Japan sees no widespread fentanyl abuse: health minister
Takamaro Fukuoka said at a press conference that customs authorities had not intercepted any fentanyl over the six years through last year, while pledging to continue working with other countries to crack down on the illegal trade of the drug.
Fentanyl, a powerful painkiller that has been linked to a surge in overdose deaths, is used legally in Japan as a medical narcotic, primarily for cancer patients. The drug has drawn global attention for its potency and the risk of death when misused.
The health ministry released a nationwide notice in late June instructing retailers and handlers of precursor chemicals to strengthen compliance and oversight in response to mounting reports of synthetic drug misuse.
Fentanyl, meanwhile, has emerged as a key issue in U.S. tariff negotiations, as President Donald Trump has decided to impose high levies on some nations, criticizing them for insufficient efforts to prevent the flow of the drug into his country.
© KYODO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NHK
4 days ago
- NHK
Trump diagnosed with venous insufficiency, but not serious health problem
0The White House says US President Donald Trump has received a medical checkup, and that he has venous insufficiency, but remains in "excellent health." In a news conference Thursday, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump was diagnosed with chronic venous insufficiency. Leavitt said he underwent a comprehensive examination after noticing swelling in his lower legs in recent weeks. She said the condition is common in individuals over the age of 70. Trump turned 79 in June. Leavitt also said Trump's bruises on the back of his hand was caused by frequent handshaking, and the use of aspirin, which he takes for prevention against cardiovascular disease. She said the exam results showed "no signs of heart failure, renal impairment or systemic illness." Leavitt also released the physician's memorandum of the diagnosis. She said, "The President remains in excellent health, which I think all of you witness on a daily basis here." She stressed that Trump wanted to release the memorandum "in the effort of transparency." Former US President Joe Biden, who was 78 when he was sworn in, announced in May that he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, which had spread to his bones. But Trump questioned the timing of the announcement as it was made after Biden had already left office.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Japan Times
U.S. health department hands over Medicaid personal data to ICE
The U.S. health department is giving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials access to the personal data of 79 million Medicaid enrollees to help them track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the country, it said on Thursday. Giving ICE access to the personal data of Medicaid enrollees marks an escalation in U.S. President Donald Trump's hard-line immigration policies. It may also raise privacy concerns under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, known as HIPAA. A Department of Health and Human Services spokesperson said sharing data between the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, fell within the department's legal authority. "With respect to the recent data sharing between CMS and DHS, HHS acted entirely within its legal authority — and in full compliance with all applicable laws — to ensure that Medicaid benefits are reserved for individuals who are lawfully entitled to receive them," the spokesperson said. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said the department was exploring an initiative with CMS to ensure people living in the country illegally do not receive Medicaid benefits. The agreement was first reported earlier on Thursday by the Associated Press, which said it was signed on Monday. The Medicaid health program for low income people is jointly funded by the federal government and states. Immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally are not eligible for Medicaid under federal law, but 14 states and the District of Columbia provide coverage for eligible children regardless of immigration status, and seven states and the district do so for adults. "CMS is aggressively cracking down on states that may be misusing federal Medicaid funds to subsidize care for illegal immigrants. This oversight effort — supported by lawful interagency data sharing with DHS — is focused on identifying waste, fraud, and systemic abuse," the HHS spokesperson said. The spokesperson did not address questions from Reuters on the type of data being shared or on how HHS would ensure HIPAA protections are upheld. The AP, citing a copy of the data sharing agreement, said the data included home addresses and ethnicities. The agreement is the latest in a series of moves by the health department in support of the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and comes a week after it widened its interpretation of a law banning most immigrants from receiving federal public benefits.
5 days ago
Japan Says Taking Strict Fentanyl Countermeasures
News from Japan Politics Jul 15, 2025 22:03 (JST) Tokyo, July 15 (Jiji Press)--Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya said Tuesday that Japan is taking thorough measures against fentanyl, noting that Japanese customs have not uncovered any attempts to smuggle the synthetic opioid through the country in the past six years. Health minister Takamaro Fukuoka and Finance Minister Katsunobu Kato also mentioned fentanyl in separate press conferences on the day. Fukuoka said that, unlike in Europe and the United States, the drug has not spread in Japan. Kato said that Japan is working closely with the United States and other countries on the matter. The ministers' remarks followed media reports that a Chinese organization is suspected of being involved in fentanyl-related exports from Japan to the United States. "Following these reports, the prime minister's office issued instructions to explain domestic measures against the drug," a government source said. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
