[The evolution and characteristics of social hygiene in modern Japan].

The purpose of this paper is the clarification of the theory of social hygiene and its conception in modern society. The theory of social hygiene in modern society was mainly formed by the influence of social democracy and the social reform movement. Social hygiene in modern Japan was presented by Germany in the middle Meiji era and prevailed in the Taisho era. Yoshie Fukuhara, Gito Terouka and Teido Kunisaki developed the mainstream of the theory about social hygiene in modern Japan. The principle of social hygiene in Japan was that the target group of social hygienic activities (such as laborers, poor people, consumers of medical service and so on) should establish the idea of self-government and autonomy of their lives. Social supports to the target group were recognized as combining with the idea of self-government and autonomy of lives. Some of those activities influenced by the principle were performed. Particularly, the work of Tetsuo Hoshino was unique in showing the relation between health and human culture. The work has shown that human health is reflected in human cultural activities. Social hygiene was important to the foundation of introduction and evolution of the thoughts of public health, health culture and medical insurance in modern Japan.