Alcohol Addiction in Japan - Research Paper Example

?ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN According to the Statistics Bureau of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, Japan’s population in 2010 was 128 million (128,056,026). Since Japan is collecting census only every five years, an estimated population 127 million (127,760,000) with a decrease percentage of 0.2% because of countless deaths that was reported due to the recent massive catastrophe that hit the country. With the change of population in Japan so is the increase in the number Japanese who are indulging into alcoholism. In fact, in a recent survey, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare estimated that there are roughly 800,000 alcoholics in the country right now, nevertheless, if “pre-alcoholics” are to be included, it would account to a surprising number of 4.4 million. In this particular study, there are several things to discuss regarding alcohol and addiction in Japan. Some of the most pressing topics that will be elaborated are related to the increase of the number of alcoholics in the country, the postulated and/or determined causes of the rate increase, and some of the demographics involved in relation to the alcoholism problem in the country. In addition, an in-depth discussion regarding an article read as saying that the reason for the fast increment of the number of alcoholics in Japan is psychological in nature, that is due to the tragedy that the country has experienced recently when thousands of people died of tsunami and as a result, their remaining loved ones are resorting to alcohol in dealing with their grief. ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 2 Introduction Since the 1990s, the commencement of the 21st century up to the present, a significant increase on the number of alcoholics in Japan was observed. In 2003, a study was conducted among pre-alcoholic drinkers or the “underage drinkers” and the young adults. In Japan, the legal age for drinking is 20 years old, which is according to the Law Prohibiting Minors from Drinking. “Young Adults’’ on the other hand is defined as those whose ages range from 20 years old to 29 years old. A cross-sectional survey and an on-going longitudinal study were used. This was being done through the comparison of data gathered in the 1984 and the 2003 national surveys of alcoholism in the country. Prior to discussing the figures of increases on the number of alcoholics in the Japan, several aspects shall be evaluated fully like the drinking norms in Japan and some of the most recent experiences they have had in the country. We would like to put a strong emphasis on the causes itself and its relation to the gradual or accelerated increments on the number of alcoholics in the country. The Drinking Tradition in Japan The Normal Drinking Patterns of the Japanese In tradition, drinking of alcohol was only an accepted opportunity for middle-aged men while this was being restricted to young people as well as the women. Because of this, the highest drinking consumption has been always accounted to the middle-aged population for both the male and female in all national surveys in the past, at least, starting from the point where ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 3 national surveys took place. Further, there was also a noticeable gender differences when it comes to drinking alcoholic beverages: women drink less than men do. The Alcohol Consumption of Japan Japan’s alcohol consumption has relatively increased since the clinching the Second World War. For the last couple of years, it has been recorded that Japan’s alcoholic consumption has risen to 6.5 liters annually. Accessibility of Alcohol in Japan Being the sole country in the world to have generated availability of alcohol on vending machines, this has relatively increased the number of young adults who had access to liquors. Added to that is the ease of access because these vending machines were located just outside the superstores, convenience stores and shops. In 1996, there was an estimated 186,000 operational vending machines throughout the entire country. But the overwhelming number was cut down to 68,000 in 2003 due to the voluntary regulation on vending machines by the alcohol and beverage companies. The regulation was believed to have decreased the number of young people who were drinking alcohol. Prohibitions of Alcohol to the Young People (minors) A law was enacted prohibiting minors from consuming alcoholic drinks. This is comprised of 4 articles. One of the highlights of the law was the strict prohibition of liquors to Japanese who age is below 20 years. These people are neither allowed to drink nor to purchase alcoholic beverages; however, Japan was insufficient to the imposition of these laws. ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 4 The results of the survey were astounding. In spite of the laws which prohibited young Japanese from consuming alcoholic beverages, it was found out that “50% of high school juniors and 70% of high school seniors in Japan reported that they have had experienced consuming alcohol. It was also found out that during the proliferation of vending machines, a fluctuated rate on alcoholics was also discovered. In addition, there are no wide differences between the consuming patters between males and females; albeit, men are more prone to puking, harsh behaviour and excessive blackouts. The root of alcoholism among young adults was traced back to the influence of the household and the stores. The Earthquake, Tsunami and Alcoholism On March 11, 2011, Friday, a huge, massive earthquake hit Japan’s grounds with an astonishing magnitude of 9.0 resulted into a fatalistic and highly obliterating tidal wave or tsunami which claimed thousands of lives. But it’s more than just that. The aftermath of the tragedy was worse. Many of the survivors have experienced post-traumatic syndrome and depression which caused the fluctuation of the number of Japanese survivors who are resorting to bottled liquids. Survivors of the tragedy were more prone to depression and alcoholism. That was according to Toru Ishikawa, the president of the Tohokukai Medical Hospital located in Sendai. One of the triggering factors was the loneliness that they experienced after their loved ones died from the catastrophes. There were 262 reported evacuees who were treated and 19.5 % of them were suffering from reactive depression which forced them to consume alcohol and 20 of the ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 5 evacuees who were treated with anti-depressing medications were found to have developed drinking problems. Alcoholism as a Disease; as an Ignored Reality in Japan Most often, amidst Japan’s strong repudiation on alcoholism and the country’s unwavering restrictive and healing programs, alcoholism is one of the mostly ignored realities in Japan. As a matter of fact, some Japanese monarchs have shown public admission regarding their alcoholism and still gained no sympathy from the public despite their bold confessions. According to a tenured Japanese professor, he opted to hide his name, he said that alcoholism is a disease; nonetheless, Japanese people do not seem to care about it. He added that alcoholism comes as a result of a compelling force to drink, an inner drive that is so hard to defy. Alcoholics, despite displaying harsh behaviours when drunk, are often forgiven and the incident being forgotten. In higher societies, Prince Tomohito of Japan admitted that he had been an alcoholic and is now seeking help for rectification. As a result, a hospital in Kanagawa opened a specialized rehabilitation center for alcohol addicts where Prince Tomohito is currently seeking medical and psychological treatment. Statistically, in 2008, the center had more than a thousand patients (1,195) and repeating visitors of 16, 548. Furthermore, there are findings that women of age 20 years old have increasingly become heavy drinkers recently. In a parallel survey conducted by Higuchi during the first quarter of the first quarter of the 21st century, Japanese aged 15 years and above on average consumed approximately 7.7 liters of alcoholic beverages every year. In addition, almost 8.6 million people have consumed ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 6 above 60 grams of alcoholic beverages every day which was considered to be lavish. Also, according to Higuchi, there are 800,000 were considered to be under the criteria of “alcoholic and a figure of 4,400,000 suspected to have problems with alcoholism or in short, are alcoholics. Postulated Symptoms of Alcoholism There were several postulated symptoms for alcoholism. Some of which are the intense desire to drink, an increasing tolerance for consumption that encourages to consume more and more alcohol, being unable to control their own liquor intake, defying to commit to other activities other than drinking, and continuous denial of the potential side effects of non-stop and addictive drinking towards psychological and physical aspects of a person. However, the drive for lavish drinking and the intense desire for alcoholism were subsided by the recent enactment of laws enforcing public awareness through generous and constant indication of warning messages on alcoholic products and putting additional restrictions on its advertising, following the line of cigarette products. But what’s more ironical is that, despite the ever present prohibitions of alcoholic drinking towards Japanese younger than 20 years old, the access to these alcoholic beverages are not restricted; they are mostly accessible at convenient stores where most of the youngsters are buying goods. In spite of the fact that Japan has become more unsympathetic with these lurking public dilemma, the government is still forcing its way to implement programs that would decrease the number of alcoholic Japanese by the end of 2014. ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 7 Increasing Number of Alcoholic Women in Japan According to a recent research finding, a soaring number of alcoholics are found to be women. The causes are quasi in nature: in part, psychological, in part social and partly physiological. A health ministry in Japan recently released a report presenting a statistical data of women alcoholics. Statistics has shown that the number of women alcoholics have risen four times within the last 40 years. Within the group of 20-year old people, women are more alcohol drinkers than men with a statistical rate of about 90.4% over 83.5 %. There are no clear indications as to why the number of women alcoholics has ballooned into such a large number. Perhaps due to the influence of predicating feministic movements, females have become increasingly adaptive of the privileges that are for long having been deprived of them. According to Dr. Akiyoshi Saito, women have lesser liver capacity than men. He added that a man who drinks three bottles of liquor has a chance of becoming an alcoholic within a 15 year frame. On the other hand, women who drink the same quantity may become alcoholic within seven years. Seen this way, since women are more susceptible and fast to become alcoholics – that’s seven or eight years – it is more likely the reason for the rapid increase on the number of women alcoholics in Japan and that is aside from the female celebrities who are now starting to endorse alcoholic beverages. More and more women are briskly becoming obsessed with liquors. The overwhelming numbers aforementioned are indications that alcoholism in Japan has become more serious, invading nooks that have not been invaded in the past: women. Added to that is the continuous ALCOHOL ADDICTION IN JAPAN 8 proliferation of female liquor endorsers who are great influence young women to drink alcoholic beverages makes a potential focal point of alcoholism on women Alcoholism as a Constantly Ballooning Problem and Japan’s Solution The World Health Organization (WHO) considers alcoholism as a disease that has a great potential to affect anyone. Several risk factors are found out to be true and ubiquitous like the social setting, the family relationships, stress and genetic predispositions. Many Japanese people, whose lives were ruined by alcoholism, broken families, obliterated health and devastated surged careers. Alcoholic drinks are potentially damaging in the body, especially affecting important organs like the liver, throat, lungs, intestines and most of all, life. According to the World Health Organization, the life span of an alcoholic person is expected to be 56 years. That is 30.6 years shorter than the average life expectancies among Japanese. A noticeable ballooning of Japanese alcohol consumption peaked during the 1980s and the 1990s when Japan was on the verge of economic surge but has declined since. Japan has a new program called Health21 plan by the Health Ministry of Japan that aims to decrease alcohol consumption by 20% in 2014. Now, Japan is investing much on support networks like counselling and religious groups which are very important and helpful tool in reducing the number of alcoholic Japanese. There are no medical treatment that can cure alcoholism since it is psychological and emotional in nature; peer counselling and self-help organizations will really help a lot. In fact, there are more than 9,500 individuals who have suffered alcoholism are joining these organizations. References: Young Peoples Drinking Behaviour in Japan. (n.d.) Retrieved from: http://www.icap.org/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=tMW8of1JAgU%3D&tabid=199 Depression, Alcoholism Take Toll on Lonely Evacuees in Disaster Areas. (n.d.) The Asahi Shimbun Digital. Retrieved from: http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201108030263.html Alcoholism Remains a Taboo Issue. (2009) The Japan Times Online. Retrieved from: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/text/nn20090417f1.html Why the Increasing Number of Alcoholic Women in their 20s?. (2011). Japan News and Discussion. Retrieved from: http://www.japantoday.com/category/kuchikomi/view/why-the-increasing-number-of-alcoholic-women-in-their-20s Japanese Alcoholics Bamboozled in Battle Against Bottle. (2011). Majirox News. Retrieved from: http://www.majiroxnews.com/2011/06/13/japanese-alcoholics-bamboozled-in-battle-against- the-bottle/ Read More