[Challenges in preventive measures against HIV infection/AIDS].

In Japan, number of new AIDS patients has been increasing year by year since 1985 when national surveillance was started. Although HAART has become available everywhere Japan in 1997, there observed no decline in the number of new AIDS patients, indicating that the coverage of voluntary HIV counseling and testing (VCT) is extremely low; provider-initiated testing and counseling (PITC) has not been adopted yet. Japan HIV Prevention Guidance has been revised, in 2005, and recommended to designate at least one core hospital in each local government, to monitor and evaluate policy, to empower activity for prevention of HIV infection and to enhance HIV testing. We, including public, healthcare workers, NGOs, local governments and national government should work together to fight against HIV infection and AIDS.