The Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine was founded as Nihon-Seishin-Shintai-Igakukai on November 30 1959 at Kyushu University to promote the study of psychosomatic medicine, an academic discipline that focuses on the relationship between the mental and physical aspects of illness, and to facilitate the introduction of cutting edge research into psychosomatic medicine and its related fields. The Society celebrated its 50th anniversary in November of 2009.
Our society is currently focusing on a number of stress-related diseases in which psychological and social factors are closely related to a physical disease, such as hypertension and gastric ulcer, which have been shown to have psychosomatic components. The number of patients with psychosomatic disorders is increasing. An example is the soaring number of truant students, a serious problem for educators and society in general. Most of these students do not attend school because of complaints and/or symptoms of psychosomatic diseases, such as abdominal pain (irritable bowel syndrome) and headache (tension-type headache). Psychosomatic medicine plays an important role in society by targeting these key disorders.
Our approach is to treat not only the patient's physical conditions, but to treat illness holistically from its psychological, social and environmental aspects. The goal of psychosomatic medicine in broad terms is holistic medical care, thus we constantly strive to develop mind-body correlation studies, diagnoses, treatments, and means of prevention that promote the progress of our field. Psychosomatic medicine is practiced with clinical psychologists, social workers, nurses, and medical doctors working together as a team, in cooperation with professionals in educational and industrial circles.
Psychosomatic medicine has come to be recognized as an integral part of the Japanese medical community, and was admitted to the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences in 1979. The Society also participates in the Science Council of Japan as a cooperating academic research organization. In addition, Kyushu University, the University of Tokyo, Toho University, Tohoku University, Kansai Medical University, Kagoshima University, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (Faculty of Dentistry), Nihon University, and Kinki University have courses and/or departments specializing in the treatment of psychosomatic disorders. Psychosomatic medicine in Japan has a long history as an academic discipline, and the members of our society provide medical service of the highest level throughout the country.
Since approval for the use of the term psychosomatic medicine in the advertisements of hospitals and clinics in 1996, the number of institutions with a "Department of Psychosomatic Medicine" has increased. This has contributed to an increase in the number of patients reporting in a timely manner to hospitals and clinics for the treatment of psychosomatic diseases by providing them with better access to effective treatment. To boost the development of psychosomatic medicine, the Society has developed higher standards for NHI. To train the specialists necessary to meet the increasing demand, we are promoting the establishment of Psychosomatic Medicine Departments at Japanese universities.
The Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine provides an extensive range of services that include academic activities, promotional and educational campaigns, and international activities, all related to psychosomatic medicine.
We, the members of the Society, are determined to act sincerely in our role of enhancing public health by actively promoting a health care system that is responsive to the needs of Japanese society while constantly striving to improve our medical capability.
