Kentaro_Iwata

Kentaro Iwata

Kentaro Iwata

Japanese physician and infectious diseases expert at Kobe University

Kentaro Iwata (岩田 健太郎, Iwata Kentarō, born 1971) is a Japanese physician, professor and infectious diseases expert at Kobe University.

Quick Facts Born, Alma mater ...

Career

After his graduation from the Shimane Medical University (present-day Medical Faculty of Shimane University) in 1997, Iwata became a medical intern worked at Okinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital [ja].[3][4] In the next year, he became a medical intern worked at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital of Columbia University.[3][4]

Iwata started his career as an internist at Mount Sinai Beth Israel in 2001.[4] In 2004, he returned to Japan and hired by Kameda Medical Center [ja], he was appointed the head of Division of Infectious Disease, head of Comprehensive Medical Infectious Diseases.[3][4] Since 2008 he served as Clinical Department Head Professor of Kobe University.[1][3][4]

COVID-19 outbreak

See also: COVID-19 pandemic on cruise ships and Diamond Princess (ship)

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan, the cruise ship Diamond Princess was quarantined in the Port of Yokohama in Japan. Iwata strongly criticised the management of the situation in two widely circulated YouTube videos published on 18 February.[5][6] In videos, he described the conditions of quarantined Diamond Princess as "completely chaotic",[7][8] and called the ship a "COVID-19 mill".[9] Iwata briefly gained physical access to the ship, saying he observed no infection control measures in place. After being "kicked off" the ship after and then voluntarily quarantining himself, he stated "we have to do something about this cruise. We have to help people inside the ship."[10] On 20 February, he deleted the videos himself, and said "there is no need for further discussing this". He also denied he had been pressured to delete the videos.[11]

In April 2020 he expressed pessimism that the Olympics could be held in 2021.[12]

References

  1. [1]
    "岩田健太郎＜コラムニストプロフィール＞". AERAdot. (in Japanese). Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  2. [2]
    "For Those Who SeekTreatment at Kobe University Hospital". Kobe University Hospital. Archived from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. [3]
    "岩田健太郎（神戸大学大学院医学系研究科感染治療学分野教授）" (in Japanese). Nikkei BP. 2010-11-22. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  4. [4]
    "講師情報：岩田 健太郎（いわた けんたろう）" (in Japanese). CareNeTV. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  5. [5]
    Bhattacharya, Suryatapa (19 February 2020). "'I Was So Scared': Infectious Disease Doctor's Day on Japan's Coronavirus Cruise Ship". The Wall Street Journal.
  6. [6]
    McCurry, Justin (19 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Diamond Princess exodus begins amid criticism over quarantine". The Guardian.
  7. [7]
    Normile, Dennis (19 February 2020). "Scientist decries 'completely chaotic' conditions on cruise ship Japan quarantined after viral outbreak". Science.
  8. [8]
    Yoshida, Reiji (19 February 2020). "Expert stirs controversy with video on 'inadequate' virus controls on Diamond Princess". Japan Times.
  9. [9]
    Sim, Walter (19 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Did Japan miss the boat in containing Diamond Princess outbreak?". The Straits Times.
  10. [10]
    Schumaker, Erin (February 19, 2020). "Japanese expert who sneaked onto Diamond Princess cruise ship describes 'zero infection control' for coronavirus". ABC News. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
  11. [11]
    "Japan disease expert pulls videos blasting situation on virus-hit ship". Kyodo News. 20 February 2020.
  12. [12]
    "Japan virus expert Kentaro Iwata 'pessimistic' Olympics can be held in 2021". Japan Times. April 20, 2020. Retrieved February 9, 2021.
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