A plan to establish the Research Foundation for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University (hereafter “Foundation”) was made in 1929 (Showa 4) . In those days, Tenji Taniguchi, a professor of Osaka Medical College, thought that a research institute for infectious diseases was necessary in Osaka, and requested the president of Osaka Medical College to establish an institute for the comprehensive research on basic and clinical medicine, and began to prepare for the establishment of a research institute for infectious diseases in Osaka. With the transfer of Osaka Medical College to the national jurisdiction, this institute was termed the Research
Institute for Microbial Diseases of Osaka University (tentative). However, the Ministry of Education strongly rejected the production of vaccines and sera, stating that it was a special task assigned to the Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, Tokyo University. Therefore, a compromise plan was proposed that basic research of microbial diseases be performed by the institute (present Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University) while a different foundation is established to perform its applied studies, vaccine manufacture and examination work.
On June 6, 1934 (Showa 9), spending 50,000yen, a donation from Mr.Gendo Yamaguchi, as a fund, the Foundation was established as a public-service corporation under the supervision of the Minister of Education according to Article 34 of the Civil Law. The prospectus for the establishment of the Foundation states as follows.
ln the present medical research in Japan, there is only a slight liaison between basic and clinical medicine, which is a defect in the organization. In particular, with recent progress and advances in each medical department, inconvenience has been increasing in comprehensive research that is the most important. Much consideration should be given to this situation in future medical research. Predecessors already noted the vital importance of comprehensive research on pneumonia, cancer, parasitic diseases, and various microbial infections. The Research Institute for infectious Diseases in Tokyo was also established for this purpose. Previous cases show that this Hanshin region is a gateway for oversea infectious diseases, and therefore, the presence or absence of prevention of epidemics affects the reputation of the nation. In addition, Tokyo is no match for the Hanshin region
in the richness of materials for the research of oversea infectious diseases and their rapid collection.
Therefore, we establish this foundation in Osaka for the medical research on prevention of epidemics to contribute to further advances and development of medical research in Japan.
January 19, 1934
For this purpose, the Foundation aimed mainly to perform “research on the prevention and treatment of microbial disease ”and also“ production of materials for prevention and treatment”. The Foundation was located on the premises of the Research Institute for Microbial Disease, Osaka University and has advanced projects in close cooperation with the activities of the Research Institute for Microbial Diseases.
At present, the head office and clinical examination division of the Foundation are located on the premises of Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University while research and production are performed at the Kanonji Institute. The Foundation can supply more than 20 types of biological drugs.
