Abstract

This book is the long-awaited print version of the series "Questioning Psychiatry" on Toyo Keizai Online, which has become an enormous sensation with over 27 million page views.

A nurse was hospitalized for an extended period by her domestic violence husband.
A 14-year-old girl was physically restrained for 77 days on the grounds of anorexia.
A former police officer was forcibly hospitalized after being diagnosed with dementia.
A woman fell into over-the-counter drug abuse due to ineffective sales regulations.

The current situation surrounding psychiatric hospitals in Japan is unusual compared to other developed countries.
Why is Japan's peculiar psychiatric care, far from the global standard, being practiced?
This book is a record of three years of investigative reporting on psychiatric treatment by three reporters from the Investigative Journalism Department, triggered by a letter sent to the editorial office of Toyo Keizai Shinpo Sha from a patient who wished to be discharged from a closed ward.
Listening sincerely to the earnest voices of the victims, they delve into the deep darkness of psychiatry in Japan.

Author’s Information

Naoki Kazama

Naoki Kazama was born in Nagano Prefecture in 1977. He graduated from the School of Political Science and Economics at Waseda University and completed graduate studies at the Graduate School of Law at the same university.
He joined Toyo Keizai Inc. in 2001, and after being in charge of electronics and finance, he covered employment, labor, social security, and other issues.
From August 2014 to January 2017, he worked as a reporter for the Asahi Shimbun (Special Reports Department and Economics Department).
After returning to Toyo Keizai, he served as deputy editor of Weekly Toyo Keizai before becoming head of the investigative reporting department in October 2019.
His publications include " Employment Meltdown," "Meltdown Chain," and the e-book "UNIQLO: Tired Workplace" (all from Toyo Keizai Inc.)

Emi Igusa

Emi Igusa was born in Gunma Prefecture in 1988. She graduated from Sophia University, Faculty of Letters, and completed the graduate course in Japanese Literature at the same university. After working as a practical mook editor at a publishing company, she joined Toyo Keizai Inc. in 2018.
After working in the editorial department of Weekly Toyo Keizai, she became a reporter in the investigative reporting department in 2020. Her interests include the healthcare system, child abuse/poverty, and education issues.

Mariko Tsuji

Mariko Tsuji was born in 1996. She graduated from the School of Cultural Planning at Waseda University.
After working in the editorial department of Weekly Toyo Keizai, she became a reporter in the investigative journalism department in 2020. She is also a reporter for Tansa, a media outlet specializing in investigative reporting.
She has covered child abuse and the commercialization of reproductive medicine. He is also working on a database of funding from the pharmaceutical industry to doctors.

（Information is current at the time of publishing.）