Tales of Plague and Pestilence: A History of Disease in Japan

Abstract

This book explains how from earliest recorded history to the modern era in Japan, disease has impacted religion, politics, culture, and other aspects of life. Discussions and, in many cases, belated diagnoses clarify the experiences of Japanese rulers and writers with smallpox, cholera, influenza, syphilis, cancer, diabetes, and the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The choice of isolationism or accepting the risk of infection from diseases originating in other countries has gripped Japan throughout history. Yet as the author observes, most incidents of mass illness over the years have been locally based epidemics caused by specific conditions in Japan as opposed to sweeping pandemics that affect all of humanity. Some diseases were provoked by dietary customs, while others related to the environment and community lifestyles. The recent appearance of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is also discussed in this informed overview by the medical historian Sakai Shizu. Although in places perhaps too concise and lacking in supporting data, this volume is a highly informative, welcome addition to the bibliography on medicine and society in Japan.