[Stress management of overseas Japanese in Kuwait]

Forty percent of the Japanese businessmen in overseas positions are working in developing countries. However, few reports on the mental health care for them have been published. The Japan Overseas Medical Fund and The Kuwait Japanese Association has promoted the Kuwait Japanese Clinic. I had an opportunity to work at this clinic and to study the environmental health of Japanese businessmen in Kuwait. I found that in Kuwait, Japanese businessmen had to adapt to climatic, religious, cultural, and historical differences. Therefore, I investigated the incidence of stress related diseases which are caused by these environmental differences. Stress diseases occurred in 15.7 percent of total cases frequently, and some of them were very severe. After my stay in Kuwait, I believe that the setting up of medical information networks between various countries to alleviate medical anxiety and a system whereby instructions in the differences of medical systems in various countries would be very beneficial.