Japan's school doctors hesitant due to parental complaints

Many school doctors in Japan are hesitant to participate in annual health checkups. They fear complaints from parents about their children being exposed during examinations. A recent survey found that over 80% of 1,970 doctors and health practitioners do not want to work in schools. Their main concern is that parents are overly protective about their children’s bodies during health checks. In response to these concerns, the education ministry took steps last year to improve the situation. They advised schools to have students wear gym clothes or underwear for checkups and to conduct exams separately for boys and girls. This is to ensure that students are comfortable and supervised by same-gender teachers.