| Research Abstract |
1 Published the co-edited book, Politics of Medicalization: Rethinking Modern Medicine (Yoji, M and Yuzo, S. eds., Gakubtin-sha: Kyoto, 2006), which collected the papers on 'Deviance and Medicalization in Japan' with special emphasis on comparative perspective. The book includes, (1) Theoretical-Thematic part: Present Trends of Medicalization, Theoreteical Examination of Medicalization, Historical Reexamination of Medicalization, and Topics such as the Disabled, Drug Policy, Social Defense, and (2) Specific Case Analysis part: Alcoholism, Child Abuse, Non-Schooling, AD/HD, PMS, Exteriors, etc. Also co-researcher Akihiko Sato published the book, Social History of Drugs in Japan (Toshin-do:Tokyo, 2006)
2 With the cases of Alcoholism, Child Abuse, AD/HD, PMS, Exteriors, the trends of Medicalization in Japan seem to follow the US. The extent and the speed of Medicalization differ with the cases, and Japanese society seems to somewhat reluctant to accept Medicalization compared with US. UK s
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eems to be located in the middle between Japan and US. With all these differences, however, long-term trends of Medicalization seems to be progressive partly because of the ever-increasing financial support of Welfare State System to Medicine, and partly because of ever-increasing Medical-Industrial Complex on a global scale, and partly because of the ever-increasing consciousness to health on the part of consumer-user.
3 As a special findings, (1) on the topics of Drug Policy, there seems to be trend tentatively called `Economization of Deviance', (2) on the Social Sanction (or Social Control) function of Medicine, the recent enacted 'Medical Observation Act of Lunatics' (2003) in Japan seem to represent the case, (3) on the Medicalization topics concerning the Child, recent enactment both on the children with developmental problem(2004: by Ministry of Labor and Welfare) and on the children who need special support(2000: by Ministry of Eduction) seems to be potentially of large effect on the Medicalization in Japan. Less
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