Tama Zenshōen Sanatorium, or National Sanatorium Tama Zenshōen, is a sanatorium for

leprosy Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a Chronic condition, long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the Peripheral nervous system, nerves, respir ...

or ex-leprosy patients situated in Higashimurayama,

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

, Japan starting in 1909.

History

Background

The Japanese Government promulgated the first leprosy prevention law on March 19, 1907, but it became effective on April 1, 1909 because of financial difficulties. Japan was divided into 5 areas, and the first area included

-fu,

Kanagawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. Kanagawa Prefecture is the List of Japanese prefectures by population, second-most populous prefecture of Japan at 9,221,129 (1 April 2022) and third-dens ...

Prefecture,

Niigata Prefecture is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture in the Chūbu region of Honshu of Japan. Niigata Prefecture has a population of 2,131,009 (1 July 2023) and is the List of Japanese prefectures by area, fifth-largest prefecture of Japan by geographic area ...

, Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Ibaragi Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture,

Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Yamanashi Prefecture has a population of 787,592 (1 February 2025) and has a geographic area of 4,465 km2 (1,724 sq mi). Yamanashi Prefecture borders Saitama Prefecture to the n ...

and

Nagano Prefecture is a Landlocked country, landlocked Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of Honshu. Nagano Prefecture has a population of 2,007,682 () and has a geographic area of . Nagano Prefecture borders Niigata Prefecture ...

. In this area, Tokyo was selected as the site of the sanatorium. Two main reasons for the leprosy prevention law were pressure from foreigners who came into Japan after the

Meiji Restoration The , referred to at the time as the , and also known as the Meiji Renovation, Revolution, Regeneration, Reform, or Renewal, was a political event that restored Imperial House of Japan, imperial rule to Japan in 1868 under Emperor Meiji. Althoug ...

, who were very much surprised to find wandering leprosy patients in Japan, as well as the Japanese Government worrying about the considerable number of leprosy patients among those who were examined for the draft at age 20.

Tama Zensho Hospital and Sanatorium

*On September 28, 1909, Prefectural Tama Zensho Byoin (Hospital) was established. *Jun 1919: Kensuke Mitsuda reported what became known as "Mitsuda reaction" later. *Sep 1919: Special money circulating only in the sanatorium (Enken) started. *Mar 1931: 81 patients went to National Sanatorium Nagashima Aiseien following Kensuke Mitsuda in order to make it an ideal sanatorium. *Feb 1936: Tamio Hōjō's "The first night of life" was published in Bungakukai, and became a milestone of leprosy literature by the recommendation of

Yasunari Kawabata was a Japanese novelist and short story writer whose spare, lyrical, subtly-shaded prose works won him the 1968 Nobel Prize in Literature, the first Japanese author to receive the award. His works have enjoyed broad international appeal and ...

who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1968. *Apr 1996: The 1953 Leprosy Prevention Law was abolished. *Jul 1998: The trial for compensation started. *May 11, 2001: The trial for compensation ruled that the previous Leprosy Prevention was unconstitutional. *May 25, 2001: The trial for compensation was confirmed. The compensation of 8,000,000 yen to 14,000,000 yen was given to patients depending on the duration of unconstitutional periods.

Directors

*Apr 1909: Acting director: Tokutaro Ohno *Sep 1909: Chief doctor: Kensuke Mitsuda *Mar 1910: First director : Saijiro Ikeuchi *Feb 1914: Second director: Kensuke Mitsuda *May 1931: Third director: Yoshinobu Hayashi *Jul 1963: Fourth director: Ryoichi Yajima *Apr 1976: Fifth director: Masao Arai *Apr 1977: Sixth director: Kishio Ohnishi

Number of patients at fiscal year end

The number of in-patients is the sum of patients which changed not only by the newly diagnosed hospitalized and those who died among in-patients, but also by other factors such as the number of patients who escaped or were discharged, depending on the condition. Recently they were encouraged to be discharged, but the long period of the segregation policy causing

leprosy stigma Leprosy stigma is a type of social stigma, a strong negative feeling towards a person with leprosy relating to their moral status in society. It is also referred to as leprosy-related stigma, leprostigma, and stigma of leprosy. Since ancient times ...

might influence the number of those who reintegrate into society.Kue Issho (1979) Zenshoen Kanja Jichikai p.276, Ikkou-Sha, Tokyo, in Japanese

Museum

* National Hansen's Disease Museum (Japan), neighboring the hospital.

Leprosy Research Center

*The Leprosy Research Center of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases is also situated near the hospital.

Notes

References

*Kue Issho (1979), Tama Zenshoen Kanja Jichikai, Ikkousha, Tokyo *

Leprosy in Japan As of 2009, 2,600 former leprosy patients were living in 13 national sanatoriums and 2 private hospitals in Japan. Their mean age is 80 years old. From the Meiji Period (1868 - 1912) and up until 1996, people diagnosed with leprosy in Japan were n ...

{{Authority control Hospital buildings completed in 1909 Hospitals in Tokyo Leper hospitals Hospitals established in 1909 Leprosy in Japan 1909 establishments in Japan