The Discourses of Practitioners in Japan

Abstract

INTRODUCTION Contemporary Japanese medicine is comparable to medicine in Europe and the United States; however, Japanese medicine has a vastly different history. Japanese medical ethics developed in the framework of a unique discourse integrating concepts of nature, the human body, and medical practice. The understanding and practice of medicine in Japan has been strongly influenced by the acceptance of medical knowledge from countries such as China, Korea, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Germany, Britain, France, and United States. Nonetheless, elements of traditional Japanese medicine remain. The road to modern Japanese medical practice and ethical behavior was paved with different layers of medicine and culture over the past 2,000 years (Fujikawa [1904] 1941; Sakai 1986; Kimura 2004). HEALING GODS IN THE ANCIENT FOLK MEDICINE As in other parts of the world, Japanese mythological stories described the activities of healing gods. The Kojiki (712), Records of Ancient Matters , one of the oldest books of Japanese mythology and history, tells of the formation of Japan from its beginning until the reign of Emperor Suiko (592–628). This text states, “As everything was made by the spirit of the kami (god or deity), the intention of gods are the causes of all good and bad things.” Therefore, it was quite natural for the ancient Japanese to believe that diseases and wounds were due to some magical power of these invisible gods. This belief led to religious rituals being performed to heal the malignant physical and spiritual situations of illness (Sakai 2002, 57–70).