The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) of Japan released their "Mental Health and Welfare Reform Vision" in September 2004, and addressed a basic mental health and welfare policy, "A Shift from Hospital to Community." At the halfway point of the Reform Vision in September 2009, a government panel on future mental health and welfare was held, and they put forward the recommendation that mental disorder should be a new priority disease in the Regional Healthcare Strategic Plan to provide a variety of mental healthcare services and establish a collaborating system among healthcare institutions.
 Subsequently, a proposal was made and discussed whereby mental disorders should be added to the current "4 priority diseases and 5 priority health services" to create "5 priority diseases and 5 priority health services" at a sectional meeting of the medical care subcommittee of the Social Security Council in December 2010. With this background, the government issued the Regional Healthcare Strategic Plan related to the government notices, including mental disorders as the fifth priority disease, on March 30, 2012. The new plan has been implemented since April 1, 2013.
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