Kentaro Iwata | |
|---|---|
岩田 健太郎 | |
| Born | 1971 (age 53–54) Shimane Prefecture, Japan[2] |
| Alma mater | Shimane Medical University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | infectious diseases (HIV/AIDS),tropical medicine,travel medicine[1] |
| Institutions | Mount Sinai Beth Israel Kameda Medical Center [ja] Kobe University Kobe University Hospital [ja] |
Kentaro Iwata (岩田 健太郎,Iwata Kentarō; born 1971) is a Japanese physician, professor andinfectious diseases expert atKobe University.
After his graduation from the Shimane Medical University (present-day Medical Faculty ofShimane University) in 1997, Iwata became amedical intern worked atOkinawa Prefectural Chubu Hospital [ja].[3][4] In the next year, he became a medical intern worked at St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital ofColumbia University.[3][4]
Iwata started his career as an internist atMount Sinai Beth Israel in 2001.[4] In 2004, he returned to Japan and hired byKameda Medical Center [ja], he was appointed the head of Division of Infectious Disease, head of Comprehensive Medical Infectious Diseases.[3][4] Since 2008 he served as Clinical Department Head Professor ofKobe University.[2][3][4]
During theCOVID-19 pandemic in Japan, the cruise shipDiamond Princess was quarantined in thePort of Yokohama in Japan. Iwata strongly criticised the management of the situation in two widely circulatedYouTube videos published on 18 February.[5][6] In videos, he described the conditions of quarantinedDiamond Princess as "completely chaotic",[7][8] and called the ship a "COVID-19 mill".[9] Iwata briefly gained physical access to the ship, saying he observed no infection control measures in place. After being "kicked off" the ship after and then voluntarily quarantining himself, he stated "we have to do something about this cruise. We have to help people inside the ship."[10] On 20 February, he deleted the videos himself, and said "there is no need for further discussing this". He also denied he had been pressured to delete the videos.[11]
In April 2020 he expressed pessimism that the Olympics could be held in 2021.[12]
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| National | |
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| Other | |
