Abstract
Two cases of skin sarcoidosis were reported by M. Takeya for the first time in Japan in 1921, over 50 years after the first observation of the disease by J. Hutchinson in 1869. The first nationwide survey on sarcoidosis in Japan was conducted by the Provisional Committee for Epidemiological Survey in 1960, resulting in a report of 94 confirmed cases which was presented by K. Nobechi at the 2nd International Conference on Sarcoidosis in June 1960 in Washington DC. The Committee evolved in 1964 into the Japan Sarcoidosis Research Committee which was renamed in 1981 the Japan Sarcoidosis Research Society and in 1987 the Japan Society of Sarcoidosis (later, the Japan Society of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders), playing the role of a registration center for sarcoidosis cases found by periodically conducted nationwide surveys since 1960. Meanwhile, the former Health and Welfare Ministry's “Intractable Diseases” research project marked its 30th anniversary in 2002. Under the project, starting in 1972, a large-scale research team on sarcoidosis was organized and joint sarcoidosis studies which have produced a mass of research results are ongoing yet today. International conferences and a symposium have already been held 4 times in Japan.
