The medical industry has become as scary as the diseases it treats. On Dec. 10, the government released a list of 7,000 medical institutions nationwide that handled tainted blood products before 1994, and on the same day a judge ordered the Tokyo Medical University Hospital to preserve evidence related to the deaths of three people who were operated on by the same heart surgeon in 2003.

Every time the media reports another instance of malpractice it is that much more difficult for the government to promote preventive health, which is deemed necessary to bring down soaring medical costs. Preventive health means not only the promotion of better diets and more exercise, but also yearly cancer screenings and regular doctor visits.

Screenings are a big part of the government plan, since cancers discovered at an early stage are considered easier to cure. But there's also the fear that doctors who discover signs of cancer are too quick to operate and when they do they often resort to unnecessarily radical surgery. This fear is compounded whenever the media reports another surgeon has removed the wrong kidney.