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Establishment of a New Organization, the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS)

-A chance meeting in Berlin of medical scholars Shibasaburo Kitasato and Rintaro (Ogai) Mori 137 years ago leads to the establishment of JIHS-

April 1, 2025

President of the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS)

Norihiro Kokudo, MD, PhD, FACS, FRCS

On April 1, 2025 two organizations, the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), merged to form the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS).

Both NIID and NCGM have historical ties to famous medical scholars.

One is Shibasaburo Kitasato (1853-1931), a world-renowned microbiologist and educator. The other is Rintaro Mori (1862-1922, special honorary president of NCGM), one of Japan’s greatest literary figures, who also contributed to public health as surgeon general.

Shibasaburo Kitasato studied in Germany for 6 years starting in 1886 under Robert Koch. In 1889, he succeeded in cultivating pure tetanus bacteria cultures and established serum therapy for its toxin, quickly gaining recognition as a world-class researcher.

Rintaro Mori studied in Germany for 4 years starting in 1884 as a dispatched student of the Army Ministry. In the latter half of his stay he spent over a year in Berlin where, encouraged by Shibasaburo Kitasato, he also studied under Robert Koch. He is said to have studied pathogens in Berlin’s sewage, which can be seen as a precursor to modern sewage surveillance.

NIID and NCGM, each with historical ties to these medical scholars that met 137 years ago in Berlin, merged to form the JIHS on April 1, 2025, marking a new chapter in history.

The NIID traces its roots to the Institute for Infectious Diseases, a private institute established by Shibasaburo Kitasato in 1892. It was incorporated into the University of Tokyo in 1916. After World War II, it was reorganized as the National Institute of Health, and in 1997 became the current NIID. The NIID has undergone changes in both name and administrative oversight, but it has consistently played a central role in infectious disease research in Japan. In 1961, laboratories for quality control of vaccines were established in Musashi Murayama (Murayama Branch Laboratories), and in 1981, a maximum containment (biosafety level 4: BSL-4)*1 laboratory was completed. The National Tama Institute, which started in 1955 as the National Institute for Leprosy Research, became a branch in 1997 and was renamed the Leprosy Research Center National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

On the other hand, the origin of NCGM goes back to a temporary army hospital established in 1868 to treat soldiers who got sick or injured in the Boshin War. After serving as the Army Hospital, it became the First National Hospital of Tokyo after World War II. Then it became the International Medical Center of Japan in 1993, and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in 2008. The National College of Nursing, Japan was established in Kiyose, Tokyo in 2001 and approximately 90% of students work at the six national centers after graduation*2. Another general hospital that’s part of JIHS, the National Kohnodai Medical Center (formerly Kohnodai Hospital, National Center for Global Health and Medicine) also has a long history. It was established as a sanatorium for Tokyo Kyodo-dan (Non-Commissioned Officers Training Unit) service academy dormitory in 1872. After serving as the Kohnodai Army Hospital, it became the National Kohnodai Hospital after World War II, and Kohnodai Hospital, the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in 2008 as a second hospital of NCGM. In addition, the Nakano National Sanatorium was built as the Tokyo City Sanatorium for tuberculosis patients in 1920. After serving as the Nakano National Chest Hospital, it was closed and integrated into the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in 1993.

The JIHS will start in a framework with six component units and a management department that supports them. The six component units are the following: two research institutes (the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine); two general hospitals (Center Hospital of the National Center for Global Health and Medicine and Kohnodai Hospital, National Center for Global Health and Medicine); the National College of Nursing, Japan, which develops nursing human resources; the Center for Clinical Science; and the Bureau of International Health Cooperation. The secretariat of the Disaster Medical Assistance Team (DMAT)*3 has also been moved to JIHS. Each component has a number of professionals with diverse backgrounds, who are involved in research projects not limited to infectious diseases, in healthcare human resource development, in international cooperation and public health, and more. JIHS certainly is a comprehensive medical research institute that can protect the public from various health crises, and an organization well-equipped with talented people who can help fulfill its role.

The two merging organizations each have their own long histories, organizational cultures, and accumulated achievements, as well as mutual respect for each other. The mission the people of Japan expect us to accomplish is "to contribute to the realization of a secure society through the research and study of illnesses, including infectious diseases, along with providing medical care", and we should always keep that mission in mind. As an "integrated science center for infectious diseases" leading with world-class infection control measures, we will promote comprehensive, interdisciplinary studies ranging from basic research and clinical medicine to epidemiology, public health, and social science.

Your continued support and cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

*1 BSL, an acronym for Bio Safety Level, categorizes biological laboratories.
The risk level of working with particular pathogens is divided into four levels according to their lethality, infectivity, mode of transmission, and survivability in the wild. BSL-4 is the highest and most stringent level.

*2 Six national centers are the following:
the former National Center for Global Health and Medicine, National Cancer Center, National Cardiovascular Center, National Center for Child Health and Development, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, and the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry.

*3 DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team) is a professionally trained team consisting of physicians, nurses, and administrative support staff including other medical as well as non-medical personnel. They provide rapid emergency care during the first 48 hours of a large-scale disaster or accident involving multiple casualties.

Striving for a more flexible and resilient response to health crises

- Expectation for the JIHS to advance the development of a comprehensive medical institute upon the establishment of the National Institute of Health -

April 1, 2025

Vice President of the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS)

Takaji Wakita, MD, PhD

The National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) and the National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM) merged to form the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) on April 1, 2025.

To accomplish the JIHS’ mission “to contribute to the realization of a secure society through the research and study of illnesses, including infectious diseases, along with providing medical care”, I will make every effort to fulfill my responsibility as the vice president of an integrated science center for infectious diseases. We will lead with world-class infection control measures to promote comprehensive, interdisciplinary studies ranging from basic research and clinical medicine to epidemiology, public health, and social science, continuing to make every effort to realize a resilient society while responding to its demands, as well as the demands of the times.

I have served as the director of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (NIID) since 2018.

The NIID has aimed to suppress infectious diseases and carry out extensive and comprehensive research on them from the standpoint of preventive medicine and to provide scientific evidence for the health and medical policies of the national government. It has also conducted a wide range of activities including infectious disease research, referencing, surveillance, national quality control and other tests, international cooperation, training, and outreach.

The origin of the NIID goes back 77 years to the establishment of the National Institute of Health in 1947.

At that time Japan was in a state of disarray after World War II, and infectious diseases spread widely. There was a shortage of biological products such as antibiotics and vaccines, and the products they did have were of a lesser quality, leading to a decline in medical conditions. Therefore, the development and quality improvement of antibiotics and vaccines were urgent public health issues. The General Headquarters (GHQ), which administered occupied Japan, planned to establish a medical institute to conduct national quality control tests as part of what was the then called Ministry of Public Health and Welfare. The Institute for Infectious Disease of the University of Tokyo (then Tokyo Imperial University) offered half of its personnel to start the institution.

The functions of the institute at the time of its establishment were to 1) set standards for vaccines and blood serums, 2) develop a comprehensive research plan for infectious diseases, and 3) communicate the latest international research results to the Japanese medical community, as well as disseminate Japan’s research results to the world. It was named the National Institute of Health because at the time of its establishment, it was envisioned as a national research institute that would include institutes for the study of cancer, tuberculosis, cardiovascular diseases, etc. Various reorganizations were made to meet the needs of the times, but it has consistently been responsible for fundamental research on infectious diseases, epidemiological public health practices, and quality control of vaccines. The institute moved to Toyama in 1992 and was renamed the National Institute of Infectious Diseases in 1997. The National Institute of Health and Nutrition and the National Institute of Health Services Management relocated together with the institute to the site on state-owned land in Toyama neighboring the National Hospital Medical Center (current National Center for Global Health and Medicine). These three institutes cooperated with the National Hospital Medical Center to strengthen the collaboration between clinical medicine and basic medicine, and work extensively for the health of the people of Japan as a comprehensive medical research center. This idea of a comprehensive medical research center is consistent with the vision of JIHS, which aims to be an integrated science center for infectious diseases leading with world-class infection control measures.

Among the NIID’s activities, collaborations with domestic and international public health institutions have been extremely important. We have built cooperative frameworks with international organizations such as the WHO and local public health institutes, and we expect these efforts to serve as a foundation for the activities of JIHS.

The JIHS will respond to all health crises, including infectious diseases. With two general hospitals and a research institute, the NCGM not only responds to a wide range of diseases in both clinical and research areas with its diverse human resources, but also engages in various projects such as international health and medical cooperation and the development of nursing personnel. With the merging of the NIID and the NCGM, we are expected to respond to the next pandemic not only with infectious disease specialists but also with experts from various fields.

We will endeavor to enhance Japan’s ability to respond to health crises in a more flexible and resilient manner. With the establishment of JIHS, we also hope to realize the vision of developing into a comprehensive medical institute, envisioned at the founding of the National Institute of Health.