The War against a Regional Disease in Japan A History of the Eradication of Schistosomiasis japonica

Description Regional disease (schistosomiasis) was endemic for more than 400 years in an area spanning some 20,000 ha along three rivers, Kamanashi River, Arakawa, and Fuefuki River. The people living there suffered from this fatal disease characterized by swollen abdomen and abdominal ascites. Our regional eradication program was initiated when the regional leader of a village, Kasugai, Higashi-Yamanashi gun, submitted demand for the control of this disease to Governor Shiro Fujimura. The people struggled with this disease for 115 years until we finally declared its eradication on February 19, 1996. We erected this monument to express our sincere appreciation to all the persons who contributed to this historical achievement and to commemorate it forever. December, 2002 Yamanashi Prefecture Government, Kofu, Yamanashi, Nirasaki, Kasugai, Isawa, Misaka, Ichinomiya, Yatsushiro, Nakamichi, Sakaigawa, Toyotomi, Mitama, Masuho, Nakatomi, Ryuoh, Shikishima, Tamaho, Showa, Tatomi, Hatta, Shirane, Wakakusa, Kushigata, Kousai, Futaba, Association for the Eradication of schistosomiasis (Regional Disease) in Yamanashi Prefecture