📘 “COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS project”

❓ Where is the project based?
✅ The project is currently operated from Yokohama, Japan—a place deeply connected to the author’s personal and intellectual roots.
While some formal registrations are simplified in the publication, the creative and public-facing work is carried out mainly from Yokohama.

❓ Why is this book published in English?

✅ Because this issue has international consequences. Some of the involved parties contributed to WHO guidelines and English-language journals. Global readers deserve transparency.

❓ Are you fluent in English?

✅ I am a native Japanese speaker and a medical doctor. I use AI tools and editorial support for English clarity. The content is readable but prioritizes truth over polish.

❓ Is Takuma Hanabuchi a real person?
✅ Takuma Hanabuchi is a pen name. To maintain academic transparency, the appendix of Volume 1 on this website lists the author's peer-reviewed publications (journal name, year, and PMID) without disclosing the real name.

This book is a personal project and is not affiliated with any institution or employer.
Sumika Hanabuchi, on the other hand, is a fictional character who serves as the book’s narrator.

❓ Why are you doing this? What is your purpose?
✅ To help restore social integrity.
This project was initiated to address a structural blind spot in Japan’s medical system—where professional titles are misrepresented, and diagnostic responsibility is blurred.
By raising public awareness and encouraging dialogue, the goal is to promote transparency, accountability, and long-term reform in both medicine and academia.

❓Is this a personal exposé?

✅ No. It is a structural investigation based on a true story. The aim is to promote institutional reform, not to attack individuals.

❓ What makes this issue urgent now?

✅ Recent government notifications and academic discussions show this gray zone is being quietly tolerated — and it affects patient care and research credibility.

❓ Is this a scientific book or a social book?

✅ Both. While grounded in real cases involving medical authorship and credentials, the book also examines cultural and institutional factors in Japan. It bridges science, law, and ethics.

❓ Is this issue legally controversial?

✅ Yes. Under Japan’s Medical Practitioners Act, only licensed physicians (MDs) are authorized to diagnose conditions beyond the oral domain. Dentists, for example, are legally permitted to diagnose only diseases within the oral cavity.

This book highlights how these legal boundaries are often bypassed in practice—when non-physicians, including dentists, provide diagnostic opinions on systemic diseases and cancers belonging to the medical (not dental) domain.

❓ Is this project aligned with your university?

✅ Yes. From the early stages of this project, I consulted with relevant university departments to ensure institutional compliance.

This is an independent initiative, but all necessary notifications and declarations have been properly submitted.

❓ Will the submitted comments be used for research?
✅ Not at this point. The primary purpose of this initiative is to promote ethical and transparent healthcare through dialogue with the public. Comments are therefore part of that dialogue, and may be referenced in future publications or used as a basis for communication with relevant institutions.

There is a possibility that the comments could eventually inform academic discussions or be used in formal research. However, there is currently no research plan in place, and no decision has been made regarding their academic use.

Questions specifically related to potential research use are addressed below.

❓ How do you handle personal information from comments?

✅ All submitted comments are anonymous or optional. No identifiable personal data is collected or used.

If comments are ever considered for academic purposes, they will be handled in non-identifiable form and only in accordance with relevant ethical standards and procedures, as appropriate.

❓ Will this lead to formal academic research?

✅ Possibly. This project is currently in the pre-research phase. If it ever develops into formal research, proper consideration will be given to ethical aspects and institutional procedures will be followed as necessary.

📄 For full details on privacy and potential academic use of comments, please see the PDF guide below: