About Us

St. Luke's History

1901

St. Luke's Hospital is founded.

1904

A nursing school is established with a first class of 10 students.

1917

St. Luke's Hospital changes its name to St. Luke's International Hospital.

1920

St. Luke's International Hospital Affiliated Advanced Nursing School is established.

1925

Japan's first Central Laboratory is set up.

1927

St. Luke’s Women’s College is the only nursing school in Japan that is approved as an institute of higher education to provide an extra 4th year diploma course after finishing the basic 3-year course.

Japan's first Public Health Nursing Department is established.

1929

Japan's first Medical Social Services Department is established.

1933

The new hospital (the current Old Building) is completed with 6 floors above ground and one floor below ground.

An american-style residency training system is introduced, the first for Japan.

1936

The St. Luke's Chapel is completed (and remains intact in the Old Building today).

1945

St. Luke’s International Hospital is requisitioned by the US Occupation Forces (GHQ).

1946

Nursing education is continued jointly with Japan Red Cross Women’s College as the Model Demonstration School of Nursing during this time.

1954

One week comprehensive medical checkups begin, the first for a private hospital.

The school buildings are returned, and are now used to house St. Luke’s Junior College of Nursing (3-year course).

1956

Japan's first Medical Records Management Department is set up.

Hospital buildings are returned by the US Army.

1964

As St. Luke’s College of Nursing, it becomes the first private nursing school in Japan to provide a 4-year basic course.

1976

It becomes the first College of Nursing in Japan to accept transfer of students who have graduated from other junior colleges of nursing (to 1988).

1980

It becomes the first private and second of all nursing universities in Japan to offer a graduate master’s course (Master’ degree)

1988

It becomes the first Nursing College in Japan to offer a graduate doctoral course (Doctor of Nursing Science).

1995

Tokyo Subway Sarin Gas Attack occurs; 640 victims treated (110 of them hospitalized).

1996

The St. Luke's School of Nursing building is completed.

1997

"The college starts accepting transfer of undergraduate students for the bachelor degree. The Clinical Nurse Specialist course is established as part of the master’s course."

2002

The Research Center for Nursing Practice Development is established.

2003

"It is chosen as a nursing “center of excellence” (COE) of the “Nursing for People-Centered Initiatives in Health Care and Health Promotion,” under the 21st century COE program of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. The building No.2 of the nursing college is completed, and is used to house the Graduate School and the Research Center for Development of Nursing Practice."

2004

A (long-term) graduate master’s course for working people (lifelong learning) is established.

2005

The specialty graduate master’s course in Women's Health / Midwifery (Master of Nursing) is established.

2008

St. Luke's International Hospital is designated as a Regional Core Cancer Treatment Hospital.

Center for Clinical Epidemiology opens.

2012

St. Luke's MediLocus opens.

Accreditation is awarded by Joint Commission International (JCI), the United States' leading hospital accrediting organization.

2014

St. Luke's MediLocus accredited and awarded by Joint Commission International (JCI.)

St. Luke's College of Nursing changes its name to St. Luke’s International University.

Integration of St. Luke's International Hospital and St. Luke's College of Nursing to St. Luke's International University.

2015

Joint Commission International(JCI)accreditation was renewed

Won the highest Dr Kwang Tae Kim Grand Award of the International Hospital Federation

2016

OMURA Susumu & Mieko Memorial St. Luke's Center for Clinical Academia opens.

2017

Graduate School of Public Health opens.

2019 Doctoral Program in Public Health starts.