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Few scholars have studied the use of "Global Health Diplomacy" by the Japanese Government, a unique form of diplomacy that relies on the use of "soft power" and "smart power" but also one that is undergoing changes based on current geopolitical developments in Japan and the Asia-pacific region. This article will provide a review of the literature based on a multilingual document review on Japanese global health diplomacy by examining how health diplomacy has been used by the Japanese government in furtherance of broader foreign policy and diplomatic goals in the international fora. This article will also discuss the limitations of Japan's nascent health diplomacy strategy and possible challenges in the near-future; specifically, the possible revision of Article 9 of its Constitution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Japanese Medical Education system has been influenced by political events throughout the country's history. From long periods of isolation from the western world to the effect of world wars, Japan's training system for physicians has had to adapt in many ways and will continue to change. The Japanese medical education system was recently compared to the "Galapagos Islands" for its unusual and singular evolution, in a speech by visiting professor Dr. Gordon L. Noel at the University of Tokyo International Research center.1 Japanese medical schools are currently working to increase their students' clinical hours or else these students may not be able to train in the United States for residencies. Knowing the history of the Japanese Medical education system is paramount to understanding the current system in place today. Studying the historical foundation of this system will also provide insight on how the system must change in order to produce better clinicians. This article provides a glimpse into the medical system of another nation that may encourage needed reflection on the state of current healthcare training in the United States.