| The story below is originally published on Mainichi Daily News by Mainichi Shinbun (http://mdn.mainichi.jp). |
| They admitted inventing its kinky features, or rather deliberately mistranslating them from the original gossip magazine. |
| In fact, this is far from the general Japanese' behavior or sense of worth. |
| このページは、毎日新聞事件の検証のための配信記事対訳ページです。直接ジャンプして来られた方は、必ずFAQをお読みください。 |
| ※ この和訳はあくまでもボランティアの方々による一例であり、翻訳の正確さについては各自判断してください。 もし誤訳（の疑い）を発見した場合には、直接ページを編集して訂正するか翻訳者連絡掲示板に報告してください。 |
Shukan Gendai2/6 By Ryann Connell
Ｖｉａｇｒａ,the anti-impotency “wonder drug” that has rejuvenated the lives of millions of men since coming on to the market in the United States in March last year, is starting to affect the mental state of many Japanese.
Indeed, Shukan Gendai say, although Ｖｉａｇｒａ can't legally be sold yet in Japan, the black market for the drug is thriving, boosted by the increasing number of men and women who find they need the diamond-shaped blue pill so much it's become an addiction for them.
“My life was starting to crumble around my ears.
I'd been working late every night and after a few years of marriage, the sex life that had once been my only source of stress relief had become almost nonexistent.
My troubles were compounded when I realized my erections were only coming in half-measures,” says Akihiko Tanaka, a 34-year-old manufacturing company employee.
“Then, I discovered Ｖｉａｇｒａ.
It was like someone had inserted an iron rod inside me.
I started getting home early and my wife and I were in bed at eight every night,but not sleeping until three or so in the morning.
It was wonderful.
But then,I thought I'd better try and see if I could still do the same things without taking Ｖｉａｇｒａ.
But when it came to the crunch,I couldn't do it because I thought I wouldn't be able to make my wife happy.
Now, I'm too scared to stop taking it.
Ｖｉａｇｒａ is making me a nervous wreck.”
Shukan Gendai says it's not just men who have fallen under Ｖｉａｇｒａ's spell.
“I talked my boyfriend into trying Ｖｉａｇｒａ as a joke last summer.
I don't think I've been able to wipe the smile off my face since,” says Yuri Hanaoka,a 29-year-old construction company employee.
“My boyfriend wants to give up using Ｖｉａｇｒａ, but every time he tries to make love to me without the pill it's about as exciting as watching grass grow.
If he stops taking it, I'm going to start looking around for someone else who will use the pill and who'll make sure I get the satisfaction that I need.”
And, Shukan Gendai says,it's not just for sexual gratification that people are developing a Ｖｉａｇｒａ addiction.
Take the case of 22-year-old Rumiko.
“I have a little arrangement with my boss at work, who's in his fifties.
I let him take me to a hotel and in return he gives me a bit of pocket money,” Rumiko says.
“Before Ｖｉａｇｒａ, he'd only meet up with me once every couple of weeks.
I was hardly making any money.
But now he's got the pill, he wants to meet me nearly every night.
I'm pretty tired by the end of it, but the thought of all the shopping I'll be able to do keeps my going.
Without Ｖｉａｇｒａ,I'd face a pretty big drop in my standard of living.”
Hiroshi Katsumata, a doctor who has prescribed the anti-impotency drug to over 2,000 men, says Ｖｉａｇｒａ has the potential to ruin many lives.
“Impotency in men under 50 is often the result of excessive stress,” he says,
“Ｖｉａｇｒａ may offer short-term relief, but dependency on the drug is only likely to heighten these men's troubles in the long run.”(RC)
*1 記事に付けられていた日本語タイトル
