No. of HIV-infected, AIDS patients in Japan hits record high in 2008

Thursday 19th February, 06:36 AM JST

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Sarge at 09:46 PM JST - 19th February

"an increasing number of Japanese men had become HIV-positive"

The education system here is is not working.

"male-male sexual contact"

Suddenly I feel ill...
likeitis at 10:55 PM JST - 19th February

One thing I've noticed is that Japanese girls hate condoms.

One thing I have noticed is that a lot guys don't seem to realize the importance of lube. Guys are lucky that condoms don't rub on their sensitive skin at all, but just on hers.

And if a guy needs a selfish reason to use lube: it prevents condom breakage, which means your shield from the AIDS virus stays up.
aelieth at 12:10 AM JST - 20th February

I know there is a severe lack of sex education in Japan. They may talk about some diseases, but not actually discuss that THEY EXIST and how easily they can be passed. My girlfriend from Japan had chlamydia for a year before finally getting it treated, she had pains, extra bleeding and etc. We had been dating two months (no sex) and I took her to the clinic to get her tested and treated.

We've been dating 7 months and she's clean now and much better. I hope that she hasn't been too damaged by it and can still have children due to internal scarring and damage. She's realized just how blind her home country is to STD's now. We talked about her past and she was a little promiscuous one summer with her friends. Sounds fun and all, until something does happen. Sex is fun, sex is meaningful, but sex also carries a high price in itself.

I just hope other Japanese can learn how important it is to keep safe, protected, and know the dangers and risks.
J_rock at 12:10 AM JST - 20th February

From the time I first arrived in Japan in 2000 until I left last year, they ran a version of this article on an annual basis. Every year a new record is set, and while the numbers remain comparatively low, the trend has always been upwards. Not to mention the fact that the number of actual cases no doubt dwarfs the number of reported ones. Not to be cynical, but the very nature of Japanese society will make it difficult for the government or health officials to nip this crisis in the bud. The acceptance of infidelity, poor or non-existent sex education in the schools, and the (very) widespread belief that it is only a disease spread and contracted by foreigners. It may take several decades, but unless there are some dramatic changes, Japan will have it's own AIDS epidemic to deal with, and at that point, they simply won't be able to hide their heads in the sand. It's unfortunate too, since they've been given a chance that many other countries didn't have, to stop it before it gets out of hand, but they seem intent on squandering it.
zaichik at 04:46 AM JST - 20th February

zaichik: I saw about Jade Goody but i didn't know she had HIV as well and that. What is the pap smears that Japanese have then. I don't understand that bit like.

Alf, don't be obtuse. You know jolly well that she doesn't have HIV. And I'm sure your daughter can tell you what a pap smear is.
airrunwesker at 06:31 AM JST - 20th February

Why is everyone talking about condoms? Condoms are NOT 100% safe... even when used right!

Television knowingly spreads a lot of false information about both AIDS, HIV, and really anything to do with sex. Condoms are not 100% effective...

"At a Washington, D.C., news conference, the 10,000-member Physicians Consortium claimed that the CDC has known for years that while condoms are 85 percent effective (that's 85%) in helping prevent the spread of HIV, they offer less protection against sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis and genital herpes'"
zaichik at 07:15 AM JST - 20th February

Condoms are not 100% effective...

No, but they're a damn sight more effective than no condoms, and given that abstinence programs don't seem to be working, they are better than the alternative.
magpie at 10:03 AM JST - 20th February

Sex is fun, sex is meaningful, but sex also carries a high price in itself

aelieth...well put.

Condoms are NOT 100% safe... even when used right!

airrunwesker...let me rephrase zaizhick's question, how safe is without without mr trojan?

Nothjing is fool prooof except abstinance, as I said, that's not a feasible way of life. But everybody please, make sure you know the facts re HIV and STDs, make sure your partners know the facts, make sure your kids know the facts.

Barring a vaccine being created, education is our best line of defence for the long term.
shreeree at 02:49 PM JST - 20th February

We can all agree that the safest sex is no sex. Next, lovers that are loyal, honest and faithful to each other only and last condoms. All of those are factors that are better then a f*** it attitude that makes you do something stupid and reckless to yourself and others then ask "why me?" Even the most educated person can be stupid when it comes to sex what I wonder is a death sentence worth that few moments of pleasre that you can give to yourself any time? I don't believe ignorance is a factor to STD's anymore, there is just too much knowleged out there. That excuse is as BS as women that say they got pregnant by accident. Yeah...un huh? A woman that says that is code for "I was about to lose him and I thougt a baby would make him stay".

Ree
kirakira25 at 03:02 PM JST - 20th February

I don`t profess to be an expert, but knowing Japanese culture as I do, I find these numbers pretty hard to believe, and I suspect they are the tip of the iceberg. Of course if the government actually dug deeper they might find out the truth, but that is never going to happen, is it?

So how do we protect ourselves and our children? Abstinence is unrealistic, condoms help to a large extent, but what about once you are in a steady relationship? Even after months of "dating" how many people realistically say "Lets get an HIV test before we stop using condoms" I know I didnt and thankfully I am OK - but I could so easily not have been. You may be married and in a committed faithful relationship - you may never have slept wth anyone else your whole life but that doesnt mean your partner hasnt/won`t.
Nessie at 03:14 PM JST - 20th February

Hmmm....can you imagine the problems that could arise? Companies sacking workers for being HIV+, etc?

Zai, there would already be this problem, except that the results of company physicals are sent to the person and not the company. Including an AIDS screening would do nothing to change this.
magpie at 03:28 PM JST - 20th February

kirakira25, correct. HIV is like a pyramid, its not about wyou and your partner, but its also about their sexual history over the past 7 years. The sensible thing is to get tested before you get married and to use rubbers up until that point. Post marriage it comes to being faithful, and if you can't do that being sensible and using protection.
boitoi at 06:18 PM JST - 20th February

just protect yourself always. nothing beats a pack of condom in your pocket. wear condom everyday. who knows, a homo is just right behind your back. at least you're protected.
airrunwesker at 06:29 AM JST - 21st February

A lot of people here need to take/retake Human Sexuality 101! If you are only using a condom... you need to get tested! You do not even need to have intercourse to catch a STD!
ptolemy at 05:03 PM JST - 21st February

As my dearly sainted dad advised when I was in high school, "Always wear a wet suit when you go diving." Sage advice form a sage man.