- Around 1930, the government revised their policy, in order to implement an absolute quarantine of every person affected by Hansen’s disease. Once in the sanatorium they were not able to leave for life. It was a lifetime isolation. They would never be able to go back to their homes.
- Sanatoria were therefore either expanded or newly built to accommodate the increasing number of patients.
- Both national and prefectural authorities openly publicized that Hansen’s disease was a dreadful and incurable disease and advertised that Hansen’s disease sanatoria were the best place. Anyone finding Hansen’s disease affected persons was obliged to report this to the police or to the authorities.
- The prefectures went as far as to compete among themselves as to who would first achieve a Hansen’s disease-free prefecture, through forced confinement of all patients into Hansen’s disease sanatoria.
- With the start of the Second World War, people affected by Hansen’s disease were treated with an even colder shoulder as they were considered as useless in serving the country.
