There is a reason for the Japanese point of view.

Over 30 yrs ago a commonly used drug (Vioform) was discovered to be very neurotoxic. It remained on the shelves in Japan longer than here. It was about the early 70's when it was withdrawn in US. I recall this vividly because my MIL used it for traveler's diarrhea.

The damage that Vioform (now called clioquinol) caused was death, disability and blindness, because this drug depletes B12.
You can read more here: The disorder was called SMON.
http://books.google.com/books?id=JP8...opathy&f=false

It remains controversial still, but I do think the drug caused most of the damage.

Japan has since been using more creative solutions, as a result for many things. The studies using extremely high doses of B12 for MS, came from Japan.

In this country, Big Pharma controls the drug industry. This began in earnest in the early 90's. Zantac and Prozac were the major blockbusters, back then making millions a day for Big Pharma and now the emphasis in this country has shifted to the mega bucks (and "me-too" duplications of similar products). Eli Lilly which had a huge list of drugs it sold for decades...called ethical proprietaries, cut out the whole line back then.(seeing the writing on the wall with the FDA requiring new drug applications more and more for older products). But I recall them well.