In Japan, as of 2011 “Sleep Day,” which is twice a year, 18th of March and 3rd of September, have been established.
During the period from 11th of March till 25th of March, Awareness and Welfare activity for sleep, “Spring Sleep Week,” is held, and the second activity, “Fall Sleep Week,” is starting from 27th of August till 10th of September.
Japanese Spring Sleep Day was instituted on closer date of the World Sleep Day. In this year 2012 on 20th of March there is the public lectures for citizens at Arcadia Ichigaya in Tokyo. The lectures are hosted by Japan Foundation for Neuroscience and Mental Health, the institution for the Promotion of Development in Sleep and Health (chairman: Kiyohisa Takahashi), and are cosponsored by the Japanese Society of Sleep Research (JSSR) and
Japanese Society for Chronobiology. As well as the lectures are supported by Cabinet Office, Ministry of Health and Welfare, corporations, Japan Medical Association, Japanese Nursing Association, Japanese society of Public Health, Japanese Association for Dental Science.
Now on 2nd of September there is the next plan for holding those lectures for citizens on numbers of sites in all parts of Japan.
Toshiaki Shiomi M.D., PhD.