Matsuoka Hoyoen Sanatorium

Matsuoka Hoyoen Sanatorium (国立療養所松丘保養園, Kokuritsuryōyōjo Matsuokahoyōen^?) or National Sanatorium Matsuoka Hoyoen is a sanatorium for leprosy and ex-leprosy patients situated in Aomori, Aomori, Japan, since 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 second area included Hokkaido, Miyagi Prefecture, Iwate Prefecture, Aomori Prefecture, Fukushima Prefecture, Yamagata Prefecture and Akita Prefecture. In this area, Aomori was selected as the site of the sanatorium.

Two main reasons for the leprosy prevention law were that foreigners who came into Japan after the Meiji Restoration（1868), were very much surprised to find wandering leprosy patients in Japan, and the Japanese Government was worried about the considerable number of leprosy patients among those who were examined for the drafts at age 20.^[1]

Sanatorium

• April 1, 1909: Prefectural Hokubu (Northern) Hoyoin was established in Aburakawa Village Aomori-shi. It had 90 beds.
• October 1, 1909: It moved to the present site.
• July 1, 1941: National Sanatorium Matsuoka Hoyo-en.
• 1958: The number of allotted beds was 950.
• April 1996: The 1953 Leprosy Prevention Law was abolished.
• July 1998: The trial for compensation started.
• May 11, 2001: The trial for compensation ruled that the previous Leprosy Prevention Law 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.

Number of Patients

The number of in-patients changed not only due to the newly diagnosed and hospitalized and those who died among in-patients, but also due to other factors such as the number of patients who escaped or were discharged, depending on the condition of the times. 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 went into the society.

The following table shows the number of patients at the Sanatorium in a selection of years.^[2][3]

Year	Number of In-patients
1945	711
1950	605
1955	710
1960	719
1965	674
1970	598
1975	552
1980	495
1985	440
1990	384
1995	312
1999	261
2003	205
2004	189
2005	176
2006	161
2007	152
2008	147

See also

• Leprosy in Japan

References

1. ^ Japan Leprosy History(1993) Shun-ichi Yamamoto. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo, in Japanese
2. ^ Fukken eno Jitsugetsu(2001),Zenkoku Hansenbyouryouyousho Nyushoshakyougikai, Koyo Shuppansha, Tokyo
3. ^ 2009.12.29

External links

• Official website (Japanese)