third of the high of 700 million a decade ago. Medical experts say this has contributed to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV.

Nagai, representing Japan’s leading official body dealing with HIV/AIDS, blames government negligence. "It’s a vicious cycle," he pointed out. "With low infection rates, the media prefer to focus on other infectious diseases such as influenza which poses a risk to the general population. AIDS is being increasingly left on the side burner," he said.

Dr Tsuneo Akaeda, a gynaecologist and leading crusader in the prevention of STDs and HIV among youth, agrees with Nagai, but insists much more can be done to combat the problem at the non- governmental level.

"AIDS awareness is a key prevention strategy and this can be done successfully, starting with peer counselling in schools led by teachers and parents. There is also a need to put stronger pressure against irresponsible depiction in magazines and videos that fail to show the dangers of unprotected sex," he said.

Akaeda, who counsels the youth, among them teenagers seeking his medical services for abortion and STDs, said they are vulnerable because they have no one to turn to for advice on sexual issues.

"Sex is a taboo subject in Japanese society. Parents and teachers refuse to accept the growing trend among students who can be as young as 12 years old and sexually active. Naturally, HIV testing is something people dread in this kind of society because it will lead to social ostracism," he said.

In a bid to cope with the social constraints, Freu says his organisation links its HIV awareness campaigns to talking about students defending themselves from sexual molesters and predators, which is more acceptable.

Freu and his group are also calling for awareness campaigns that move away from using popular stars as symbols which, he says, has led to a "festival" mode of thinking rather than sustainable prevention projects.

"For example, Japanese anti-HIV campaigns promote T-shirts with English phrases about AIDS, creating the impression of a problem that is not local but rather foreign," he explains. "This is not effective. HIV and AIDS must be viewed as a home grown issue that affects local communities and can be solved by local communities." (ENDS/IPS/AP HE MD SD SX/SK/LR-SW/11) (END/2011)

Through the Heart: Creative Methods of HIV & AIDS Education

by Phyllis Vos Wezeman, published by LeaderResources, 2011

Click HERE to order - $29.95

Create a quilt to show compassion ...
Design a dance to teach transmission ...
Perform a drama to identify symptoms ...
Play a game to learn vocabulary ...
Share a story to highlight treatment ...
Sing a song to promote prevention ...

These activities, plus many more, are included in the 496 page book -- a great collection of creative activities and learning experiences to enable people of all ages to explore HIV and AIDS as it relates to nine themes: World, Nation, State, Community, Neighborhood, School, Congregation, Family, and Self.

Each Chapter contains an introduction to the topic and one or more activities using each of the following methods: Architecture, Art, Banners/Textiles, Cartoons, Clown/Mime, Creative Writing, Culinary, Dance, Drama, Games, Music, Photography, Puppetry, and Storytelling.

According to the author, "the activities are designed to involve the student as an active participant in learning rather than a passive recipient of information. The more the student is engaged in the process, the more powerful the effect on his or her life."

Some of the lessons in Through the Heart form the basis of the work of Malawi Matters Inc., a 501©(3) organization that delivers "Creative Methods of HIV and AIDS Education" training courses for key leaders in Malawi, Africa.

To learn more about Malawi Matters or to make a donation to help this work, please visit www.MalawiMatters.org

Helping GLBT youth

This is a project to try and reduce the isolation of gay young people living in country areas in the US. We think young people in Japan - gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or straight - should hear what these people have to say.

It Gets Better Project

HIV/AIDS Seminar Worksheets
developed by Louise Haynes, director of JAPANetwork and AIDS educator in Japan since 1995.

This 12-week course covers many aspects of the AIDS pandemic, including AIDS in Japan: June 2006, History (World); History (Japan); Discrimination; War, conflicts, rape and HIV; Women, Power and HIV; HIV/AIDS - What is it?; Testing, Treatment, Statistics; STDs & Talking with Your Partner; Sex trafficking;- Poverty, Education, Orphans; Government spending and AIDS

For more information select this link.

• WORKSHEETS by Kathy Riley Jigsaw reading passages Public Speaking: A Persuasive Speech
• Here's a quick teaching idea from Marc Helgesen. "Toward the end of class, we have our students make their own ribbons (we bring cloth, scissors and safety pins). We encourage them to wear the homemade ribbon which encourages conversations -- including stuff they have learned!"
• Worksheet: "Could It Happen to You," an AIDS Awareness Unit by James Welker
• In the News: Scientists Trace The Origin Of AIDS Virus http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081001/full/news.2008.1143.html. Another article at The Huffington Post, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/01/scientists-trace-the-orig_n_131056.html
• he story of Mukassa and Yulia (page 2 of the pdf file). Find the file at: http://www.microcreditsummit.org/pdfs/AppendixD.pdf

What You Should Know: The HIV/AIDS Workbook for the Japanese EFL Classroom
by Louise Haynes

This workbook has PHOTOCOPIABLE worksheets, activity ideas, a teacher's guide for each worksheet, listening activities, and a list of recourses for teachers. The workbook (without listening activites) is available for download FREE at http://www.japanetwork.org/whatyoushouldknow.pdf
Note: If you downloaded or received a copy prior to Dec. 1st, 2004, a corrected copy of "Listening Activity: Masako and Tomomi: Part 1" is available at http://www.japanetwork.org/wysk24.pdf, and updated Teacher's Guide is available at http://www.japanetwork.org/wysk_updates_12_04.pdf. The latest version of the workbook has been updated.

Put it on your calendar...

Every year JAPANetwork is part of the World AIDS Day Parade and Candlelight Memorial in downtown Sakae, Nagoya, Japan

Stay tuned to this web site for further details or contact us.
Quicktime videos of the 2006 parade and memorial

Need testing information? Call the Japan HIV Center AIDS Hotline for AIDS information and test center information in your area:

When teaching about AIDS in your classroom, does homophobia rear its head amongst your students? How to deal with homophobia in class? Check out the Rainbow Educators' Network web site for help in how to address gay, lesbian and bisexual issues in the EFL classroom.

The Japan AIDS Prevention Awareness Network site is hosted by Global OnLine Japan. Check the GOL site for information about the variety of services GOL provides.