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When we think of influenza prevention, we usually imagine wearing a mask or staying home after a fever starts. However, the period of highest infectivity is actually different from what most people imagine.Surprisingly, the peak time for influenza virus transmission to others is the day before the fever starts, when the person feels absolutely no symptoms. This means that a decision to "rest because I have a fever" is often made too late, and you have likely already spread the virus to those around you.

When a family member (often a child) is suddenly diagnosed with influenza, spiking a 40∘C fever, we rush to enforce masks and handwashing. Unfortunately, those preventive actions may be "too little, too late."The most terrifying reality of influenza is that the virus has already been spread to every family member during the asymptomatic incubation period, which is just 1 to 3 days before the onset of symptoms. In households, where the secondary infection rate reaches 20–40%, the truth is, "If one person gets it, the rest are just a matter of time." In the worst-case scenario, the family follows the "Total Annihilation Route," with everyone falling ill within a week of the initial onset.

When you hear the word "influenza" in the winter, most people probably imagine high fever and severe body aches. However, there are three main types of influenza—Type A, Type B, and Type C—and they differ completely in the severity of symptoms, frequency of outbreaks, and the level of vigilance we should maintain.Which type causes the "Novel Influenza" that makes the news every year? Is it true that "Type B is better than Type A"? And what exactly are the symptoms of "Type C," which is barely known to exist?

"How many days after meeting that person will I develop a fever?"—When you suspect potential exposure to the source of an influenza infection, the length of the incubation period is what everyone is most concerned about. Knowing this period is crucial for taking preventive measures to avoid spreading the infection to others.

Every winter, we brace for the flu. Is it Type A this year? Or Type B? In fact, these two types have significant differences that you should know, ranging from the length of the incubation period to the onset of symptoms and even the risk of severe illness.While the perception that "Type A is severe and sudden" and "Type B is milder" is partially correct, Type B should not be underestimated, especially in households with small children. This article thoroughly compares Type A (H1N1, H3N2) and Type B from four perspectives: "Incubation Period Difference," "Symptom Onset," "Severity in Children," and "Timing of Outbreaks."

"I'll wear a mask if I get a fever," "I'll rest if I feel sluggish"—we tend to think this way about influenza. However, are you aware that this very perception is a major cause of infection spread?Alarmingly, influenza begins spreading the virus to others during the completely asymptomatic incubation period.Even more frightening is the data indicating that the period immediately preceding the onset of symptoms is when infectivity is at its highest.

The legal risk surrounding the leakage of corporate secrets has dramatically escalated due to the revision of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (UCPA), effective July 2024, and critical precedents from 2025. The notion that an employee's "post-resignation duty of confidentiality" simply "expires after a few years" is no longer valid.Latest case law, such as a ruling ordering approximately ¥210 million JPY in damages for the use of a customer list 8 years after the employee's resignation, indicates that the duty of confidentiality has effectively entered a "lifetime validity" phase. Furthermore, the corporate fine for acts intended to take trade secrets overseas has been raised to a maximum of ¥1 billion JPY, and the threshold for "criminal prosecution → arrest" in malicious cases has been significantly lowered.

"Taking customer lists upon leaving," "saving internal know-how on a personal PC," "posting new product information on SNS"—employee breaches of confidentiality pose a significant threat to a company's survival.An employee's duty of confidentiality arises naturally from the duty of loyalty (good faith) under the Labor Contract Act, not just from individual agreements, and persists even after resignation. Crucially, a key factor is whether the leaked information can be protected as a "trade secret" under the Unfair Competition Prevention Act (UCPA). Meeting the UCPA's three requirements (confidentiality management, utility, and non-public domain) allows the company to take powerful legal action, including criminal prosecution leading to a maximum of 7 years imprisonment or a ¥7 million JPY fine. However, if a company neglects "confidentiality management," it will be left legally unprotected when a leak occurs.

Secret recordings are powerful evidence in cases involving power harassment, infidelity, or labor disputes. However, the questions always remain: "Is it illegal to record without the other person's consent?" and "Can the recording be used as evidence in court?"As of 2025, the legal conclusion in Japan is clear. In short, secret recording conducted by a party to the conversation is, in principle, completely lawful and not subject to criminal penalties. The Supreme Court has consistently upheld this position. Furthermore, the recorded evidence is almost 100% likely to be admitted as evidence in any civil, criminal, or labor dispute.

There is a world of difference between "Seasonal Influenza," which circulates every winter, and "Novel Influenza," which causes global pandemics, in terms of their nature, infectivity, and social impact, despite both carrying the name "influenza."