On April 2016, the Ministerial Meeting on Measures on Emerging Infectious Diseases has explored the matter to carry forward antimicrobial resistance (AMR) control, and implemented the National Action Plan on AMR over the next five years to promote AMR measures in Japan. Subsequently, on April 2017, the Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center (AMRRC) responsible for comprehensive think tank function for AMR was established.

AMRRC is expected to conduct surveillance, research on antimicrobial resistance mechanism, control the quality of antimicrobials, develop new technique contributing to AMR countermeasure, support infection control in hospitals, and play a leading role in think tank function of AMR.

AMRRC is composed of eight laboratories, and their activities are shown below.

LABORATORY 1 :
(LAB. OF MOLECULAR RESEARCH)

Laboratory 1 conducts research on AMR, molecular epidemiology and related reference services. Lab. 1 is also in charge of national control of antimicrobials’ quality using biological tests and chromatography, preparation and distribution of essential antimicrobial standards, and relevant research and references on quality control.

LABORATORY 2 :
(LAB. OF SURVEILLANCE)

Lab. 2 conducts surveillance on infectious diseases caused by antimicrobial resistant bacteria and nosocomial infectious diseases, and relevant reference services. As the executive office of Japan Nosocomial Infections Surveillance (JANIS), the laboratory aggregates and analyzes the data collected from hospitals and publishes the report.

LABORATORY 3 :
(LAB. OF ONE HEALTH RESEARCH)

Lab. 3 conducts comprehensive research on AMR pathogens. Through ‘One Health’ approach, the laboratory conducts collaborative research in which multiple sectors communicate and work together in the field of human health, food, and environment.

LABORATORY 4 :
(LAB. OF FIELD EPIDEMIOLOGY)

Lab. 4 is in charge of infectious disease surveillance in local or district level by AMR organisms and support hospitals in collaboration with local public heath centers.

LABORATORY 5 :
(LAB. OF GRAM-POSITIVE PATHOGENS)

Lab. 5 conducts research on Gram-positive AMR pathogens including MRSA and VRE, and their relevant reference activities. The lab. also covers study of Mycobacterium leprae.

LABORATORY 6 :
(LAB. OF PARASITOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY)

Lab. 6 conducts research on AMR resistant parasitic and entomological diseases.

LABORATORY 7 :
(LAB. OF AMR GENOMICS)

Lab. 7 is responsible for the operation of the Japan Antimicrobial Resistant Bacterial Bank (JARBB), the genomics and the molecular epidemiological and proteomic studies of AMR bacteria, and its relevant reference activities.

LABORATORY 8 :
(LAB. OF FUNGAL PATHOGENS)

Lab. 8 conducts research on infectious diseases caused by antimicrobial resistant fungus.