Date: From 9.00 p.m., 9 December 2010
Cast: Sakai Masato, Terajima Shinobu, Ono Machiko, Abe Tsuyoshi, Imai Masayuki
Synopsis: Miyamae Yoshiaki (Sakai Masato) is a medical practitioner known as a ‘ikaiho’. It was a special medical system established by the occupying US forces in 1951 when there was a severe shortage of doctors in Okinawa after WWII. The number of doctors had dwindled to 64, which was a third of the number before the war. People such as former army medics who had medical knowledge and training in medical care but did not have medical licenses could receive the qualification, which enabled them to treat patients or open a private practice, after completing a series of lectures and exams. However, they were forbidden from performing big operations. By 1972, the shortage of doctors did not ease in spite of Okinawa’s reversion to Japanese administration. And so, the ‘ikaiho’ were assured of their practice and treatment of patients. However, while substitute doctors like Miyamae are loved and appreciated by the locals, they face prejudice and discrimination as bogus doctors because they are not real doctors.
Website: www.ytv.co.jp/niseisha
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