| ■ Japan Has Record High HIV/AIDS cases in 2006 | 07.02.13 |
| In 2006, Japan registered record high levels of new HIV infections and AIDS patients, according to preliminary data released Wednesday by the country's Health Ministry. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. Last year, there were 914 new HIV infections -- an increase of nearly 10 percent from 2005 -- and 390 people developed AIDS, an increase of 6.3 percent from 2005, the Associated Press reported. The 2006 figures are the highest since the Health Ministry began keeping HIV/AIDS statistics in 1985. Reasons for the increases were not provided in the report, the AP said. While the number of infections in Japan may be increasing, the increase in the number of reported infections is also due to the fact that more people are getting tested, said Health Ministry official Kozo Akino. |