2022 Volume 13 Issue 3 Pages 16-27
The formation of social policy in Japan was pioneered by the Factory Law of 1911, and was developed mainly through the regulation of factory workers’ working conditions and the introduction of the health insurance scheme. The Society for Social Policy Studies, established in 1897, held its first conference in 1907 on the theme of the Factory Law and stimulated public opinion for social policy. However, the Society ceased its activities in 1924.
Until now, the relationship between the historical development of social policy in Japan and infectious diseases has hardly been discussed. The Spanish influenza that struck Japan 100 years ago has also been forgotten. However, interest in countermeasures against infectious diseases such as tuberculosis increased at that time, culminating in the enactment of the Health Insurance Law of 1922 and the revised Factory Law of 1923.
This paper focuses on the formation of social policy in modern Japan, paying special attention to the impact of infectious diseases. The focus is on policies enacted during emergencies to sustain people’s daily lives. Based on these findings, I offer suggestions for the future of social policy.
Annals of the Society for the Study of Social Policy
