Reviewing the Fukushima Prefectural Ohno Hospital Incident（2/2）

Masahiro Kami, M.D., Ph.D. President,

Medical Governance Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan

However, this incident occurred in Fukushima, Mr. Munakata's home prefecture. Perhaps he had an interest due to it being about his hometown. He said, "Since a junior asked," and introduced me to an excellent female staff member. She came to the medical research lab at Tokyo University and spent about two hours listening to the situation. After hearing my explanation, she said, "It's not just that the doctor is pitiful; if obstetrics collapses because of this incident, it's the citizens who are pitiful. I'll take action."

A few weeks later, she called me and said, "I found it. The broadcast is set." On April 27, the program aired, featuring the situation where obstetricians nationwide were ceasing to handle childbirths and introduced the distressing voices of pregnant women attending such hospitals. "I found it" referred to the pregnant women who testified in the program.

Following the report on "Tokudane!", other stations and national newspapers also covered the issue. The developments thereafter are as previously described.

I explained this history to Ms. Iyano and emphasized the significance of "Tokudane!" While initially, the incident was framed as the medical community being outraged by the inappropriate arrest of a doctor, it later shifted to a broader issue of medical collapse, which concerned all citizens, and public opinion quickly rallied.

I believe that the history and traditions of Fukushima significantly contributed to this shift in public opinion. I emphasized to her the connection between Mr. Munakata and myself. We knew each other from the Kendo club during our university days, but this was influenced by the history of Fukushima.

During the Edo period, Fukushima Prefecture was home to ten domains, including the 180,000-koku Aizu domain. It consisted of two fudai domains, seven hatamoto domains, and one tozama domain. At the end of the Edo period, the domains in Fukushima joined the Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei and were defeated by the new government. Aizu, in particular, was treated coldly, but the dual emphasis on literary and military arts education from the Edo period continued, one of which was Kendo.

Fukushima is renowned for Kendo. Mr. Koji Onuma, our Kendo club master at the University of Tokyo and a well-known figure who served as the chief instructor at the Metropolitan Police Department, practiced Ono-ha Ittō-ryū. He was the first person from Fukushima I ever met.

From Fukushima, Mr. Harada, who won the All Japan Kendo Championships in 2005, also stands out. He graduated from Fukushima Prefectural Fukushima High School, the top academic high school in the prefecture, and then went on to the University of Tsukuba.

Mr. Munakata, similarly, is a graduate of Fukushima Prefectural Asaka High School, a prestigious school alongside Fukushima High School. During high school, he was also a member of the Kendo club and competed in the Inter-High School Championships.

Both Mr. Harada and Mr. Munakata exemplify the tradition of excelling in both literary and military arts. This tradition extends beyond Kendo. In this summer's Fukushima Prefectural High School Baseball Tournament, Iwaki High School and Soma High School, both prestigious schools derived from the former Second and Fourth Middle Schools, respectively, made it to the top four.

Despite the low college advancement rate among high school students in Fukushima Prefecture, as mentioned earlier, those who received an education emphasizing both literary and military arts continue to thrive and have an active network. The Ohno Hospital incident is an example of how this network functionally contributed.

If Mr. Munakata had not been there, not only the Ohno Hospital incident but also the state of obstetric care in our country might have been different. It might be fair to say that Fukushima's education saved Japanese medical care. Ms. Iyano, having learned about the background of the Ohno Hospital incident, seems to have recognized the importance of studying regional history. I hope this experience has broadened her perspective.

Originally published in “Japan in depth” in Japanese on Jul 28, 2024.