HIV/AIDS in Japan has been recognized as a serious health issue in recent years.[1] However, overall awareness amongst the general population of Japan regarding sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS, remains low.[2]
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) first came to attention in the 1980s in the United States, followed by global interest in the years that followed. Among the many countries affected, Japan's population of affected people remains low in comparison to other developed countries such as the United States and European countries. The number of cases continues to rise. Official reports indicate that 6 homosexual men were diagnosed in 1985, which grew to 100 people infected by 1990.
The primary group affected in the 1980s was hemophiliacs, but that shifted to sexual transmission in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Due to poor media coverage and the lack of momentum from activist groups, large misconceptions about the disease, homosexuals, and foreigners spread about the general population.
Today, Japan remains one of the top providers of funds for global efforts such as the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria and World Health Organization for HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment.