Report: Japanese UN Peacekeepers (50) in Golan Heights Getting Quickly Vaccinated Against SMALLPOX

Yahoo Japan News (in Japanese) ^ | 29 January 2003 | Yahoo Japan News (in Japanese)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Read it just now on Yahoo News Japan [ www.yahoo.co.jp ] in Japanese as a top story (link provided above here).

The Japan Ground Self Defense Forces (JGSDF), which has dispatched approximately 50 peacekeepers to the Golan Heights, has quickly proceeded with vaccinations for all of its troops there against the smallpox virus.

They are being vaccinated with their individual approval and beginning at small doses using vaccination stocks from domestic Japan. The had been dispatched the the ceasefire area for cargo missions and the like for the UNDOF operations in the Golan Heights. Japan is taking this action as they have concerns about Iraqi Weapons of Mass Destruction being unleased in the war and their troops susceptible and see that Iraqi and US troops are already into a vaccine program.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Interesting.

[finnman69]

Naaaaaahhh. Couldn't be that Iraq has smallpox.

[Shermy]

Iraq has small pox stories.

One of the first, 10/7/01 - as reported by 60 Minutes.

[Frank_Discussion]

Also, did we (the US) know that JAPAN had smallpox vaccine?

[Centurion2000]

Very interesting .....

[Moose4]

Wow, I had no idea that the Japanese had deployed any forces on peacekeeping duty. I thought it was still against their postwar constitution to deploy military for any reasons except self-defense.

Interesting indeed. I hope they're OK.

}:-)4

[El Laton Caliente]

Auh... don't you have to make small pox vaccine by killing live smallpox virus?

[Gritty]

Don't forget... our troops got the vaccinations, too.

[cajungirl]

You know all those weenie hospitals and nursing associations who are refusing the vaccine??? Hope they all get caught with their liberal sensibilites showing,,watch out, they will stampede over everyone to get theirs if they get afraid. I hope to get mine this week.

[Jim Noble]

Smallpox vaccine is live cowpox virus.

The vaccacination procedure (vacca is Latin for cow) induces a cowpox infection in your arm. This cowpox infection confers immunity to smallpox for 5-10 years.

Smallpox vaccination does not involve smallpox virus, alive or dead.

[Gritty]

I hope to get mine this week

As soon as they make it available in my area, I'm getting it too.

[Marie]

uh... they did? Who?

[happygrl]

...see that Iraqi and US troops are already into a vaccine program.

Is this correct, or is it a typo regarding Iraqi troops ? Perhaps it should read Israeli troops.

I note that they being vaccinated beginning with small doses; this is surely a very sensible and cautious approach.

[happygrl]

I surmise that the vaccinations were provided by either the US or Israel.

[Kozak]

Auh... don't you have to make small pox vaccine by killing live smallpox virus

Nope. You make smallpox vaccine from the vaccinia virus, a different criter which provides a cross immuninity. Remember Jenner and Cow Pox.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, you are correct, it is "Israeli" troops. I was just too lazy at the end of the day yesterday to change it until now, but you beat me too it. Thanks!

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, for quite some time now, Japan has deployed its troops on foreign soil under the banner of the US, in such PKO operations as Cambodia before and during the general elections, etc. The constitutional revision allows them to do this. Further constitutional revisions have been made to allow them much more aggressive defense of Japan over and above their 'sea lanes.'

They will not take this lying down, particularly regarding that bastard Kim Jong il who is a sharp pebble stuck in their boot these days.

[AmericanInTokyo]

correction: 'under the banner of the UN', instead. Off to a bad start today!