The government is promoting free vaccinations against rubella for men age 39 to 56, using characters from a manga series thought to resonate with that generation.
The number of reported rubella cases in 2018 surged to the second-highest level since 2008, when the current survey method began. Many of the patients were men in their 30s to 50s who had not received vaccinations as children.
The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry this month released a poster featuring the main character from the action manga "City Hunter," Ryo Saeba, and his partner Kaori Makimura. "We need you to take action to eradicate rubella," the poster reads.