Emperor emeritus leaves hospital after heart treatment
The 91-year-old former emperor, accompanied by Empress Emerita Michiko, 90, left the hospital in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward by car at around 11:30 a.m. and headed for their residence, the Sento Imperial Residence in Tokyo's Minato Ward.
In 2022, the emperor emeritus was diagnosed with right heart failure caused by tricuspid valve insufficiency.
He was admitted to the university hospital in May for a heart examination and diagnosed with asymptomatic myocardial ischemia. After being discharged from the hospital, he was treated with medication to improve blood circulation. As there was no improvement, however, the medical team determined that he needed the additional oral medication to ease the load on his heart. He had been hospitalized since Monday for the dosage adjustment.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Health ministry panel calls for consolidating cancer care provision
A health ministry panel of experts on Friday called for consolidating surgeries and radiotherapies for cancer treatment, with the dwindling number of surgeons in Japan cited as a top reason for the proposed change. The recommendation was part of proposals compiled by the panel, which had studied Japan's cancer treatment provision system toward 2040, when the country is expected to have a significantly older population with fewer people of working age. Shortages of surgeons are expected to accelerate toward 2040, according to the proposals. Radiotherapy devices are expensive and the number of patients who need radiotherapy varies by region. Demand for cancer surgeries is projected to decrease by 5% by 2040, while that for radiotherapy is projected to increase by 24%, according to the panel. Estimating a 3% rise in the number of cancer patients to 1,055,000 by 2040 from the current level and a 39% decrease in the number of gastrointestinal surgeons if the situation stays the same, the panel warned that it may not be possible to maintain currently provided surgical treatments. The panel found consolidation preferable for areas where patients and doctors are limited, as well as cases in which highly advanced techniques are needed. Pediatric cancer and rare cancers were also named as medical fields for which consolidation is desirable. In the meantime, the panel pointed to a need to provide high-quality medical treatment universally in medication therapies, for which demand is expected to increase by 15%, and for elderly cancer patients. Consultative groups involving prefectural governments and key hospitals will discuss cancer treatment provision systems for their own prefectures, the proposals said. The panel called for patient groups' participation in the discussions and gaining the understanding of local residents.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Record number of people sent to hospital for heatstroke in June, data shows
The number of people in Japan sent to hospital by ambulance in June due to heatstroke more than doubled from a year before to 17,229, the highest for the month on record dating back to 2010, the Fire and Disaster Management Agency said Wednesday. The previous June high was 15,969 cases, logged in 2022. Many areas across Japan experienced maximum temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius or higher on multiple days last month. Of those hospitalized, 10,342 were age 65 or over, accounting for about 60% of the total. The largest share, at 6,819 cases, occurred at home or in other residential settings, followed by 3,404 cases on roads. The agency is calling on people to stay at home on days when a heatstroke alert is issued and to use air conditioners or fans appropriately.
NHK
4 days ago
- NHK
Whooping cough cases in Japan hit new high for 4th straight week
Weekly cases of whooping cough in Japan have hit a new high for the fourth straight week. The Japan Institute for Health Security says medical institutions across the country reported 3,682 patients in the week through July 13. That was 104 more than in the previous week and the highest since the current method of recordkeeping began in 2018. By prefecture, Tokyo had the most, with 273 patients. It was followed by 236 in Saitama, 198 in Gunma, 175 in Kanagawa, 169 in Niigata, 167 in Ibaraki, 153 in Chiba and 152 in Hyogo. The cumulative number of patients so far this year stands at 48,073. Whooping cough is a bacterial infection that affects mainly children and is characterized by severe persistent coughing. Infants can become seriously ill or die if infected. As of the end of June, at least four infants up to the age of four months have died in Tokyo and three other prefectures. Medical institutions in many regions have been reporting infections that are resistant to drugs. The Japan Pediatric Society is calling on parents to vaccinate their babies as soon as they are two months old.
