Late last month, the Japan Medical Association elected Toshio Nakagawa, the group’s vice president, as president. He defeated Yoshitake Yokokura, who was seeking a fifth term. Yokokura had been particularly close to the Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s administration, and the JMA is a key supporter of Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party. Here’s a closer look at the group, its political connections and what a change of leadership might mean.
What is the Japan Medical Association?
The JMA was first founded in 1916 as a medical organization dedicated to keeping up with the latest Western, as opposed to traditional Chinese, medical techniques. Each prefecture has its own chapter.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.