Late last month, the Japan Medical Association elected Toshio Nakagawa, the group’s vice president, as president. He defeated Yoshitake Yokokura, who was seeking a fifth term. Yokokura had been particularly close to the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, and the JMA is a key supporter of Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party. Here’s a closer look at the group, its political connections and what a change of leadership might mean.
What is the Japan Medical Association?
The JMA was first founded in 1916 as a medical organization dedicated to keeping up with the latest Western, as opposed to traditional Chinese, medical techniques. Each prefecture has its own chapter.