Prof. Yujiro Ikemi and the Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine

Abstract

Prof. Yujiro Ikemi was the pioneer of psychosomatic medicine in Japan. It has now been more than four decades since the late Prof. Yujiro Ikemi founded the Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine in 1959. Until he passed away in 1999, Prof. Ikemi devoted himself wholly to the development of the Society by bringing in more members year after year (the membership today counts up to about 3800). The Society received formal recognition as a scientific body in 1979, when it was admitted to the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences. Later, in 1990, the national health insurance system began recognizing 12 different types of psychosomatic treatments, including Prof. Ikemi's “triad”, and in 1996 psychosomatic medicine was formally authorized as a clinical field by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. This was an achievement long sought by Prof. Ikemi, who guided us constantly towards this goal. In 1997, the Society was recognized as a corporate body by the Japanese Ministry of Education. This meant that the Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Medicine was a firm juridical organization.