TOKYOMANGO

Table for Two, a cool non-profit that aims to solve hunger and obesity at the same time

My childhood friend Fumi heads the US office of a Japanese non-profit called Table for Two. It's really neat -- you should know about it if you don't already. Founded by former McKinsey consultant Masa Kogure, TFT aims to simultaneously solve hunger in the developing world and obesity in places like Japan and the US by offering healthy meals in first-world cafeterias that also donate a portion of proceeds from that meal to a school lunch for a kid in Africa. TFT collaborates with NGOs in the hunger countries to distribute 20 cents from every meal purchased in the US or Japan to buy a nutrient-rich meal -- usually including maize, some protein (beans, dried fish), and green vegetables -- in non-conflict zones with high levels of malnutrition.

The idea that hunger and obesity are two sides of the same global issue has been echoed by Ellen Gustafson, co-creator of FEED bags (watch her TEDTalk here).

On Tuesday, TFT is launching a campaign to try to get TFT meals into 100 school campuses in the US in 100 days. Anyone can start TFT at their school cafeteria or kiosk, or help publicize the campaign. More info is here. If you want to learn more about TFT over a healthy delicious meal, check out one of the existing participating restaurants here.

Video: Government's ominous meth warning

This short video clip made by the Japanese government aired on TV shortly after the recent drug arrest of actress Noriko Sakai. In it, a "bad" man peer pressures his girlfriend to try meth. She ends up folding to the pressure, then suffers choking coughs, addiction, and hallucinations. Is it just me or do these "drugs are horrible!" videos seem propaganda-ish? This is not only in Japan, btw &mdash I think the American PSAs about smoking, etc are just as bad.

(Thanks, Dave!)

Psychiatrist convicted of leaking arson-murder boy's confidential info

In June 2006, a 19-year old boy set fire to his home in Nara, killing his mother and two siblings almost instantly. It was horrifying. What happened next is pretty bad too. The court appointed a psychiatrist, Morimitsu Sakihama, to conduct psychiatric tests on the boy. Sakihama did as told, and then he leaked his assessment and confidential information the boy gave him to a journalist. "I did it to benefit the boy" was his lame excuse. The journalist, a woman named Atsuko Kusanagi, used the information to write a book about the boy titled I Decided to Kill my Dad.

Sakihama was convicted to four months in prison for violating the privacy of his patient yesterday, but I think the larger problem here is that news like this creates an even deeper mistrust of psychologists and psychiatrists than there already is. Mental health care in Japan is scant, and most doctors are quick to prescribe meds without even taking the idea of seeing a shrink into consideration. Problems like hikikomori and suicide arise in large part because these people see no escape. And then some government-entrusted psychiatrist dude comes along and spills his guts to a reporter... not a very good thing for mental health care's rap in an already skeptical society.

Link

Many Japanese die in ambulances because of strange policy

A 69-year old Tokyo man died two weeks ago because of a huge glitch in the Japanese ambulatory system. Somebody was just telling me about this recently. In Japan, if you call an ambulance, they then in turn have to call around to neighboring hospitals to see if the doctors in the emergency room have time to see another patient. As it goes, emergency rooms are often pretty busy and a lot of them say no. On this particular night, 14 hospitals said they were too busy and refused to take the ambulance in. The guy died 90 minutes after he was hit by a motorcycle. Most of those 90 minutes were spent in the ambulance, even though paramedics were at his side within minutes. He had severe head and back injuries and lost too much blood.

More than 14,000 emergency patients were rejected from hospitals three or more times in 2007. The record is a woman in her 70s who was having trouble breathing. She was denied entry by 49 hospitals. WTF?? One pregnant woman died in 2006 from a brain hemorrhage during childbirth because she was rejected by 19 hospitals.

Note to self: If ever in an emergency situation in Japan, don't call an ambulance. Call a cab instead, because if you show up at the door instead of succumbing to the courtesy system of the ambulances, they'll have to see you.

Link (Thanks, Walter!)

Want to Attend Japan's First Public Lesbian Wedding?

Kanako Otsuji, the openly gay politican who is running for national elections this summer, announced that she will be having a public wedding ceremony with her partner so that everyone can attend and see that this is totally okay. Here are the details:

Place: Ikeda Park, Naka-ku, Nagoya
Date: June 3, 2007
Time: 4:30PM
Dress code: Not specified
Gifts: An open mind
RSVP: Not necessary.

If anyone actually makes it out to the wedding, will you email me with an update? And pics, if you get any. Thanks!