AIDS AND JAPAN.

During the last weeks before graduating, my college decided to do a series of seminars on all sorts of social issues, preparing us for the life outside of our campus. Ranging from sexual harassment in the work place to financial matters. On the last day of a week long of seminars, the topic was on HIV/AIDS.

Usually before the day ends, they would announce the topic for our next discussion, the following day. On this particular day they did not so I was thinking of staying home, seeing that there might  be no seminar. I finally decide to go, thinking why not! its the last week of college!. I walked into the room and I felt the air was tensed, I didn't understand why, even when I saw the posters of HIV/AIDS on the board and the pamphlet that was set out on all the seats.

Oh! HIV/AIDS, good for these students, I Thought. Ever since I came to japan I was always curious about the lack of awareness about HIV/AIDS, there are no posters, no drama groups performing in the streets telling people about HIV/AIDS. I did a few research on my own concerning the matter in relation to Japan and what I found out was scary. In my country despite its strong religious and cultural influence we fight to bring awareness to the rest of the population, regardless of who you are and what status you hold in the society.

The guest speaker was a young woman living with AIDS, she was brave enough to start a small help center for HIV/AIDS infected patients and offers free testing for those wishing to know about their status. She even hire a few university students to collect data and interview people about HIV/AIDS on the streets and in schools.

Everyone kept shifting in their seats even the lecturers look a bit embarrassed, I sat there listening quietly and to my amazement not once did she speak on the different forms of transmission. Her speech was based more on after getting infected, the social impact on you and your family and how to take care of yourselves. After her speech one lecturer was brave enough to inquire if the students know how one get infected, the response pathetic. I left the room a bit annoyed, HIV/AIDS knows no boundaries, you might say, its cultural that we do not speak of such thing. What country doesn't have a culture that opposes HIV/AIDS awareness? we are faced with culture and religion and true there are people who disagree when HIV/AIDS is brought up in public but its for our own safety..no?

Facts about HIV/AIDS and Japan:

• Despite being known as a country with the least recorded number of cases, let me repeat least recorded. The figures are misleading like in any other country however what is not misleading is the level of ignorance the Japanese have towards HIV/AIDS.
• The level of awareness is very poor, lack of awareness leads to misperceptions and stigma in the Japanese society. Eg, HIV/AIDS is a problem limited to the poor and developing countries. Also it is caused and affecting only the foreigners.
• Parents think that including such awareness in school will encourage/increase sexual activity among their children.
• The health and welfare ministry announced that as a result of the lack of education condom use among the general population is very low. Statistics shows an estimate of 6% of the total population uses condom
• Japanese view condoms as a means to prevent pregnancy and nothing else. Traditional values also discourage a woman from asking for condoms, this would appear rude and challenging thus it is best avoided.
• 75% of the population dismiss the thought of becoming infected, stating they are not at all worried.
• The level of discrimination surrounding this Virus is very high, according to a cabinet released  poll results, 35% thinks that HIV/AIDS is restricted to a certain group of people *the sinful and corrupt* and 45% polled that they refused to work with any HIV/AIDS infected co-worker.

 Despite Japan recording one of the lowest number of HIV/AIDS infected patients, this should be ruled out as misleading and useless data. The populations ignorance and lack of awareness  alone is relevant to say that there are more cases out there compared to what is currently recorded. The first reported cases of HIV were allegedly through blood transfusion however 78% of the new cases were through sexual contact. Sadly, HIV/AIDS is of relatively little to no concern for the Japanese government and the population.