Koretsugu Junzaburo, 64
Psychiatrist from Kumamoto
Why did you want to become a psychiatrist?
I was very interested in poverty and believed that the world’s troubles come from the differences between rich and poor people. In 1994 I went to Ghana with “Doctors Without Borders.” There were children who lost their parents because of AIDS, war and poverty. My specialty is child psychiatry, especially children who suffer from some sort of shock, and I wanted to do something to help those children.What about in Japan?
In Japan, I have tried to help after natural disasters, like the earthquake in Kobe. I sometimes visit those patients even though the earthquake happened seven years ago. There are many children and adults who still can’t sleep at night. In Japan, some kids are bullied at school. Another new problem that tarted recently is that of abused women, or new young mothers abusing their babies to make them stop crying. This first happened in the U.S. in the 1980s. In 1984, 43 babies were reported to have died from abuse. Many that survive abuse suffer from psychiatric problems later.What treatment methods do you use?
Talking is the most important medicine. The purpose of my practice is to offer people love. Not only patients, but parents, teachers, etc. Of course, we give them drugs too.Does Japanese society have enough information about mental illness?
No. Here in Japan the situation in mental hospitals is terrible. Half are just making money. They give too many drugs. They save money this way. The family members don’t complain because they don’t have to be troubled either.What’s the pay for psychiatrists?
It’s about ¥750,000 per month, no bonus. It used to be ¥833,333 per month but is declining because of the recession.What would you like to do in the future?
My plan is to go to Africa or the Middle East to spend my last years helping poor people. I don’t need salary anymore.What’s your opinion of Japanese young people?
I think they are being controlled by cell phone companies. They cannot stop calling people on their phones. Or they play video games. They don’t have face to face contact; they don’t climb mountains or read books. They rarely use their minds at all. If I ask them what kind of person they want to be, they don’t answer, but just snicker.the end
This interview was originally published in Kansai Time Out magazine.