/

New HIV carriers in their 20s hit record high 349 in Japan last year

JIJI

Newly reported HIV carriers among people in their 20s in Japan in 2014 totaled a record high of 349, according to the health ministry.

This may indicate that AIDS education for people under 20 has been insufficient, said Aikichi Iwamoto, head of the ministry’s AIDS committee.

The number of new HIV carriers in their 20s outpaced that of new carriers in their 30s, which came to 347, for the first time in 12 years, the ministry said Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the total number of new HIV carriers came to 1,091, while 455 people developed AIDS without having had HIV tests. Both numbers have remained almost flat since 2008.

Of the 47 prefectures, Tokyo accounted for about 20 percent of HIV carriers who developed AIDS in 2014.

Meanwhile, Okinawa saw the highest AIDS prevalence rate at 0.848 per 100,000 people, followed by Fukui Prefecture at 0.755, and Tokyo at 0.722.

The ratio in Okinawa was high possibly because the prefecture attracts many tourists from abroad, Iwamoto said. But he said he has no idea about what was behind the high figure in Fukui, adding that it is necessary to look for the reason.

, , , , , ,

  • thehim

    ‘The ratio in Okinawa was high possibly because the prefecture attracts many tourists from abroad, Iwamoto said. But he said he has no idea about what was behind the high figure in Fukui, adding that it is necessary to look for the reason.’

    I’m sure there’s foreigners in Fukui that can be found to blame …

  • David Lee

    “It’s necessary to look for the reason” Ha! Nice. Whereas for Okinawa there’s no need to actually do any research because, you know, obviously foreigners.

  • Hendrix

    they need a reason? … why dont they look at the legions of perverted Japanese men going to Thailand, phillipines etc and hiring hookers ( mostly underage) then coming back to Japan and spreading who knows what around….. oh but no its foreigners they are to blame..

  • Shiki Byakko

    What about the lack of information, the stigma against people with HIV, the stigma against gay people, the lack of proper places where you can go and take an HIV test without the need to “wait for the date” or “make a reservation”, making it more accesible so that people do not continue to spread it?

    Wait… you said foreigners??
    Of course that explains it! ＼(^o^)／

  • Eagle

    I am not sure they got it through sexual partnership as it is normally known.
    Seeing the poor hygiene in hospitals and especially in dental practice my guessing is that many of the sufferers contacted AIDS from those dirty medical workers.