Tama Zenshōen Sanatorium, or National Sanatorium Tama Zenshōen, is a sanatorium for leprosy or ex-leprosy patients situated in Higashimurayama, Tokyo, 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 Tokyo-fu, Kanagawa Prefecture, Niigata Prefecture, Saitama Prefecture, Gunma Prefecture, Chiba Prefecture, Ibaragi Prefecture, Tochigi Prefecture, Aichi Prefecture, Shizuoka Prefecture, Yamanashi Prefecture and Nagano 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, 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

Directors

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 might influence the number of those who reintegrate into society.

Museum

Leprosy Research Center