The Japan Academy of Nursing Science (JANS) was officially established at its inaugural General Assembly held on July, 25, 1981. JANS was made possible through the efforts of the Japanese Association for Nursing Programs in University (Nihon Kangokei-daigaku -Kyougikai), which was then an association of six institutions of higher education with nursing departments: St Luke’s College of Nursing, Chiba University, University of Tokyo, Nagoya Health Hygiene University, Kochi Women’s University and Ryukyu University of Nursing. JANS has the following aims: (1) to promote the development of nursing science, (2) to facilitate the exchange of knowledge in a broad range of relevant fields, and (3) to contribute to public health and welfare.

JANS started with 185 members and membership has steadily increased ever since to reach more than 7,000 at present.
In September 1987, JANS was the first nursing academy to receive approval for registration with the Japan Academy Conference, and it has now been registered with the Science Council of Japan as an academic society for its 19th term. In January 30, 2007, the Academy was incorporated.

The main pursuits of JANS are holding Academy conferences, publishing its own journals, exchanging information about research and education in nursing science, holding JANS seminars, and providing information to the community. Ongoing activities include hosting an annual Academy conference (including the annual general assembly) and publishing its quarterly Academy journal in Japanese and the Japan Journal of Nursing Science, a biannual English language journal, with the aim of internationally promoting information on Japanese nursing science.

JANS currently has 13 committees: the General Affairs Committee, the Journal of Japan Academy of Nursing Science Editorial Board, the Japan Journal of Nursing Science Editorial Board, the Selection Committee for Outstanding Manuscript Awards, the Research/Scientific Information Committee, the Steering Committee for Scientific Nursing Terminology, the Nursing Ethics Committee, the International Activity Promotion Committee, the Social Contribution Committee, the Public Relations Committee, the Steering Committee for Future Direction, JANS Research Ethics Review Committee, Promotion of Nursing Science Committee.