Addressing a serious danger close to us all!
I have been proactively engaged in awareness activities that can help
save you and your family from “medically induced” drug harms,
especially from the benzodiazepines, which are prescribed for stress,
anxiety, sleep, etc. and come under various brand names such as Xanax.
World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) Founder, Wayne Douglas
New Zealander residing in Japan and global campaigner for over 20 years.

Sponsorship / donations needed
to complete documentary highlighting a major“medically induced” drug problem. Release deadline: end of 2025

See below for more about me and campaigning efforts
Together we can make a difference. Let’s reduce the needless suffering andisolation. Your help is appreciated – thank you!
Email: benzocasejapan@gmail.com

Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Donations ..................................................................................................... 2
World Benzodiazepine Awarness Day Flyer Front (Drug Info) ................ 3
World Benzodiazepine Awarness Day Flyer Back (Drug Names) ............ 4
Letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr (US Presedential Candidate) .................. 5~7
Appearance in Award-winning Documentary: As Prescribed ................... 8
My Documentary (in the making) ............................................................... 9
Photos of Campaigning Efforts ................................................................... 10~12
Endorsements .............................................................................................. 13~23
8a. Member of UK House of Commons (Dobbin MP)
8b. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology (Ashton)
8c. British Prime Minister (Cameron)
8d. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology (Lader)
8e. UK All-Parliamentary Group
8f. Invite to Westminster Parliament
8g. Psychiatrist, Scientist, Psychopharmacologist, Author (Healy)
8h. Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry (Tajima)
8i. Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry (Inaga)
8j. Japan Iatrogenic Drug Damage Expert (Beppu)
8k. UK Drug Rehabilitation Specialist (Boyd)

9.

World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day Endorsements ............................. 24~27
9a. From expert neuropsychopharmacologist who ran abenzodiazepine withdrawal clinic for twelve years
9b. From one of the first experts to describe problems withbenzodiazepines in the scientific literature
9c. From a Harvard trained psychiatrist andformer consultant at NIMH, U.S.

10. My Publicity ................................................................................................. 28~33
10a. The Japan Times – Feature Article
10b. New Zealand Herald (NZ’s largest newspaper)
10c. Yomiuri Newspaper 1 (Largest Newspaper Worldwide)
10d. Yomiuri Newspaper 2 (Largest Newspaper Worldwide)
10e. Asahi Newspaper (Major Japanese Newspaper)
10f. Stuff (NZ’s largest online news)
11.
12.
13.
14.

About Me ...................................................................................................... 34
My Drug Damages Case .............................................................................. 35
My Camapainging and Contributions ........................................................ 36~43
Footnote to Kennedy Above (my background etc.) ..................................... 44~46

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1. Donations
Whilst juggling various associated awareness activities, work on this documentary is
to be completed by the end of next year. This production aims to make a significant
impact on improving the status quo regarding the serious issue of medically induced
drug damage. $20,000 is needed to complete production. Please lend your support.
Contribute by credit card

To make a credit card contribution please visit the donation page on the World
Benzodiazepine Awareness Day website.
_______________________________________________________________________
Contribute by PayPal

To make a contribution by PayPal, please use this account name:wmdouglas@gmail.com_______________________________________________________________________
Contribute by bank transfer

Bank: TSB New Zealand
Branch: Waitara
Address: 33 McLean St, Waitara 4320
Account number: 15-3945-045782-00
Account name: Wayne Douglas
SWIFT number (for transfers from outside NZ): TSBANZ22 then account number
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2. W-BAD Pamphlet Front(Download)

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3. W-BAD Pamphlet Back
(Download)

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4. Letter to Robert F. Kennedy Jr
US Presidential Candidate

Considering that presendential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
is a 40-year veteran lawyer well versed in the inner workings ofdrug companies and the negative effects of prescribed drug
damage on society, I took the liberty of sending him the following
correspondence.

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Support for Changing Status Quo Re: Pharmaceuticals, Benzos (Xanax etc.)
To Robert F. Kennedy Jr and TeamAs the founder of World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD), I wholeheartedlyshare your ambition of pushing back against the untoward influences of thepharmaceutical industrial complex, the associated undermining of governments andthe devastating impact that this is having on global society.
In light of my contributions to the cause, especially those concerning the socioeconomic
damage from the benzodiazepines (Xanax etc.), together with my own personal
suffering and the need to present a wider global perspective of the problem, I was
invited to contribute footage to the recent award-winning documentary As Prescribed.
(See website, Sheffield DocFest and Vimeo trailer at 3:10 mark)As a New Zealander held up in Japan, my campaigning efforts have involved
attending periodic talks with government officials at Japan’s Health Ministry,
presenting at Japan’s House of Representatives and disseminating information
packages to all 713 national politicians in Tokyo. Through the W-BAD platform, we
have obtained official resolutions from four US states supporting our initiative.
Having had close involvement for many years with world-leading experts specialisingin medically induced drug damages (Ashton, Lader, Beppu, Healy etc.), I recently
completed a draft article for Mikhaila Peterson whose father Jordan Peterson almost
lost his life to “as-prescribed” benzodiazepines, calling the situation a “Catastrophe.”
I am hopeful that collective, global, grassroots initiatives, including those like W-BAD
above, can in some way contribute to your efforts at a political level for changing thestatus quo.
With this in mind, any mutual support, or third party support, such as a brief message
from you to appear on the W-BAD website or introducing any potential backers for:progressing the W-BAD initiative, completing an unprecedented documentary in-themaking, getting a related book published (endorsed by the late Prof. Ashton), gaining
wider media coverage etc., would undoubtedly help encourage a grassroots
groundswell in support of reliable leadership for much-needed, positive change.
Having received several messages of support from world leading experts, I have all but
one from a politician / political campaigner, that being the late Jim Dobbin MP, UK
Parliament, who wrote as follows.

“Dear Wayne, well done for all you are doing to get information out there about therisks associated with these drugs. I hope you educate many people in the course ofyour campaigning. Kind Regards, Jim Dobbin. House of Commons, London.”6
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I appreciate your sincerity and willingness to work alongside regular people. While
sharing your sentiments for restoring the traditional values of integrity, dignity, trust
and respect, I would be most grateful if you would kindly consider the above
grassroots efforts for contributing in some small way to the ultimate, shared goal ofpolitical change and system reforms. A short message of support would definitely bemost welcome.
Together, we can stand to make a difference. Wishing you all the very best for theupcoming presidential election.
Yours respectfully,
Wayne Douglas
P.S. I tried to donate to your campaign and get on board that sailing venture with you,but as a non US resident, I was unable to participate, not that I could afford the
airfare anyway… Supporting in spirit and by what other means, nonetheless.

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5. Appearance in Award-winning
Documentary: As Prescribed
As shown in the above Kennedy letter, in light of my contributions to the cause,
especially those concerning the socioeconomic damage from the benzodiazepines(Xanax etc.), together with my own personal suffering and the need to present a wider
global perspective of the problem, I was invited to contribute footage to the recent
award-winning documentary As Prescribed.

Appearing in the film are scenes from the inaugural W-BAD visitation to the Japan
Health Ministry on 11 July 2016 when more than 30 participants, including victims
and supporters, came from all over Japan (as far south as Okinawa and as far north as
Aomori) to take part in talks with ministry officials. (See As Prescribed website andVimeo trailer at 3:10 mark)8
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6. My Documentary (in the making)Completing this production can help bring about change!

Sentence by Prescription
The Call for Justice(A Self-Produced Documentary)

A young man filled with potential travels to Japan from New Zealand.
Medical negligence and legal coverups strip him of the life he once knew.
Entrapped in a web of injustice in Japan, he continues his quest forjustice and for the greater cause. This film presents the entire true story.

Can You Help?
$20,000 is needed to complete production. Any support no matter how
small can go a long way. Please see donation page above.

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7. Photos of Campaigning Efforts

W-BAD pamphlet campaign
Shinjuku Station, Tokyo
W-BAD visitation to
Japan Health Ministry

Public speaking
outside Shinjuku Station
Submitting petition to ministry officials

Presentation at Japan House of Representatives
First Members’ Building
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Delivering W-BAD flyers at Japan’s
Upper and Lower Parliament Houses

Delivering W-BAD flyers toPrime Minister Shinzo Abe’s office

Meeting with MP Ryuhei Kawata at
Japan’s Upper House of Councillors
together with Medwatcher Japan Vice
Chair Dr. Hirokuni Beppu and Dystonia
Support Group Chair Mr. Kawashima

Posing questions to political party leader
Taro Yamamoto during his public rally
and handing out W-BAD flyers

Taking part in press conference with
Medwatcher Japan representatives
regarding doctors petition to
Japanese government

Meeting with Yoshimi Watanabe MP
at Japan’s Upper House of Councillors

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Heading talks during W-BAD
visitation to Japan’s Health Ministry

Attending politicians banquet with
Ryuhei Kawata MP, his wife Mika
Tsutsumi and W-BAD Japan Rep
Kazuko Shimada

Attending press conference after presentations on dangers of prescribedbenzodiazepines at Japan’s House of Representatives
Pictured from left: Reiko Ueda, Tokyo Metropolitan Legislator
Wayne Douglas, W-BAD Representative
Dr. Masato Wakakura, Renowned expert and Hospital Director
Event organiser: Mrs Yuriko Tada

Presenting at 2014 ISAM
(International Society of Addiction Medicine) World Congress in Yokohama
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8. Endorsements
8a. Member of the House of Commons, UK Parliament

Jim Dobbin MP
2 July 2014
Dear Wayne,
Well done for all you are doing to get information out there about the risks associatedwith these drugs and I hope you educate many people in the course of yourcampaigning.
Kind Regards
Jim
Jim Dobbin MP
House of Commons, London

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8b. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology,
University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. World renowned
Authority

Prof. Heather Ashton
27 March 2014
Wayne Douglas is a brave man who, in designing the website Benzo Case Japan, hasused his own suffering in order to benefit others. His aim is to increase awarenessamong doctors and the public about the adverse effects of psychotropic drugs,
especially tranquillisers such as benzodiazepines.
This clever website, which can be read in both Japanese and English, tells the story of
how Wayne, while living in Japan, was wrongly prescribed anti-anxiety drugs(benzodiazepine tranquillisers) in large doses and for long periods. As a result hebecame addicted to the drugs which caused severe physical and mental symptoms.
Because of the ignorance of doctors, Wayne was forced to plough his own lonely furrow
in order to gain information about the effects of the drugs. After learning more about
the drugs, he courageously managed to withdraw himself from them. Then after muchresearch into worldwide sources, he later developed more ‘expertise’ on the subject.
The website contains comprehensive information about the drugs. It also tells theenthralling story from the human and personal angle of how Wayne endured his
medical suffering, prepared a court case which he lost at the Tokyo High Court, andhow at the same time he suffered as a resident of Fukushima, and like so many others,
had to endure the appalling consequences of the 3-11 disaster.
This website should be visited by all doctors and members of the public, especiallythose who have been prescribed benzodiazepines or other psychotropic drugs. All could
benefit from the 14 years of work and dedication that Wayne has devoted to thesubject.
Heather Ashton, D.M., F.R.C.P. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology,
University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England.

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8c. British Prime Minister

Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister23 October 2013.
“First, I pay tribute to the Hon. Gentleman Jim Dobbin who has campaigned strongly
on this issue over many years. I join him in paying tribute to Professor Ashton, whom
I know has considerable expertise in this area.”“He is right to say that this is a terrible affliction; these people are not drug addicts
but they have become hooked on repeat prescriptions of tranquillisers...”Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Both British MP, the late Hon. Jim Dobbin, and the late Professor Heather Ashton(world leading authority on benzodiazepines) who each provided me with the above
endorsements, were themselves endorsed by the British Prime Minister for theirtireless work on addressing the issue of prescribed benzodiazepine harms.
The Prime Minister’s comment above was in response to a question put forward by the
All Party Parliamentary Group on Involuntary Tranquilliser Addiction (APPGITA)
Chair Jim Dobbin.

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8d. Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology,
King’s College London. World Renowned Authority

Prof. Malcolm Lader
8 August 2014
Dear Wayne,
You were certainly subject to judicial mishandling of your case! I greatly sympathisewith you.
In the UK cases are now being settled out of court but only if the management of thepatient’s benzodiazepine usage can be deemed to be a breach of duty of care.
Increasingly, unjustified prolongation of benzo usage beyond 4 weeks is taken as clear
evidence of this. I get the feeling that our medical defence organisations are beginningto see vast legal and financial implications. Of course we have our National Formulary
which carries great weight. I do not know if there is an equivalent authority in Japan.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Malcolm Lader
O.B.E., LL.B., Ph.D., M.D., D.Sc., F.R.C. Psych., F. Med Sci.
Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology
P056, Institute of Psychiatry,King’s College London

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8e. UK All-Parliamentary Group

All-Parliamentary Group (Chair Jim Dobbin MP)
11 July 2014
On behalf of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Involuntary Tranquilliser
Addiction and its supporters in the United Kingdom I would like to commend Wayne
Douglas for his campaign in Japan against the worldwide problem of Involuntary
Tranquilliser Addiction.
We are also campaigning in the UK for the adoption by the National Health Service of
the Ashton Manual as a safe and successful withdrawal method from tranquilliser
addiction.
Jim Dobbin MP
Chair APPGITA

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8f. Invite to Westminster Parliament

Researcher, Administrator for All-Parliamentary Group Michael Behan
11 August 2014
Dear Wayne,
The House of Commons Home Affairs Select Committee is planning an Inquiry into
the social harms caused by addiction to prescribed medicines particularly
benzodiazepines and antidepressants. I have been asked by the Committee to provide
a list of suggested witnesses. The Committee wish to call international witnesses,
would you like your name to go forward ? The Inquiry will be held at the Westminster
Parliament probably in December 2014 and expenses are available.
Best wishes
Michael Behan
APPGITA------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------As above, my name was put forward to attend an International Inquiry into the social
harms caused by dependency on prescribed pharmaceuticals particularly
benzodiazepines and antidepressants. The inquiry was planned by The House ofCommons Home Affairs Select Committee and was to be held at Westminster
Parliament in 2014; however, following the unfortunate passing of Chairman, Jim
Dobbin, the inquiry was postponed indefinitely.
News extract: Last weekend saw the death of a great but
almost unknown warrior for patients’ rights and care. Jim
Dobbin MP, the chairman of the All Party ParliamentaryGroup on Involuntary Tranquilliser Addiction, diedsuddenly at the age of 73 while on a human rights visit to
Poland. He was the son of a coal miner who went on to
become a microbiologist, then served as a Labour MP(Heywood and Middleton in Greater Manchester) since1997. He won a 5,971 majority at the last election. He wasmade a papal knight by Pope Benedict.
Over a decade ago, he took up the cause of the 1.5 million sufferers in the UK unwittingly hooked on
benzodiazepines and ‘Z drugs’ prescribed by their doctors. It was in response to his prompting that David
Cameron took up the issue, stating in Parliament last October (Hansard 900621): (see Cameron statement
above) Source: www.conservativewoman.co.uk (see article)

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8g. Psychiatrist, Scientist, Psychopharmacologist,
Author, World Renowned Authority

Prof. David Healy
15 July 2014
Dear Wayne
What you’ve done on the site (Benzo Case Japan) is excellent. It’s important tohighlight the risks of all psychotropic drugs, including benzodiazepines, and mostimportantly dependence on antidepressants all of which are overly prescribed.
David
David Healy
Professor of Psychiatry
United Kingdom
Wikipedia

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8h. Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Kyorin University

Prof. Osamu Tajima
21 July 2014
(Re: Wayne Douglas’s Website and Campaign Efforts)
There are many kinds of psychotropic drugs, including benzodiazepines for stress andsleep, being irresponsibly prescribed long term in cases of stress, anxiety, depression
etc. brought about by life’s day to day problems (Often somatic / physical complaints
associated with daily stress cannot be explained using conventional medical tests).
Many doctors are not aware of the severity of the problems that can occur upon
reduction and withdrawal from these types of drugs. This website (Benzo Case Japan)
provides important information for both people having difficulties with withdrawal
and for prescribing doctors as well.
Osamu Tajima MD, PhD
Emeritus Prof. of Psychiatry and Mental Health
Kyorin Univ. School of Health Sciences------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Below is the reply I received from Prof. Tajima
Dear Mr. Douglas,
Thank you very much for your contact. I already know your name and your personal
struggle for prolonged benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome that leads to your efforts
to translate the Ashton Manual into Japanese. I would like to accept your request.
It is my pleasure and honour to have an opportunity like this. I am so much concerned
about the current overprescription of psychotropic drugs including benzodiazepines inJapan and in many other developed countries. Prof. Healy is my close friend and now I
am trying to change such situation. Anyway I would like to send you my brief message
in Japanese later.
Sincerely
Osamu Tajima MD, PhD
Prof. of Psychiatry and Mental Health
Kyorin Univ. School of Health Sciences
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8i. Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry, Kurume University

Prof. Kazutoyo Inanaga
19 August 2014
(Re: Wayne Douglas’s Website and Campaign Efforts)
Among anxiolytics and sedatives, the benzodiazepines are the most widely used drugs
for the management of insomnia and anxiety. Following prolonged treatment,
however, tolerance often develops which paves the way for withdrawal symptoms ofwhich there are very many including anxiety, agitation, sleep disturbances and so on.
This website (Benzo Case Japan) provides important information for both doctors
prescribing anxiolytics or sedatives and for people taking them.
Kazutoyo Inanaga, MD, PhD
Emeritus Professor, Psychiatry
Kureme University

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8j. Japan Iatrogenic Drug Damage Expert

From Tokyo University School of Medicine, Vice Chair Medwatcher Japan
Former Director Yokohama Sowa Hospital, Dr. Hirokuni Beppu
4 July 2020
(Re: Wayne Douglas’s Court Case)
It is clear the Judges intentionally employed a misleading medical term (Autonomic
Nervous Disorder) to create confusion. Even lay-people would know that. The judges
intended to construct a loss from the outset. They pretended to hear from both sides
fairly and impartially. Then delivered their predetermined conclusion.
They were all well too aware of the contradictions in their line of reasoning. They no
doubt began with the conclusion first. Then constructed the judgment by twisting the
logic to reach the desired conclusion. It was all just a play with words.
It is clear they only focused on so-called evidence that is convenient while planting
various quotes, such as: “Expert so-and-so says this and that.” “The drug package
inserts say this and that.” Then they continue along the lines: “So there was noproblem with the prescriptions.” “The plaintiff was suffering from autonomic nervous
disorder or stress from living in Japan that might have caused such symptoms.”
It is an atrocious verdict; just reading it is sickening.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Profile
Dr. Hirokuni Beppu: From Tokyo University School of Medicine, Former Head of Neurology
Tokyo Metropolitan Neurological Hospital, Former Director Yokohama Sowa Hospital,
Practicing Clinical Neurologist, Pharmaceutical Analyst and Researcher, Founder of medical
journal, The Informed Prescriber (TIP), Editor for the International Journal of Risk andSafety in Medicine, Editor for the British Medical Journal, Vice Chair of Japan’s largest
independent medical watchdog, Medwatcher Japan, Director of DIPEx-Japan, Fellow of The
Japanese Society of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Honorary Fellow of the Japan
Pharmacoepidemiology Society, Author of the book, When Doctors Question Medicine,Translator of the book, The Use of Essential Drugs, by the World Health Organization
and The HPV Vaccine On Trial which has sold out in Japan, Chief Editor of The Ashton
Manual in Japanese.
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8k. UK Drug Rehabilitation Specialist

Deirdre Boyd
20 September 2014
Dear Wayne,
Congratulations on the excellent Benzo Case Japan website and your othereducational work on the dangers of benzodiazepines.
Far too many lives have been destroyed by these addictive, psychoactive drugs –because patients trusted their doctors would prescribe only the best and “do no harm”.
Far too few people know of the dangers. Even fewer know where to get help to recoverfrom benzodiazepines. Healthier, holistic alternatives to pharmaceutical drugs should
also be made widely available to address patients’ needs.
Just as almost everyone today knows about the harms of alcohol and tobacco, so theyshould about benzodiazepines; only that way can they make informed choices. Work
like yours is urgently needed and should be supported and expanded.
Deirdre Boyd
Head of DB Recovery Resources daily news
CEO of the Addiction Recovery Foundation & Editor of Addiction Today
Founder of the UK/European Symposia on Addictive Disorders

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9. World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day
Endorsements

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9a. From expert neuropsychopharmacologist who ran abenzodiazepine withdrawal clinic for twelve years

Professor C. Heather Ashton, D.M., F.R.C.P
18 May 2017
Thanks to everyone’s efforts, World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) now
stands as an annual day of recognition and commemoration.
I deeply appreciate everything that is being done to call attention to the scourge ofbenzodiazepine dependency, and in doing so, to stand up for the millions of people,
who through no fault of their own, have suffered and continue to suffer in its grip. I
congratulate everyone for the progress made over the decades, latterly through thework on W-BAD. I extend my very best wishes for the progression of this excellent
campaign.
I know countless of others are fighting in the same struggle – a few known to me but
many not – and I salute all of them with the same gratitude, respect and warmth.
Professor C. Heather Ashton, D.M., F.R.C.P., Emeritus Professor of
Psychopharmacology, Academic Psychiatry, Wolfson Research Centre, UK

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9b. From one of the first experts to describe problems
with benzodiazepines in the scientific literature

Professor Malcolm H. Lader, Emeritus Professor O.B.E.
10 May 2017
World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) has become an annual event, adevelopment that I welcome and endorse. Too often interest is stimulated in an ongoing and difficult medical problem only to subside as people move on to somethingelse. The problem of iatrogenic, normal-dose benzodiazepine dependence is notlessening; concern must continue and even increase. I thank those who are involved
for this initiative.
Professor Malcolm H. Lader, Emeritus Professor O.B.E., LL.B., D.Sc., Ph.D., M.D.,
F.R.C. Psych., F. Med. Sci.
Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psychopharmacology, Institute of Psychiatry,
Neurology and Neuroscience, King's College London, UK

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9c. From a Harvard trained psychiatrist and former
consultant at NIMH, U.S.

Dr. Peter R. Breggin, M.D.
4 July 2017
Benzodiazepines have become a plague on humanity, causing harm to the brains andbodies of millions of people and inflicting severe withdrawal reactions. People, whohave taken these medications long-term, too often suffer from lasting adverse effects.
This website and World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD) helps spread theword about the dangers of these drugs. It also provides inspiring examples of people,
who are battling through withdrawal, as they seek to highlight the dangers to us all.
With the right help, many people can go on to recover, and to live good and satisfying
lives.
My book, Psychiatric Drug Withdrawal, describes why and how to safely withdraw
from benzodiazepines and from other psychiatric drugs.
Dr. Peter R. Breggin, M.D., Psychiatrist and author of Guilt, Shame and Anxiety:
Understand and Overcoming Negative Emotions

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10. My Publicity
10a. The Japan Times – Feature Article

Tuesday, 13 March 2012
By SIMON SCOTTNew Zealander loses legal fight overcrippling med addiction― Former Japan resident seeks to spread word about
the dangers of benzodiazepines ―A changed man: Wayne Douglas took his
fight for justice and compensation over a
debilitating addiction to benzodiazepines
as far as the Supreme Court of Japan,
which refused to hear his case. Douglas
was prescribed the drugs for sevenmonths as part of what the doctor
allegedly called a “radical” course oftreatment.
Photo credit: Simon Scott
When Wayne Douglas arrived home in New Zealand from Japan in early 2001, his own
mother didn’t recognize him at the airport.
Read all28
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10b. New Zealand Herald (NZ’s largest newspaper)

Sunday, 15 April 2012
By CHLOE JOHNSONDrug victim who lost casevows to fight on
A teacher who became addicted to tranquillisers in Japan has lost a 10-year legal fightfor compensation but says he will not give up…
Read all
Douglas says his fight for justice will never stop. He has created a website for people
in similar situations and is writing a novel to build awareness.
Visit Wayne Douglas’ website at www.benzo-case-japan.com

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10c. Yomiuri Newspaper 1 (Largest Newspaper Worldwide)

Monday, 20 August 2012
By MITSUNOBU SATO

Anxiety and Sleeping Pill Dependency (8)To Commemorate Publiciszing the Manual in
Japanese We Asked Prof. Ashton
The Ashton Manual in Japanese, together with updated supplement, authored by
Heather Ashton, Emeritus Professor of Clinical Psycho-pharmacology at the Instituteof Neuroscience, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, England, was publicly releasedon August 19, 2012. The release came later than first planned, but this was due to thedeliberate exhaustive measures taken to ensure the translation reads smoothly andadditional annotations were made to accommodate Japanese needs.
The people in charge of producing the Japanese version of the manual, whilst
maintaining close contact with Prof. Ashton, were Mr. Ryo Tanaka, who we introduced
previously, and Translator cum English Teacher Mr. Wayne Douglas from New
Zealand. Both are victims who were given benzodiazepines long term resulting in
suffering from prescription drug dependence. I would like to pay my respects to themboth for translating the manual as volunteers. The medical editing was overseen by
Neurologist, Dr. Hirokuni Beppu, Chief Editor of The Informed Prescriber, and Prof.
Reisaku Tanaka, Neurophysiologist from Tohoku Bunka Gakuen University.
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10d. Yomiuri Newspaper 2 (Largest Newspaper Worldwide)＊Benzo Case Japan
http://www.benzo-case-japan.com

Wayne Douglas working diligently on his website(at Nagano residence)
Friday, 11 April 2014
Medical Treatment Revisited No. 5796
Series: Prescription Drugs - Dangerous Prescribing
By MITSUNOBU SATO

Continuous Slapdash Prescribing
Leads to Drug Dependence
At the end of last month a website called Benzo Case Japan was launched to help raiseawareness about the adverse effects of benzodiazepine drugs and how to withdrawal.
The website was created by New Zealander Wayne Douglas (47) together with the helpof doctors, including those from England, and is available in both English andJapanese.
Mr. Douglas first came to Japan at age 25 with an interest in Japanese culture. He
worked in local level international relations at various local government offices
throughout the country and as an English teacher.
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10e. Asahi Newspaper (Major Japanese Newspaper)

Tuesday, 22 July 2014 By Editorial Board Member: FUMIKAZU ASAI

Be Cautious of Hypnotic / Anxiolytic Drug
Dependence - Even on Prescribed Doses

New Zealander Wayne Douglas (47), currently residing in Nagano, came to Japan in
1992. He has worked as an English teacher and international relations officer forvarious government agencies. With his outstanding Japanese ability, everything was
progressing well. However… Read all (Japanese only)
NB: The survey referred to in this article consists of many shortfalls, failing to expose
the true scale of the situation.
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10f. Stuff (NZ’s largest online news)
Wayne Douglas israising awarenessof the issues
aroundbenzodiazepines,
prescribed drugs
for sleep, anxiety,stress, and muscle
relaxing which
can cause
addiction issues.
Photo: poster used
for presentation
at international
conference in
Yokohama andhomepage for
World
Benzodiazepine
Awareness Day.

Wednesday, 13 February 2019
By STEPHANIE MITCHELL

From Tokyo to Taranaki
How a Prescription Drug
Destroyed Wayne Douglas’ Life
After living through hell on earth in Japan, Wayne Douglas thought moving home would be
his salvation. It wasn’t…
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11. About Me
Name: Wayne Douglas
DOB: 9 September 1966
From: South Auckland, New Zealand
University Major: Japanese
Employment History: International
relations, translator, English teacher,
event organiser
Hobbies: Outdoor pursuits, gym training,cookingTime in Japan: Approx 25 years (as at
March 2024)

In front of Shinjuku Station
with W-BAD leaflet

Personal Background:
I was adopted out at six-weeks. I grew
up in a lower-middle classneighbourhood in South Auckland, New
Zealand. My adoptive father left thefamily home when I was 4 years old,
leaving my Mother to raise my younger
brother and me alone while holding
down a fulltime job. At age nine, I
entered boarding school.

After leaving school, I worked in the building industry, but due to the economic
downturn in the late 1980s, there was no work around. So, at age 23, I returned tohigh school on the adult education program to study Japanese.
The following year, I moved into the city to continue with my Japanese studies atuniversity. However, these studies didn’t come cheap. Before I knew it, I had a student
loan and a bank loan, as well as my Mother had dipped into her retirement savings to
help get me through. Not wanting to let her down, I completely applied myself andwas awarded a scholarship for outstanding students of the Japanese language before
graduating in 1995.
After graduation, wanting to foster ties between Japan and New Zealand, improve myJapanese skills and pay back my student loans, I spent several years working in thefield of International relations at various Japanese government offices in Japan. As
my work record improved, I was invited to give lectures on cross-culturalcommunications for mid-career officials at Japan’s Personnel Authority and received arecommendation from the Miyazaki Regional Government for a key position at theCouncil of Local Authorities for International Relations in Tokyo. I also had otheropportunities, such as television appearances on a weekly TV show.
My work had been highly acclaimed receiving publicity on TV and other media both in
New Zealand and Japan. Everything was progressing smoothly and everything waslooking on the up, until one day on 11 May 2000… Read all34
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12. My Drug Damages CaseIn front of Supreme Court with verdict

My case was Japan’s first drug damage trial
involving benzodiazepine prescription drugs.
According to Dr Hirokuni Beppu, Japan’s
leading drug damage specialist, it was thefirst time that logic had been applied inJapan to clinically prove benzodiazepine
prescription drug dependence. This effectively
set a precedent for others to pursue litigation(see case page).
However, the court twisted both the logic andthe dependence diagnostic criteria to pervert
proceedings and deny rightful justice.

Summary of trial and proceedings
Feb 2003:
Preparations.
Feb 2006:
Mediation (initially representing myself) at Tokyo Summary Court.
Jun 2007: Tokyo District Court.
Sep 2008:
After short reprieve in NZ, returned to Japan to testify(no accommodation, no job nor money).
Sep 2009:
Tokyo High Court.
May 2011: Appeal to Supreme Court (representing myself in midst of
3/11 mega-quake and Fukushima nuclear disaster, jobless, homeless).
Oct 2011:
Supreme Court decision (case closed).
Main Evidence
Patient files and DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for drug (substance) dependence.
Main Arguments
Most inappropriately, the central argument became a case of whether I had
Autonomic Nervous Disorder (AND) or iatrogenic BZD dependence.
Note
This argument was totally illogical because my entire nervous system had become
hyperactive as a result of BZD dependence and withdrawal reactions (See Autonomic
Nervous Disorder).
As above, I fought this case in earnest to get wider recognition of the suffering caused
by prescribed benzodiazepines. Including preparations, it was a ten year battle
through to the Supreme Court.
My lawyer and I made every effort to set a precedent with a view to lobbying for safer
benzodiazepine prescription guidelines in Japan and to help raise greater awarenessin general worldwide (See Case Section).
However, the courts worked proceedings to construct a deceiving, false narrative while
twisting reality to reach the predetermined verdict (see comments from Japan
iatrogenic drug damage expert, Dr. Hirokuni Beppu).
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13. My Campaigning and Contributions

July 2016: me with Tokyo Metropolitan Legislator Reiko Ueda
Public speaking and W-BAD leaflet distribution at Shinjuku Station, Tokyo(Fuji TV interview).
2023
19 Sep 2023
Participating in visitation to the Japan Ministry of Health with Dystonia Support
Group Representative Hideichi Kawajima to lobby for amendments to BZD componentof a Serious Adverse Drug Reaction Response Manual published by the Japan Health
Ministry.
Dec 2022 ~ Sep 2023
Writing article for Mikhaila Peterson on the risks of taking benzodiazepines asprescribed.
11 Jul 2023
8th World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day. Overseeing the eighth annual W-BAD andrelaunching the W-BAD YouTube channel.
13 Apr 2023
Visiting Senator Ryuhei Kawada’s office at the Upper House of Councillors with
Medwatcher Japan Representative Dr. Hirokuni Beppu and Dystonia Support Group
Representative Hideichi Kawajima to request support for amendments to BZD
component of a Serious Adverse Drug Reaction Response Manual published by theJapan Health Ministry.
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2022
11 Jul 2022
7th World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day. Overseeing the seventh annual W-BAD
event and posting pamphlets around town.

2021
11 July 2021
6th World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day. Overseeing the W-BAD 2021 effort withthe focus being on its revival (see details below).

2020 ~ 2022
Aug 2020 ~ Aug 2022
Spending a solid 2 year effort on reviving and rebuilding World Benzodiazepine
Awareness Day (W-BAD) after it was subjected to internal subversion leaving it
totally decimated.
Aug 2021 ~ Aug 2022
Rebuilding the entire W-BAD website with considerable restoring, restructuring,rehumanising, rearranging, updating, tidying up and creating scope for development
during the one year restoration effort with only two days rest over the entire two year
project (see Relaunch Notice for details).
Aug 2020 ~ Aug 2021
Preparing an enormous amount of documentation including proposals, The W-BAD
Chronicle (1,227 pages) and The W-BAD Report (47 pages) together with its
appendices (25 pages) as well as a set of about 10 accompanying documents, video
address and public poll to name but just a few.

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2020
17 Nov 2020
Sharing benzodiazepine related information at a political function in Tokyo attended
by Ryuhei Kamata (Upper House of Councillors), his wife Mika Tsutsumi(international bestselling author), around one hundred fellow politicians including
former Prime Minister Naoto Kan, Director of the Benzodiazepine Yakugai (drugdamages) Association Masashi Tada, blog writer Kazuko Shimada and about fiveprescription drug damage victims.
11 July ~ 11 Aug 2020
5th World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day. Participating in talks at Japanese Health
Ministry along with the submission of a people’s petition – this fifth annual visitation
was postponed by a month and limited to 5 participants due to coronavirus (see moredetails).
23 June 2020
Preliminary event: Personally handing out W-BAD pamphlets and posting into letter
boxes around town while collecting signatures for a people’s petition to the Ministry of
Health (see more details).
29 Apr 2020
Lodging a ten page application to become involved in a class action lawsuit against theJapanese Government through the Benzodiazepine Yakugai (drug damages)
Association (discontinued: no legal group willing to take on case).

2019 ~ 2020
Dec 2019 ~ Jul 2020
Editing and posting a series of videos as follows.
2 Feb 2020
Posting the Public Appeal at Political Rally video.
31 May 2020
Posting the Japan Government Info Drop video (in English and Japanese) as build up
to World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day 2020.

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11 Jul 2020
Posting the Benzodiazepine Evidence Hearing video (House of Representatives) tomark the fifth annual World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day.
12 July 2020
Posting the Press Conference video (Q&A about the Japan House of Representatives
BZD Evidence Hearing) to cap things off for World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day
2020.

2019
6 December 2019
Implementing an Information Drop at the Japanese Government Buildings: House ofRepresentatives (First and Second Members Buildings) and the Upper House ofCouncillors. Distributing information on benzodiazepines and W-BAD pamphlets to all
713 national politicians, including the Prime Minister’s Office and meeting with awell-known politician (see more details).
24 November 2019
Making a public appeal and posing questions about the benzodiazepine problem topolitical party leader Yamamoto Taro during his political party launch while handingout W-BAD pamphlets.
7 November 2019
Attending a press conference at the Ministry of Health in Tokyo in relation to the
Benzodiazepine Evidence Hearing at the Japan House of Representatives (also in
attendance were Tokyo Metropolitan Legislator Reiko Ueda, Leading Japan
Ophthalmologist Dr. Masato Wakakura and Organiser Yuriko Tada).
7 November 2019
Giving a presentation during a Benzodiazepine Evidence Hearing Japan held at theJapan House of Representatives, First members Building, Conference Room 1 (also in
attendance were Tokyo Metropolitan Legislator: Reiko Ueda, leading Japan
ophthalmologist: Dr. Masato Wakakura, organiser: Yuriko Tada, other speakers,
supporters, victims and politicians).
11 July 2019
4th World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (see photos). Participating in talks at
Japanese Health Ministry with victims and distributing pamphlets during the weeks
before.
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23 June 2019
Preliminary event: Personally handing out W-BAD pamphlets at a public fair day andposting into letter boxes around town (while confronted with life difficulties).

2018
July 11, 2018
3rd World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (see photos). Handing out pamphlets
around the streets in Downtown Auckland, New Zealand (see more details).
26 June 2018
Preliminary event: Distributing pamphlets around the community in Taranaki, New
Zealand.
April ~ July 2018
Helping coordinate the 3rd annual World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day.

2017
31 Oct 2017
Attending a press conference at the Japan Ministry of Health with representatives
from Medwatcher Japan.
Mid-July 2017
Contributing footage to the Film As Prescribed (see trailer).
11 July 2017
2nd World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (see photos). Helping organise andparticipating in talks with Japanese Health Ministry with victims and distributing
pamphlets during the weeks before.
9 July 2017
Preliminary event: Posting 500 W-BAD pamphlets around Matsumoto (see moredetails).

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21 Mar 2017
As a result of the doctors’ petition mentioned further below and the 2016 W-BAD
visitation to the Japanese Health Ministry, amendments were made to all package
inserts for BZDs prescribed in Japan.
Jan~Jul 2017
Helping coordinate the setting up of the Official W-BAD website and organising the
2nd World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day.

2016
28 Jul 2016 ~ 1 Dec 2016
Making the 2016 W-BAD Wrap Up Video.
11 July 2016
1st World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (see photos). Organising the overall global
event and participating in talks at Japanese Health Ministry with victims andpoliticians (see wrap up video above).
27 June 2016
Preliminary event: Helping organise proceedings and participating in W-BAD
Pamphlet Appeal at Shinjuku Station in Tokyo with victims and 3 politicians (seeabove video).

2015 ~ 2016
Dec 2015 - July 2016
Establishing World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day.
April 2015
Taking part in a meeting at Medwatcher Japan in preparation for a doctors’ petition to
the Japanese government requesting stricter controls for prescription benzodiazepines- submitted by Medwatcher Japan on 28th October 2015.

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2014
October 2014
Giving a presentation to highlight the dangers relating to the “miss-prescribing” ofbenzodiazepines and similar drugs at the International Society of Addiction Medicine
World Congress during the Paciﬁco Yokohama Conference Center in Yokohama,Japan.
March 2014
Launching the website Benzo Case Japan in the hope that others can benefit from thesharing of my experiences and associated information.

2013
Mid 2013
Working on a medical paper with Prof. Ashton and Japanese doctors with me as theclinical subject (discontinued).
March 2013
Coordinating an enquiry between a Japanese doctor and Prof. Ashton to help clarify
ways to treat patients who had been stupefied as a result of being prescribed excessive
and prolonged doses of benzodiazepines.
January 2013
Arranging permission to have The Ashton Manual in Japanese printed as a hard copy
to help improve access for elderly people.

2012
August 2012
Coordinating an interview between Prof. Ashton and the Yomiuri Newspaper for anewspaper article to help raise awareness regarding some of the problems withbenzodiazepines in Japan.
Mid 2012
Assisting with translating The Ashton Manual in Japanese which was published on
August 19, 2012.

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Jan 2012 ~ current
Authoring and editing my book, Under the Rising Sun, endorsed by the late Prof.
Heather Ashton and positively supported by several world renowned doctors with its
potential highly rated by a London Publisher (see more details).

2003 ~ 2011
Feb 2003 ~ Oct 2011
Fighting a torrid battle (in Japanese) for nearly 10 years (including preparation time)through to the Supreme Court of Japan to help get recognition for the pain andsuffering caused by prescription benzodiazepines, both in my own case and throughout
society in general. My lawyer and I fought this case in earnest to try and set a
precedent with a view to lobbying for safer benzodiazepine prescription guidelines inJapan and to help raise greater awareness in general worldwide (See Case Section).

Mid 2000 ~Going through the excruciating experience of suffering from prescribed benzodiazepine
injury including dependence, withdrawal, side-effects, adverse effects, long term
effects and permanent damage (see My Story). This forms the foundation for the
successive years of awareness raising efforts outlined above.

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14. Footnote to Kennedy Above(my background etc.)
I attached the following footnote to the above Robert F. Kennedy Jr correspondence as
an additional reference regarding my campaigning efforts and background. As
outlined in the footnote, I set about establishing World Benzodiazepine Awareness
Day while residing in evacuee accommodation under challenging circumstances.

Me outside evacuee accommodation in Nagano, Japan(2012 – a year after the Great Eastern Japan Disaster)In a relentless effort to raise public awareness about the risks of prescribedbenzodiazepines, while residing in the alpine region of Nagano, I endured threeconsecutive winters without using any heating in temperatures down to minus fifteen
degrees Celsius. During this time, as well as establishing W-BAD, I also engaged inmany other campaign efforts.

No heating – room windows frozen over midday

Tattered sheets at the time

NB: Current circumstances largely unchanged.
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Footnote
The following may provide some insight into my dedication to the cause thus far.
As a fifty-eight year old, expat New Zealander residing in Japan (largely without
choice), my personal journey has taken me through the living hell of medically induced
benzodiazepine drug dependence. This was preceded by an incorrect and misleading
midbrain diagnosis for a vertigo attack in May 2000, despite the actual cause having
been a simple inner ear infection. The drugs were a complete contradiction either way.
Next came a brutal withdrawal in New Zealand in 2001.
Several years later, I embarked upon the epic challenge of navigating and contending
with the entire Japanese judicial system: Tokyo Summary Court (mediation), Tokyo
District Court, Tokyo High Court and the Supreme Court.
With my quest for justice taking place in a country and language different from myown, and while still suffering debilitating relapses of withdrawal, the entire affair wasnothing short of bizarre scenes from the movie, The Trial, by Orson Welles.
In similar fashion, the bizarre court proceedings worked to construct a deceiving, false
narrative while twisting reality to reach the predetermined verdict. To this day,however, I refuse to let that deter me from exposing the injustices and revealing thetruth. In fact, my sense of resolve has only strengthened.
Living in Fukushima at the time of my litigation, I was displaced by the 3/11
megaquake and nuclear disaster. As many were fleeing what was a potential
Armageddon, I never faltered, preparing my appeal to the Supreme Court whileevacuating amidst radiation fallout, aftershocks, rotational blackouts etc., often
writing notes in Japanese by candlelight.
While bunkering down in six different places, across several different regions inJapan, I continued preparations, before completing the shoebox full of documents thatformed my appeal in Osaka. I eventually ended up in evacuee accommodation in
Nagano, Central Japan, where I received notification from the Supreme Court statingthat my appeal had been rejected.
With court proceedings having concluded, I found myself confronted with the choice of
relinquishing everything that I had fought for and moving on, or alternatively, making
another stand. Perhaps against common self-preserving wisdom, while aware of thegreater benzodiazepine problem, I refused to give in to the status quo and chose thelatter.
Living off food rations and receiving constant threatening notices to shut off utilities
etc., I bided my time as an evacuee to write a book documenting my own
benzodiazepine experience, establish World Benzodiazepine Awareness Day (W-BAD)
and carry out other campaigning initiatives, including a presentation at the 2014
International Society of Addiction Medicine World Congress in Yokohama (seecampaigning efforts).

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Continuing relentlessly in that pursuit in the alpine region of Nagano, I went throughthree consecutive winters without using any heating in temperatures down to minus
fifteen degrees Celsius, often waking in the mornings with blood in my mouth andnose due to the bitter cold and dryness.
Despite the efforts, during the years that followed, the W-BAD campaigning platformthat I had established was insidiously subjected to internal subversion, something I
have been informed is not uncommon in circumstances such as these.
In December 2017, I tried moving back to New Zealand, only to discover that theoverinflated economy, coupled with the damages inflicted in Japan, had put theattempted transition beyond my means. Soon after, I fell into a paralysing depression.
Seemingly in a state of checkmate, in May 2019, I mustered what little energy I had
left and reluctantly made my way back to Japan, where there was a comparatively
better chance in keeping my head above water, at least for now. Leaving my elderly
mother, who lives alone and suffers various health problems, and arriving back at theplace where all of my trauma had begun with nothing more than a suitcase in hand, it
was the hardest thing ever.
While again contending with borderline homelessness, and having hit rock bottom, I
somehow managed to attend talks at Japan’s Health Ministry to mark the fourth WBAD event on July 11th. Thereafter, I gave a presentation at Japan’s House ofRepresentatives in November and disseminated information packages in December toall 713 national politicians at the government buildings in Tokyo.
Several months later, in early 2020, I began receiving numerous requests from fellow
campaigners asking me to work on restoring the subverted W-BAD platform, which
had been gutted, rendering the campaigning initiative lifeless. Still struggling tofunction from day to day, I was reluctant at first. However, I felt compelled to act andfollowed through with a solid two year effort, denouncing the then board andproceeded to rebuild the entire platform, before relaunching on July 4 th, 2022.
There have been countless other challenges along the way, many of which continue
through to this day. Still often borderline homeless, away from my home country, I
have not seen my elderly mother in nearly five years and had only seen her once in ten
years the visit before last. Hearing of her steady deterioration, including occasional
admissions to ICU, from afar pains me daily, but I keep pressing ahead despite theanguish and heartache.
Under these circumstances, my financial struggle to shoulder the aforementioned
initiatives as an individual with nothing in the true sense has been immense(see examples based on real time communications).
More details regarding my story can be found on my personal website Benzo Case
Japan.

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