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Yomiuri Shimbun
27-05-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Crown Prince, Crown Princess Attend Ceremony for Unidentified War Dead; 368 More Remains Enshrined
The Yomiuri Shimbun Crown Prince Akishino, right, and Crown Princess Kiko attend a ceremony to honor unidentified war dead in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Monday. Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko were among attendees at a ceremony honoring unidentified war dead who perished during World War II or in Siberian internment camps following the war, at the Chidorigafuchi National Cemetery in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo, on Monday. The approximately 400 attendees also included Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, government officials and representatives of surviving families, as this year marks 80 years since the end of the war. Bones of 368 people, which had been retrieved from Russia, Iwoto island and other places by government teams dedicated to recovering the remains of war dead, were enshrined at the cemetery on the day. The bones had remained unidentified and were thus never returned to the surviving families. With their addition, the cemetery is now the resting place for the remains of 371,008 war dead. Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka referred to the government's project to locate war dead remains in his address at the ceremony. 'We will make the utmost effort to ensure that the remains of as many people as possible can return to their hometowns quickly,' he said. According to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, the remains of about 1.12 million people out of the approximately 2.4 million war dead who died outside Japan have not been recovered.
Yomiuri Shimbun
25-05-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Underweight Women: Extreme Desire To Be Thin Damages Health
There is an increasing number of women who are too thin, damaging their health as a result. If a person is naturally slim and healthy, there is no problem. But many are engaging in excessive dieting and becoming malnourished. A trend of prioritizing one's appearance is spreading throughout society, and consequently, women appear to have become more susceptible to the desire to be thin. This mindset must be corrected. Japanese women reportedly have the highest proportion of underweight individuals among developed nations. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the percentage of Japanese women classified as underweight based on body mass index was about five times higher than in the United States and Germany. Additionally, a survey by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry found that women classified as underweight were particularly prevalent among younger generations, with one in four women in their 20s falling into this category. Moreover, a survey indicated that half of young women who are underweight want to lose even more weight, which is concerning. Amid this situation, experts have begun to sound the alarm. Last month, the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity classified health problems caused by low body weight and malnutrition in women as a 'disease,' and it launched efforts to establish treatment and prevention methods. Low body weight and malnutrition can lead to anemia, abnormal menstrual cycles, and reduced muscle strength and bone density. In severe cases, it can result in infertility or osteoporosis. Those who are severely thin are also more prone to diabetes, just like people who are obese. It is important to be aware of the risks of low body weight and pay attention to one's diet, exercise and sleep on a daily basis. If malnutrition continues with low body weight, such women may also give birth to underweight babies in the future, potentially leading to disabilities or developmental delays. Recent studies suggest that such children have a higher risk of developing diabetes or hypertension in adulthood. Some people develop eating disorders, such as anorexia or overeating, after becoming mentally ill as the result of prolonged extreme dieting. The rise in people unable to suppress their desire to lose weight partly stems from the influence of social media. There are endless cases of women who are influenced by videos about people's dieting experiences and resort to extreme eating restrictions. It is especially important to protect adolescents in their growth and development period. The government may urge social media companies to impose certain restrictions on content, such as extreme diet videos, that could cause children to have an inferiority complex about their physical appearance. Casual remarks like 'You're a bit chubby' or 'You've gained weight' made by family members or others around them can be taken seriously by young women and lead to eating disorders and other conditions. It is important to be mindful of whether the idea that 'being thin equals beauty' is being forced on a person. (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 25, 2025)
Yomiuri Shimbun
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan Real Wages Fall for 3rd Straight Year in FY 2024
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo Tokyo, May 22 (Jiji Press)—Japan's inflation-adjusted real wages fell 0.5 pct in fiscal 2024, which ended in March, from the previous year, down for the third straight year, the labor ministry said Thursday. Although historic pay increases were achieved in this year's 'shunto' spring wage negotiations in the country, wage growth remained slower than inflation. Earlier this month, the government set a goal of achieving real wage growth of some 1 pct annually in the five years through fiscal 2029. While the pace of decline in real wages slowed from a fall of 2.2 pct in fiscal 2023, price hikes for food items such as rice and daily necessities have put pressure on households. It is uncertain whether the government will be able to achieve the goal, also reflecting persistent uncertainty surrounding the global economy due to the high tariff policy of U.S. President Donald Trump. In fiscal 2024, nominal monthly wages per worker, including base salary and overtime, rose 3.0 pct to ¥349,388 on average, up for the fourth successive year and marking the steepest increase in 33 years, thanks to the results of the shunto wage talks and higher minimum wages. Still, the county's real wages failed to outpace inflation as the consumer price index excluding imputed rent, used to calculate real wages, grew 3.5 pct. Meanwhile, a real wage index calculated for international comparison using the overall CPI, which includes imputed rent, was unchanged from the previous year, coming out of negative territory for the first time in three years.
Yomiuri Shimbun
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yomiuri Shimbun
60% of Special COVID-19 Loans in Arrears at End of 2024; Government Directs Local Authorities to Boost Support
Yomiuri Shimbun file photo The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry in Chiyoda Ward, Tokyo A total of ¥241.3 billion in special government loans meant to mitigate the financial impact of the COVID-19 outbreak was due to be repaid by the end of last year, but about 60%, or ¥146.6 billion, were in arrears at that time, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry has announced. Under the COVID-19 special loan program, the government used more than ¥1 trillion in public funds to support households that were in a dire financial situation during the spread of COVID-19. By helping recipients rebuild their lives, the ministry aims to ensure they can make steady repayments. Households whose incomes declined were able to borrow up to ¥2 million interest-free through prefectural social welfare councils. Approximately 1.6 million households are believed to have used the program, and the total amount of loans taken out from March 2020 to September 2022 amounted to ¥1.443 trillion. Repayments began in January 2023. The monthly amount paid by each household ranges from several thousands to several tens of thousands of yen. Of the total amount that came due by the end of 2024, ¥94.7 billion, or 39%, had been repaid as scheduled, while ¥146.6 billion, or 61%, was in arrears. This is twice as much as the ¥66 billion that was in arrears at the end of 2023. The ministry has said it failed to sufficiently assess the repayment capacity of borrowers in its rush to provide support. The ministry will ask prefectural social welfare councils to report every fiscal year on the status of home visits in which officials from municipal social welfare councils remind recipients of their obligation to repay the loans. They will also be asked to report on efforts to help loan recipients find work and improve their financial situation. Households that do not have to pay resident tax are exempted from repaying the special loans. The ministry will continue to monitor support for such households and encourage the councils to boost their assistance. Loan repayments are expected to continue until about 2034. 'Many households are facing financial difficulties due to high prices, so safety nets should also be enhanced, such as housing assistance for low-income earners,' said Yohei Kadosaki, a professor of social welfare studies at Nihon Fukushi University.
Kyodo News
14-05-2025
- Health
- Kyodo News
Japan set to fully cover childbirth costs possibly from April 2026
KYODO NEWS - 9 hours ago - 21:35 | All, Japan Japan's health ministry is set to eliminate out-of-pocket payments associated with child delivery, possibly from April next year, to address the country's declining birthrate. One proposed approach in the policy approved Wednesday by a panel of experts involves fully covering expenses for normal deliveries under the public medical insurance system. Normal childbirth currently falls outside the scope of the insurance coverage as it is not regarded as a medical condition like illness or injury, although cesarean sections are covered as an exception. Epidurals, in which labor pain is reduced, are expected to remain outside coverage under the proposals. Since medical institutions can set their own prices for normal deliveries, childbirth costs in the country have largely differed among prefectures. While the government currently provides a lump-sum payment of 500,000 yen ($3,400) for each childbirth, delivery costs have been on the rise and often exceed that amount. The average cost nationwide for a normal childbirth in the first half of fiscal 2024 was around 518,000 yen, figures from the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry showed. If childbirth becomes qualified for public coverage, a unified price will be set nationwide. But obstetricians have expressed concerns that the move could cause financial strain for medical institutions due to reduced revenue. Related coverage: Gov't estimate shows record decline of Japanese nationals as of Oct. Births in Japan set to fall below 700,000 for 1st time in 2024
