Nagasaki University was established in 1949 by incorporating several national institutions, namely, Nagasaki Medical College, Nagasaki College of Economics, Nagasaki Normal School, Nagasaki Youth Normal School and Nagasaki High School. The new main campus was formerly a plant site of Mitsubishi Arms Factory.
Nagasaki Medical College
The oldest of the predecessors was Nagasaki Medical College. It was founded in November 1857 as Medical Training Institute by the branch office of Tokugawa Shogunate. The first professor was J. L. C. Pompe van Meerdervoort, and the institute was one of the first western-style medical schools in Japan. In 1861 the hospital was founded, and after Meiji Restoration the school became a public medical school. It was developed into Nagasaki Vocational School of Medicine in 1901, then into Nagasaki Medical College in 1923. After Japan participated in the Pacific War, the medical college added several institutes for the war, such as Temporary College of Medicine and East Asia Research Institute of Endemics. On August 9, 1945 the college was heavily damaged by the atomic bomb, because it was located only 500 to 700 meters away from the hypocenter. Over 800 professors, students and medical workers were killed. The college was moved to Omurain September 1945, and then to Isahaya in 1946. The old campus was restored later in 1950, after the college was integrated into Nagasaki University.
Nagasaki College of Economics
Another notable predecessor was Nagasaki College of Economics. It was founded in March 1905 as Nagasaki Higher Commercial School. It was the fourth national commercial college in Japan, after Tokyo, Kobe and Yamaguchi, and aimed at educating students so that they could engage in business with China, Korea and Southeast Asia. In 1917 it added the Advanced Course for Trade, and the building for the course was built in 1919. In 1944 it was renamed Nagasaki College of Economics. On August 9, 1945 although Nagasaki underwent the atomic bombing, the college buildings were protected by Mt. Kompira. Its campus has been used by the Faculty of Economics, Nagasaki University.
Atomic Bomb Disease Institute, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Collaboration and MoU with foreign universities and institutes
Islamic University, Bangladesh
Controversy
In April 2019, Nagasaki University came under fire for banning smokers from their campus. This would prevent teachers from getting hired. Many smokers and non-smokers felt that the measure was discriminatory against smokers and their personal lives. Many also argued that smoking is not relevant to their employment. Several people have filed lawsuits against the university for discrimination. However, no lawsuit has been currently settled.
