Medical Workarounds: Doctor Shortages and Doctor Substitutes in Postwar Japan

Reut Harari*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Who is allowed to practice medicine? This question recurred in different forms throughout Japan’s modern era, reflecting fundamental changes in how people provided and received medical care. This article explores one key issue that underlined this question: a persistent doctor shortage, whose causes and form changed over time—from the late wartime era, through the immediate postwar rehabilitation years, to the era of rapid economic growth. Rather than focusing on issues of policy, the article examines personal histories, revealing how shortages led to various doctor substitutes, some legitimate and some not, in a process whereby doctor care came to be seen as a basic right.

Original languageEnglish
Article number5857
JournalAsia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus
Volume22
Issue number8
StatePublished - 2024

Funding

FundersFunder number
Israel Science Foundation312/21

    Keywords

    • Doctor shortage
    • Medical licensing
    • Okinawa
    • Postwar Japan
    • Rural Japan

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