Background
On July 23, 1918, Hiroshi Shima was born in Kagawa Prefecture.
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Hiroshi Shima
Edit Profile島 比呂志岸上 薫
Career
His letter prompted a lawsuit resulting in the compensation due to the unconstitutionality of the Japanese leprosy prevention law. Because of the presence of leprosy stigma, patients in leprosy sanatoriums usually used other names than real names not only in Japan, but also in America. After becoming an assistant professor at Tokyo Norin Senmon Gakko Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, he developed leprosy and entered Ooshima Seishoen Sanatorium in 1947, and Hoshizuka Keiaien Sanatorium, Kagoshima Prefecture in 1948.
In 1958, he started a literary journal Kazan Chitai (lava belt) and he was the owner-editors
In June 1990, he received a letter from a patient "why are leprosy patients not angry",concerning the unfair treatment of leprosy patients under the Japanese leprosy prevention law. In July 1997, he wrote a letter to lawyer Ikenaga, which led to the compensation lawsuit due to the unconstitutionality of the Japanese leprosy prevention law.
On June 20, 1999, he left the Hoshizuka Keiaien Sanatorium into society. On March 22, 2003, he died.
His literary ability was already known, and he was given the post of "patients" association staff in charge of a journal.
He was involved in various troubles within the sanatorium. One of his friends commented that he was very good at collecting money, concering his journal. 3, By Otohiko KagaHe is very good at creating novels, related to leprosy and I cannot but admit his ability of creating novels.
Time has changed from the days of Hojou Tamio, a noted leprosy patient-novelist when leprosy was regarded incurable and there were unchangeable circumstances such as "it cannot be helped", and the days of Shima when leprosy can be cured with chemotherapy and doors were opening from the sanatoriums.
There is surely his reason for existing, in his writing novels of his own, in view of the changing situation concerning leprosy.
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Born
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Died
March 22, 2003 (aged 84) -
Nationality
Japan