Actress Aoi Miyazaki, center, appears in the charity event in Tokyo.

Actress Aoi Miyazaki calls for understanding of childhood cancer

Sunday 13th April, 05:21 AM JST

By Taro Fujimoto

TOKYO —

Actress Aoi Miyazaki, 22, on Saturday took part in a Gold Ribbon Walking event in Roppongi to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer. The event was sponsored by insurance company Aflac and others.

Miyazaki handed out chains of paper cranes, which she and about 3,000 visitors made, to children who currently take medication for cancer. Miyazaki, who appears in Aflac TV ads, said, “Smiling people give me energy. I try to smile as often as I can, and I wish people would smile at me, too.”

In a panel discussion, Kyoko Negishi, whose 14-year-old daughter is being treated for cancer, called for more understanding, saying, “I wish more people would have proper knowledge about childhood cancer and pharmaceutical companies would develop medicines not only for adults but also for children.”

According to Aflac, cancer is the biggest cause of children’s deaths. About 17,000 children are currently suffering from cancer in Japan, of whom about 550 die every year. Experts say Japan suffers a shortage of doctors specializing in childhood cancers and treatment.

4 Comments

rjd_jr at 08:13 AM JST - 13th April

Good for her! She is beautiful and talented. Much nice to hear these things than what drugs they're using, who they are sleeping with, etc., with celebrities on both sides of the pacific.
DeepAir65 at 09:30 AM JST - 14th April

Japan is slowly catching up with the rest of the developed world or raising awareness and fund raising for these kinds of things.

What I do not understand is why the Tokyo Marathon is not a fund raising bonanza like the London, Boston etc etc maratons. Hopefully one day, soon...
European1 at 09:59 AM JST - 14th April

The event was sponsored by insurance company Aflac and others.>

Good for Aflac who will make more money out of peoples pocket as JNHI do not cover everything in full. I feel really sorry for parents whose kid have cancer in this poor developed country regrading medicine and insurance
greenteaonsens at 11:16 AM JST - 14th April

For all its faults, the U.S. leads the world when it comes to cancer treatment - both for adults and kids. If you want the best chance of recovery, go to America (beg, borrow or steal the money if you have to).

Japan is THIRD WORLD when it comes to cancer treatment.