VOX POPULI: Germ-free obsession makes us susceptible

Tomio Tada, an immunologist who died in April, used to write the "Rakuyo Sekigo" column in the vernacular Yomiuri Shimbun.

Even though Yomiuri is our main rival, I was a big fan of Tada's edifying column. Thus, I enjoyed reading it again when Seidosha Inc. published the columns in book form.

Tada was concerned about the recent Japanese obsession with "germ-free" cleanliness.

He wrote: "An occasional bout of fever or diarrhea in a child means the young body is learning to battle germs. ... Unless a child's body learns this during its growth period, it will not develop sufficient resistance against bacteria, which in turn will make the child more susceptible to various allergies."

And he added, "Take it from me. I am an immunologist."

But the obsession with cleanliness Tada warned against seems only to be getting worse.

The Asahi Shimbun recently ran a story about a children's sandbox lined with an anti-bacterial charcoal, called Binchotan, and then filled with sterilized sand.

The sandbox is installed in a shopping mall and users must pay a fee to enter. Still, it is popular because it is free of dog and cat excrement, according to the story.

The Koe (Voice) section of the Asahi Shimbun's Tokyo edition printed a letter from a senior high school student complaining about this phenomenon. "To anyone who is obsessed (with cleanliness), even bird droppings can be offensively unclean," the writer said.

I agree with this teenager. No living being can survive in a completely antiseptic, squeaky-clean environment. Life is essentially "unclean," if you will.

The paper also quoted a retired university professor as saying, "Our society could be turning out a whole new generation of people who will never touch a cat or a dog in their lives."

And with grown-ups constantly warning children to "stay away from danger" or "keep the noise down," I understand that more youngsters today are staying indoors to play.

It worries me that they may be missing out on something very important in their young lives.

Using all five senses while being totally absorbed in play is a childhood experience that is said to ensure far greater vitality in adult life than modern parents think.

Adults must not nip that potential in the bud by overprotecting their children.

This pretty much sums up Tada's argument, and I view it as valuable advice on all aspects of parenting.

--The Asahi Shimbun, June 11

* * *

Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.