Report of Regular Meeting March 2007
Miyako Kuroiwa, Secretary of the Tokyo Menettes Club
The Menettes Night of this year, 32th Menettes Night, began in the appointed time, presided by Ms. Yoshioka, with the opening chime of Ms. Isoda, President of the Tokyo Menettes Club. After Y's song, reading the Bible and prayer of Ms. Tsujimura, introduction of the guests and visitors, Ms. Fukushima, Chairman of the Menettes Committee of the Japan-East Region, greeted. Following presentation of the "Least Coins" to the YMCA, we had a Y's dinner with Hachiku-Sushi(famous Osaka-Sushi in Tokyo), Ms. Akiko Kato(Yokohama-Totsuka Club)'s homemade orange peel, Ms. Tsuyuzaki's homemade rice cakes wrapped by cherry leaf, acquaintance of Menettes Night. In dinner time, we listened member news, reports of each commettee, appeal of each menettes club; Mr. Takada, RD of the Japan-East Region, greeted.
[Lecture of Ms. Chizuko Ikegami]
After "Happy Birthday! Happy Anniversary!", guest speech: Ms. Chizuko Ikegami, representative of the "Place Tokyo", lectured on the title: "25 years with AIDS - private considering". In 1981, the first AIDS patient in the world was found. In 1983, the AIDS virus was specified. In 1985, the HIV antibody inspection started and the first international AIDS conference was held. In 2001, the first United Nations AIDS special general meeting was held. In Japan, the number of the patients still is few, compared with India, Africa, China and so on. The increase moves from the metropolitan area to the countries. Though the infection is spreading, the state budget was reduced. From January to December 2006, new 1304 patients, past maximum, were found. In 2007, this will be exceeded. The 90 % of patients are men of thirtysomething. If a person is committed to the AIDS, he should continue to take medicine. Don't think that it is a stranger thing. We should have fast the recognition that the persons who have HIV and the persons who don't have it live together. Her conclusion: we must think first and learn next.
After the smile fine, we sang the Menettes Song. The closing chime ended the Menettes Night in which we greeted a lot of participants.