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The Mainichi
21-05-2025
- Health
- The Mainichi
Japan university under fire for offering courses in pseudoscientific 'healing therapies'
TOKYO -- Speaking positively to water creates beautiful ice crystals; sugar pellets infused with highly diluted minerals and other substances can heal disease: These are typical claims associated with controversial "hado" vibrational healing and homeopathy, respectively. Despite scientific-sounding descriptions, experts have long identified such methods as pseudoscience -- practices lacking scientific credibility, evidence or the capability for rigorous testing and validation. Yet, at Kanagawa Dental University's graduate school in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, such questionable therapies feature prominently in the syllabus of an integrative medicine course for working adult students, attended by individuals who already hold national medical credentials such as doctors and nurses. Lecturers include representatives and senior leaders brought from organizations promoting these methods. Academic experts warn that the situation carries substantial risks. "The fact that a university offers such courses could grant pseudoscience and its promoting bodies undeserved legitimacy, potentially misleading more people," cautioned one scholar. Moreover, university sources indicate the courses themselves are not actually funded or run by Kanagawa Dental University. Methods rejected by Japan's Science Council The course in question began in academic 2022 on the top floor of a five-story building near JR Takanawa Gateway Station in Tokyo's Minato Ward. The tuition fee for the one-year course is 1.2 million yen (around $8,300). This year's lectures -- totaling around 180 hours -- cover more than 30 controversial self-proclaimed therapies. Hado once sparked controversy when it was adopted into elementary school moral education classes, criticized as pseudoscience creeping into classrooms. Homeopathy was formally rejected by a 2010 statement from the Science Council of Japan, explicitly denying its therapeutic effectiveness. The university's syllabus even covers "Edgar Cayce therapy," which is claimed to have been started by a psychic with clairvoyant abilities. According to people involved, the course was originally proposed to the university by Akira Kawashima, a medical doctor frequently appearing on television. When contacted, Kanagawa Dental University representatives replied that "Kawashima will respond directly." Kawashima himself commented, "Integrative medicine includes the good and the bad alike. It's essential to train medical professionals, after mastering Western medicine, to get accurate insights into various techniques so that, when patients ask about them, they're able to distinguish legitimate treatments from fraudulent ones." Who manages the university course? Although billed as a university offering, the course is actually funded and administered by a general incorporated association through a service contract with the university. The association's head is a doctor who runs a psychosomatic internal medicine clinic in Tokyo. She promotes procedures involving "hand power healing," claiming on her own website: "Invisible energy definitely exists," adding that "the delicate energy changes in body and mind can be perceived and rebalanced through one's palms." Responding to inquiries, the doctor acknowledged her organization's role in operating the course. She explained that the company initially tasked with administrative duties withdrew, prompting Kawashima to ask her to take over. Last December, she organized a public lecture featuring a leading representative of an Edgar Cayce promotion group at the same Tokyo building. Flyers advertising the event prominently mentioned her group's role managing the university-related courses. Experts convey concern Attempts to introduce unscientific concepts such as hado, the "gaming brain" theory and EM (effective microorganism) bacteria into educational settings have previously caused public concern. However, experts pointed out that cases of universities proactively teaching these pseudosciences in a positive light have been extremely rare. Professor Masato Ishikawa of Meiji University, an expert in cognitive science, explained, "There are scenarios where universities teach pseudoscience -- for example, studying 'witches' from a cultural or anthropological perspective. But actual proponents presenting lectures cannot respond to scientific criticism." In 2014, Meiji University planned a course for the general public featuring promoters of pseudoscience like hado and EM bacteria, but canceled it due to faculty opposition. Professor Ishikawa further warned of the risks posed because students already have medical qualifications. "Course participants pay fees and receive official certificates of completion. Thus, it raises the likelihood they'll offer these practices themselves," he said, expressing concern about an increase in medical clinics providing treatments lacking scientific validity. Comments from the education ministry Upon completion of the one-year program, participants receive official certificates issued under the School Education Act. A representative from the education ministry's university promotion division, which manages the law in question, stated, "Ultimately, universities hold full responsibility for the content of their certified programs." However, regarding dubious therapies suspected as pseudoscience being taught within the courses, the ministry representative explained, "We, as an administrative body, are not in a position to determine if particular course contents qualify as pseudoscience." Professor Satoru Kikuchi, a psychologist at Shinshu University who is knowledgeable about pseudoscience, criticized what he sees as the universities' irresponsibility: "It seems universities play down the responsibility involved in teaching positively about therapies without a scientific basis." Kikuchi further argued that the education ministry's approach is problematic as well, declaring, "Entrusting universities alone to check their course content mimics the situation with the functional food labeling system -- where responsibility for confirming the safety and efficacy of functional foods was pushed onto private industry, resulting in health problems. It's essentially equivalent to the ministry abandoning its supervisory responsibilities."
Asahi Shimbun
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Former SCJ leaders again urge scrapping of reform bill
Takaaki Kajita, a former president of the Science Council of Japan at left, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on May 20. (Takahiro Takenouchi) Six former presidents of the Science Council of Japan issued a joint statement calling for the withdrawal of a controversial government-backed bill that would transform the council into an independent legal entity under closer government oversight. 'Academic freedom and democracy are being undermined,' said Takaaki Kajita, one of the former leaders and a Nobel laureate physicist, at a news conference on May 20. The bill proposes a reform of the SCJ that comprises 210 of the nation's top academics and serves as an advisory body to the government. It would create positions for auditors appointed by the prime minister from outside the council. It would also remove the preamble of the current SCJ Law affirming the council's autonomy. Given these changes, the statement criticized the bill's goal as an attempt to place the council more directly under government supervision, dubbing it the 'SCJ Control Law.' The former presidents called for the bill to be scrapped and for trust to be rebuilt between the government and the SCJ. Kajita, who recently testified at a Lower House committee discussing the bill, criticized the pro-reform arguments as superficial. 'They say the shift to an 'independent' legal entity would increase autonomy, but reading the bill makes it clear why there are concerns,' he said. The bill passed the Lower House on May 13 with support from the ruling parties. Opposition parties opposed it, arguing that it undermines the organization's independence from the government. 'Concerns raised by opposition parties have brought serious issues in the bill to light,' said Takashi Onishi, a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo and an urban planning specialist. 'We urge the Upper House to continue this critical discussion.' The statement marks the fourth time since 2020 that past SCJ presidents have issued a collective appeal. That year, then-Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga sparked a public outcry by rejecting the appointment of six scholars nominated by the SCJ—an unprecedented move that triggered ongoing tensions between the government and the nation's scientific community.
Japan Forward
19-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Forward
Will Japan Rise to the Occasion When It Matters Most?
このページを 日本語 で読む As I wrote at the end of my April 14 column, JAPAN Forward remains committed to sharing Japan's journey with readers around the globe. That conviction was only strengthened recently when I attended a study session for policy experts. I'd like to share some key takeaways from that experience. The session's speaker was Kunihiko Miyake, a diplomatic commentator and Director and Special Advisor at the Canon Institute for Global Studies. He is also a recipient of the Seiron Grand Prize from The Sankei Shimbun . His talk, titled "Why the United States Cannot Win the Trade War with China," offered a timely analysis. Miyake argued that President Donald Trump was using tariffs as a weapon in a global struggle, particularly to contain China. However, Miyake also predicted that Trump would ultimately fail to achieve his objectives during his term. He cited several reasons to support this view, which he said he plans to elaborate on in an upcoming English-language article. Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) and US President Donald Trump at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, November 2017. (©Kyodo) To me, however, it seemed premature to declare Trump's approach a failure — global dynamics are rarely so clear-cut. More urgent than assessing Trump's success or failure is the broader question: Where is the world headed? And how should Japan respond? When I posed this to Miyake, his answer was thought-provoking. To summarize his remarks, he said: Under Trump, a full-scale war between the United States and China seemed improbable. Yet, tensions among major powers were undeniably rising, signaling the end of a relatively stable global order. We are entering an era marked by increasing instability and regional conflict. And yet, Miyake emphasized, this also presents a rare and critical opportunity for Japan. Why? Because Japan, having rebuilt itself from the ashes of World War II into an economic powerhouse through sheer perseverance, still struggles to earn full recognition and respect on the global stage. Now, with the world undergoing profound shifts, Japan has a chance to step forward — if it can earn the world's trust at this pivotal moment. According to Miyake, "Japan must seize this opportunity by standing for universal values like freedom and democracy. It must defend peace and prosperity, resisting any attempts to alter the international order through force." He added, "Japan should confront the difficult but necessary reality of using military power responsibly, and work toward building a stronger, more capable government." Are we prepared to rise to the occasion? Or are we paralyzed by fear of risk and change? This very question was posed by JAPAN Forward staff reporter Daniel Manning in his May 14 article: The Science Council of Japan Has Failed — Now Shut It Down In his piece, Manning criticizes the Science Council of Japan for failing to provide meaningful policy guidance, despite being generously publicly funded. This failure comes at a time when Japan urgently needs scientific leadership on issues like the release of ALPS treated water from the Fukushima plant and the global ramifications of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Science Council of Japan. Minato Ward, Tokyo (©Sankei by Ikue Mio) He concludes that the council has lost its raison d'être and should be dismantled and rebuilt into a body that prioritizes science over political activism. Even from Manning's perspective as an Irish observer, the council appears irreparably broken. One must wonder: How many other institutions in Japan are equally resistant to change? Despite the country's latent potential, opportunities may be lost unless the country adapts to global realities and responds with bold, forward-thinking actions. At JAPAN Forward, we're also taking on this challenge ourselves — transforming into a fully bilingual media platform in both English and Japanese. On July 4, we will hold our first in-person business and training seminar in Osaka. A dynamic city full of energy and promise, the city is currently hosting the World Expo for the first time in 55 years. The event offers a glimpse into the future of humanity. We see the seminar as a valuable opportunity to connect directly with our partners and supporters, and to reflect on where best to focus our efforts moving forward. Can we believe in our own potential and turn adversity into opportunity? Ultimately, that choice is ours. With the courage to take risks, JAPAN Forward is determined to seize this moment and grow into a media platform ready to meet the demands of a new era. Watch for the next issue on June 16. JAPAN Forward is a small media outlet driven by an unparalleled passion to amplify Japan's voice worldwide in both English and Japanese. To join us in shaping our vision together or for inquiries, please call 0570-033-433 (Sankei iD) or email us at info@ このページを 日本語 で読む
Yomiuri Shimbun
03-05-2025
- Health
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Princess Aiko Delivers First Address During Official Duty; Daughter of Emperor and Empress Speaks at Opening of International Medical Conference
The Yomiuri Shimbun Princess Aiko delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the WADEM Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2025 in Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo, on Saturday. Princess Aiko, the daughter of the Emperor and Empress, delivered her first address during an official duty, speaking at the opening ceremony of an international medical conference in Tokyo on Saturday. 'Japan has experienced major disasters which have transformed our systems of disaster medicine and forced them to evolve,' Princess Aiko said, referring to the 1995 Great Hanshin Earthquake and the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, in her speech at the WADEM Congress on Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2025. 'This conference will be deeply meaningful as a valuable opportunity for participants to share the expertise and skills they have obtained so far, as well as for advancing further international cooperation and for passing on a wealth of knowledge and experience to the younger generation who will lead the way in the coming era,' the princess added. Princess Aiko, who works for the Japanese Red Cross Society, has an interest in disaster relief and emergency medical care. To prepare her for Saturday's opening ceremony, the princess received an expert briefing at the Imperial Residence in the Imperial Palace in late April. Medical professionals and researchers from about 80 countries and regions are expected to attend the four-day conference in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, which is hosted by the Science Council of Japan and others.
