Abstract
The features of intractable diseases make it an important public health issue and a challenge to medical care worldwide. Investigation of intractable diseases with the support of government is urgently expected to activate clinical and pharmaceutical research to promote diagnosis and treatment for patients with intractable diseases. Moreover, linkage to the international database for research achievement is also necessary so that both researchers and other general citizens can assess research trends in the field of intractable diseases. In Japan, supportive activities for patients and researchers of intractable diseases have been well developed with the support of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW). Furthermore, in April 2013, a specific academic communication platform on intractable diseases - the Intractable and Rare Diseases Research (IRDR) Journal - was approved to join a governmental project and receive support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) under the auspices of Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). Cooperation with the Japanese government starting this year is hoped to promote information-sharing based on an academic communication platform and further activate research on intractable diseases.