The contributions of Professor Yujiro Ikemi to the development of psychosomatic medicine in Japan

Abstract

This article discusses the many contributions of Prof. Yujiro Ikemi to the development of psychosomatic medicine in Japan, his tremendous achievements, his intriguing study on spontaneous cancer regression, and his thoughts and theories on the integration of East Asian psychosomatic medicine and psychosomatic medicine as practiced in Europe and the USA. His publications include 500 original and review articles, 16 books including those that he edited or supervised, 25 books to which he was a contributor, 7 translated books, and 28 general enlightenment books. He suggested how the significant roles of a positive state of mind, the way of living and an existential shift may have affected his spontaneous cancer regression patients. His thoughts and theories included Zen mediation, the etiology of acupuncture medicine, holistic medicine, human existence based on the concept of self, and the integration of psychosomatic and somatopsychic approaches to medicine. The many wonderful contributions of Prof. Yujiro Ikemi to the development of psychosomatic medicine in Japan and the world will long remain with us and guide us.