Immediately after World War II, Japan suffered from various infectious diseases caused by poor sanitation; infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, typhoid fever, dysentery, diphtheria, Japanese encephalitis, and parasitic infections were rampant, while many other infectious diseases were newly introduced from foreign countries. Under such circumstances, infectious disease control became a high-priority issue for establishing a safe and secure society in the developing nation. In 1947, the National Institute of Health (NIH), which was later renamed as the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, was established as a research institute attached to the Ministry of Health and Welfare for conducting (i) fundamental and applied research on infectious diseases and (ii) national test for lot release and development of antibiotics and vaccines.
Functions
The Institute aims at carrying out extensive and original research projects on a variety of contagious diseases from the standpoint of preventive medicine, improving human health and welfare by suppressing infectious diseases, and clarifying and supporting the scientific background of health and medical admini- stration of the government. These functions may be summarized into research activities, reference services for infectious diseases, surveillance of infectious diseases, national control tests and other tests, international cooperation, and training activities.
