Japanology Plus: 8x12

Japan vs. Epidemics, Part 2: Modern History

Over the centuries, Japan has suffered from repeated outbreaks of diseases like smallpox, measles and cholera. Part 1 of “Japan vs. Epidemics” covered the history of epidemics up to the mid-19th century. In Part 2, we look at modern history, including outbreaks of cholera and Spanish flu. Our guest is historian Utsumi Takashi. He explains how Japan dealt with epidemics, and talks about several people who made important contributions to the evolution of the country’s medical knowledge.