Recent medical developments in Japan have been astonishing. Especially in diagnosis and treatment technology Japan ranks top-level in the world. Nevertheless, for such incurable conditions as "progressive cancer" and "terminal cancer", even with the highest possible level of medicine, care which is really adequate is not easily available.

Patients with no prospects of recovery are often forced to stay alive as long as possible without receiving pain relief and adequate psychological care, and many end up dying a painful and lonely death.

Anxious to improve this situation, not only medical and nursing staff but also the general public have become increasingly interested in hospice/palliative care during the past two decades. Japan's first hospice unit was set up in 1981. As of July 2006, there were 160 official hospice units across Japan.

At present about 300,000 Japanese people die of cancer each year,so it is clear that more hospice units are necessary for meeting the needs in Japan.

These developments have revealed how important it is to improve the quality of hospice/palliative care, and thus to enhance the quality of life (QOL) of patients and their families.

In response to these concerns, the Japan Hospice/Palliative Care Foundation, after receiving official authorization, was established on December 28, 2000. This organization is placing a major emphasis on the development of a more satisfactory hospice/palliative care system through the following objectives:

- conducting investigation and research for the purpose of improving the quality of hospice/palliative care. - providing technical support to the staff involved, including doctors, nurses, pharmacists, co-medical staff and social workers. - sponsoring PR activities and international exchange related to hospice/palliative care.