AA Around the World

JAPAN. . . From Masao Taketani, M.D., Director of the Mental Hygiene Consultation Center, Osaka, to GSH: "We, the staff, are very interested in helping the AA group here to have the opportunity to read the literature. The awareness of the alcoholism in Japan is still very limited. . . . Only a few Japanese alcoholics are able to read and comprehend English. We are hoping to translate. . .and distribute free to the people. . . . In November 1956, during Mental Hygiene Week, we introduced what AA was through different media of mass communications. Those who wanted to join gathered together at the center on December 9th. Ever since the group has been meeting twice a month. There are about twenty on the membership list. . . We would like to have your permission in translating the literature into Japanese and mimeograph them to be distributed free to the people in social welfare and medical professions and also to make them available to the members of our AA group." [Ed note--GSH answered with permission for the translations. . .there is now a Japanese group registered at GSH.]