A preliminary investigation on the traumatic accidents of farmers engaged in mechanized agricultural work was carried out from the viewpoint of epidemiology.
The incidence of traumatic accidents was higher in the group of machine operators than of non-operators, the male group than the female group, and the middle-age group and the group with over 4 years' career.
It was found from the cohort study that for the recent several years the male operators have been constantly in the traumatizing risk, but in the case of female oprators the traumatizing risk is increasing in the recent few years.
Traumatic accidents occured frequently during the busiest farming season and during 10-11 o'clock in the morning and3-5 o'clock in the afternoon.In the subjective symptoms a marked sign of fatigue
From these facts, the high incidence of traumatic accidents might be attributed to the great strain of mechanized agricultural work. was found.
Authors keenly feel the necessity of ergonomic case-study on each traumatic accident.

Vibration and noise of three types of tractors were measured under various conditions of operation from the viewpoint of occupational health. The other hand, daily records of operation time of tractors were collected from 135 households and exposure time to tractor vibration were estimated from these data.
Vibration spectra are showed in Fig. 1 and noise spectra in Fig. 2. The peaks of vibration spectra of tractor's seats are in the high frequency range corresponding to rev count of the engines. However, components of the low frequency range become often hygienic problem, when compared to ISO's Standard 2631-1974 (E) “Guide for the evaluation of human exposure to whole-body vibration.”
Vibration acceleration levels of the tractor operating with various accessories are higher in the low frequency range than those without accessories.
Acceration levels of Y and Z directions are higher than that of X direction and unfavorable hygienically. Antivibration countermeasure should be taken to the Y direction not only to the Z direction.
Noise level of tractors exceed the hearing conservation criteria for daily 8 hour exposure, when they run at high speed. More serious problem is that the noise disturb speech communication between the driver and his co-workers or among co-workers. To prevent labor accidents tractor noise should be controlled.

Objective: An external training seminar was held for registered salesclerks of drugs to help them keep and improve their knowledge of drugs.  To promote self-medication and to enhance the content of training seminars, we collected data in the form of inquiries the clerks had received from customers and what information the clerks sought from drug companies.
Methods: Our survey was conducted with 199 registered salesclerks of drugs at an external training seminar in Tokyo, Japan.
Results: The main inquiries from customers to the registered salesclerks were “selection of an analgesic for headache” (83.8%), “selection of an analgesic for cramps” (62.3%), and “selection of an analgesic for toothache” (57.7%).  The main information that they sought from drug companies were “side effects,” “interaction between drugs,” “time of onset of action,” and “degree of effect of drugs.”
Conclusions: To respond to the inquiries from customers, it was necessary to supply the clerks with knowledge of pharmacokinetics in the external training and to supply them with information on side effects, interaction between drugs, time of onset of action, and degree of effect of drugs on individual products from drug companies.  Additionally, this information and knowledge of drugs can be gained from not only the external training and drug companies but also from pharmacists they work with.  It was thought that continuing the external training seminars and input of information from drug companies led to levels similar to a pharmacist and the registered salesclerks contributed actively to promoting self-medication.

Objective: To clarify consumer views on the new sale system of non-prescription drugs, self-medication, and purchases in drugstores after the revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act in 2009.
Methods: The questionnaire was performed for 1,084 consumers on an enlightenment event of the proper use of non-prescription drugs and promotion of adequate self-medication held at Shinjuku Station that was a main terminal station.
Results: Among the respondents, the degree of recognition of the new sale system for non-prescription drugs was 67.7%.  There was approximately threefold increase from the previous survey in 2008.  The most common positive reason was, “The safety of non-prescription drugs was clarified by classification according to three risk levels.”  On the other hand, the most common negative reason was, “I was unable to reach the medicine I wanted without having to listen to the pharmacist’s explanation.”  When consumers want to purchase non-prescription drugs, 77.1 and 44.5% of the respondents nominated “pharmacy and/or drugstore” and “a convenience store,” respectively.  The practice of self-medication positively correlated with the words “the self-medication.”  In this study, a surge in consumer interest for self-medication and non-prescription drugs was felt.  However, while consumers were interested in the safety of non-prescription drugs, they also demanded convenience.
Conclusions: We thought that the role of experts such as pharmacists and registered salesclerks was to ensure safety, convenience, and understandability of consumers for non-prescription drugs.  In addition, to promote adequate self-medication, it was suggested that recognition of the words “self-medication” will be helped through events, the Internet, and the mass media.  It needs to be further explored.

To clarify the views and needs on Rx-to-OTC switches in patients afflicted with lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and/or hyperlipidemia, our survey was conducted with 199 patients at a pharmacy in Tokyo, Japan.Of the 199 patients, 159 people were patients afflicted with lifestyle-related diseases.One hundred and ten patients afflicted with lifestyle-related diseases were seventy-year-old and older, and 149 of the patients have been to a hospital at least once in the past year.Thirty-six point five percent of the patients afflicted with lifestyle-related diseases replied that they wanted to use Rx-to-OTC switches when they had been ill and/or injured.The main reasons that they wanted to use Rx-to-OTC switches were “convenience” and “always the same drugs”.On the other hand, the main reason that they did not want to use Rx-to-OTC switches was “I want to have a detailed examination”.Twenty-three point nine percent of them replied that they wanted to switch their prescription drugs to Rx-to-OTC switches. We believe that the usage of Rx-to-OTC switches after the establishment of a support system to secure safety can be the answer to the issues of the rise in medical care expenditures and doctor shortage.

Objective: Along with the increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan, the number of inquiries in foreign languages at the time of OTC drug sales has increased.　To clarify the current status of responses to foreign language inquiries when selling OTC drug, we surveyed the frequency of foreign language response, languages used, trouble experienced, and preparation useful in responding to foreign language inquiries when selling OTC drug.Methods: Our survey was conducted with 694 registered salesclerks of drugs at an external training seminar in Tokyo, Japan.Results: Of the 649 respondents, 337 (51.9%) had experience in responding to inquiries in a foreign language when selling OTC drug.　The languages used were as follows: ”English,” 86.4%; ”Chinese,” 70.0%; ”Korean,” 25.8%.　Of the respondents who had experience in responding to inquiries in a foreign language when selling OTC drug, 107 (31.8%) responded ”I experienced trouble because I could not understand what was being said,” and 228 (67.7%) responded ”I could not respond and experienced trouble.”　When asked about preparation/tools useful for selling OTC drug, 434 (66.9%) responded ”multilingual written correspondence table,” 359 (55.3%) responded ”smartphone or tablet‐based correspondence multilingual table,” 299 (46.1%) responded ”marks and illustrations,” and 253 (39.0%) responded ”I would like to be taught how to respond in a foreign language (simple conversation).”Conclusions: Our results revealed that when selling OTC drug, response to inquiries in a foreign language occurred frequently and trouble was experienced in listening comprehension and speaking a foreign language.　Therefore, urgent countermeasures such as preparing a multilingual correspondence table of symptoms, usage, and dosage, and lectures on methods of responding through simple foreign language conversations are necessary.　In addition, efforts such as creation of multilingual drug package inserts by pharmaceutical companies were considered to be an effective measure.

Objective:After the start of the Foods with Function Claims system started in April 2015, the number of Foods withFunction Claims has increased every year. As such,the health food market in Japan is expanding and the health foods usedby consumers has been changing. To clarify the influence by which Foods with Function Claims has affected people’seating habits and improved their health, we surveyed people’s recognition and motivations to the Foods with FunctionClaims.Methods:Our survey was conducted with 238 consumers attending a sports club in the Tama area in western Tokyo,Japan.Results:In response to the question recognition of the word “Foods with Function Claims,”43 people(18.1%) responded“I know well,”141 people(59.2%)responded “I have heard it,but I do not know the meaning,”54 people(22.7%)responded“I do not know. I have never heard of it.” In response to the question whether to buy the Foods with Function Claims,77 people (32.4%) responded “I buy if the price is a little higher than not the Foods with Function Claims,”126 people(52.9%) responded “I buy if the price is equal to not the Foods with Function Claims.” In response to the question, 182people(76.5%)responded“I go to the hospital,”40 people(16.8%)responded“I do not go to the hospital and I use the Foodswith Function Claims.”Conclusion: Our results revealed that the recognition of Foods with Function Claims was low. However consumersrecognized that the Foods with Function Claims is worth using. Education to improve recognition for the Foods withFunction Claims is necessary.