Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Kampo Medicine 2005

Societies for Kampo Medicine
Kampo Medicine was a de jure medicine until theMeiji-Restoration in 1886. During this period, scholars did
not take the initiative to develop an academic society. Long
after the Meiji Restpration the government decided toauthorize German medicine as a formal medicine. Doctors
who were practicing Kampo medicine reacted to thegovernment and as a consequence developed a number ofpolitical associations which attempted academic actions
resulting in Kampo medicine becoming a social outcast. Inthe true sense of the word, the first society of Kampo
medicine came into existence in the 1930’s.
At that time, there were few doctors, pharmacologists andacupuncturists who gathered to form societies for the studyof Kampo Medicine, but rather took action individually.
Eventually, they took counsel together and established theJapanese Society of Kampo Medicine” and published theofficial journal Kampo and Chinese Herbs. This was the firstsociety of Kampo medicine in Japan.
After the Second World War, this society could notcontinue because Japanese society as a whole experienced
significant change. However, when postwar adjustments
were finished, people who established the previous society,re-established the Japanese Society of Oriental Medicine in1950. This society continues today and plays an importantrole in Kampo medicine in Japan.
Associations which play an active part in Kampo Medicine
today are:

1. Japanese Society of Oriental Medicine
This society represents Japanese Kampo medicine and is
the most authoritative in Japan. It was established tobroaden communication among practitioners and to foster
cooperation among researchers. Its primary goal was toadvance Kampo medicine in 1950 by medical doctors,
pharmacologists, and acupuncturists who were practicing
this medicine. Its sphere of activity comprehends Kampo
Medicine, acupuncture and most areas of Kampo Medicine.
Present actions are:
Major activities(1) To hold a congress and academic meetings and publish
the official journal and other publications,(2) To authorize a specialist of Kampo medicine,(3) To investigate and research Oriental medicine,(4) To interchange and cooperate with facilities at home andabroad, and(5) Other activities to achieve the above-mentioned purpose.
Present state of activities(1) Publishing of its official journal, Kampo Medicine
Published 6 times a year, plus a special issue for theannual academic congress. The journal reached number 225(Vol.54 No.2) as of March 2003.
Authors must be a member of the society in principle andaccess not only the Japanese, but also the English literature.

62(2) Holding an academic congress
Holding one general congress each year, sectional
meetings at the 8 branches, prefectural meetings and lecture
meetings for authorized doctors, totaling 70 meetings peryear.
(3) Authorizing a specialist in Kampo Medicine
Since 1989, this system is used to generate a council ofauthorized doctors. Such authorization by the society
requires:➢ Have a national license of medicine, be a member ofthe society over 5 years, take designated credits.
➢ Turn in case reports and to pass a written and an oral
certification examination which is hold once a year.
➢ Renewal term:every 5 years➢ Number of authorized doctors: 3,487 person(4) Numbers of members as of March 2003.
Full members: 8,247
Supporting members: 367
Total: 8,614（Breakdown of full members:medical doctors 6,998,dentists 41, pharmacologists 873, acupuncturists 323,
other scholars 12）(5) Committees
The society conducts its activities mainly throughpermanent and special committees. Current committees are:ⅰ. Committee for editing and publishing official journal - Kampo

Medicine
ⅱ. Committee for editing and publishing the English version of

Kampo Medicine
ⅲ. Committee for science and education
To conduct various educational seminars and to edit
textbooks
ⅳ. Committee for public relations
To interact and cooperate with facilities at home and abroadⅴ. Committee for health insuranceManagement of health insurance issues about Chinese herbs
and traditional prescriptions
ⅵ. Committee for health insurance
To take measures to advance national policies for healthinsurance
ⅶ. Committee for planning and management
To advance the image of the society and to make inquiries forthe board of directors.
ⅷ. Committee for the system of authorized doctors
To examine and authorize doctors of Kampo medicine.
ⅸ. Committee for investigation of medical plants for Kampo
prescriptions
To investigate and research medical plants for Kam poprescriptions and folk medicine.
x. Committee for indications of Acupoints
To research acupoints from a historical point of view, thedevelopment of acupuncture and educational programs
ⅺ. Committee for technical terms
To publish the glossary of “Kampo Medicine” and it’stranslation to English.
ⅻ. Special committee for EBM
To investigate the EBM in Kampo Medicine
xⅲ. Committee for public information
To service and maintain the home-page of the society

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Kampo Medicine 2005

2. Medical andWAKAN-YAKU

PharmaceuticalSociety

forassociation, "Clinical Kampo", is published as vertical printand thereby preserves the ancient form of traditional

The Wakan Yaku symposium (1967-1983) focused
mainly on research into Wakan Yaku (the crude drugs
serving as material for the preparation of Kampo medicines)
was the parent organization for the establishment of thismedicine comparatively well.
In the past, its official publication represented the main
activity of this association, but in 1991 at the academic
generalmeeting,"KampoMedicine

Research"

wassociety in 1984. The society holds one annual nationalconference. While the Japan Society for Oriental Medicine

established and henceforth published many excellent,primarily publishes clinical research results, publications

Currently, the association has about 1,600 members,
comprising
mainlyphysicians,
pharmacists
andpertaining to crude drugs, preparations and basic research
are the primary focus in this society.

strongly traditionally inclined research results.

acupuncturists, and is engaged in the following main

The society also publishes its own official organ, the"Journal of the Wakan-Yaku Society".
This society has the following purposes.

activities.

(1) Meetingand
exchanging
information
among
pharmaceuticalresearchers,
physicians
andpharmacists regarding various forms of research into
Wakan Yaku.

(2) Study groups, lectures, other activities considerednecessary for the promotion of traditional medicine.

(2) Gathering of colleagues studying the various systems of
Kampo medicine and traditional medicine and exchangeof relevant information.
(3) Attempts to fuse science based on reductionism and theconcepts of "complex systems, diverse systems" dealt
with in traditional medicine.
(4) Establishment of new therapeutics and providing theobtained knowledge for the general population.
Since 2002 the "central curriculum of medical education"
in medical facilities has been initiated. It includes the item
"ability to explain Wakan Yaku", so that this society too is
actively pursuing the integration of this concept.

3. The association of east-Asian medicine(1) Publication of the association's official organ "KampoMedicine Research".

(3) Commendations of Kampo researchers(4) Exchange withorganizations.

relateddomesticandforeign

4. Japan Society of Medical History
This academic society was founded in 1927 for"research into and spread of medical history research".
It holds one general conference annually. In addition,
there are several regional meetings with comparatively few
attendants, but a high level of activity. The society publishes
the official organ "Journal of Japanese Medical History".
Members of this academic society include a variety ofresearchers regardless of whether they specialize in westernor oriental medical history, many of whom actually specializein the history of Kampo medicine or acupuncture andmoxibustion. Many researchers of Chinese medical history,

In 1938 the leaders in Kampo medicine at the time

live in Japan, but in comparison to Chinese researchers

convened and decided to promote an exchange between East

these researchers publish a great deal of elaborate work

Asian medicine in general and TCM. It established thecharacterized by unique points of view. This is particularly

Association of East-Asian Medicine for the prosperity of thistrue for the field of acupuncture and moxibustion.
This academic society has the following purposes.

form of medicine, supporting the activities of the Japanese
Kampo Medical Society as a by-product of their program.
After World War II, during a period of confusion, theassociation remained dormant for a period, but resumed its
activities in 1954 that continue to the present day. Whereas
the highest priority of The Japan Society for Oriental
Medicine is academic research, the Association of East-Asian
Medicine deals with the transmission of traditions, using
traditional methods for its research. The Associationmaintains a mutually supporting relationship with The
Japan Society for Oriental Medicine. The official organ of the(1) Organization of academic conferences, lectures andacademic exhibitions.
(2) Publication of the official organ "Journal of Japanese
Medical History", "Newsletter of the Japan Society for
Medical History" and related books.
(3) Maintaining an exchange with related domestic andforeign organizations as a representative of theacademic world of Japanese medical history.
(4) Conducting activities
above-mentioned goals.

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inordertoachieve

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