Reflecting on activities over the past decade and considering future developments / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

The safety committee has been undertaking activities, such as conducting regular workshops at the annual congresses, managing the "Safety Measures Website for Acupuncture and Moxibustion," researching the literature, conducting multicenter prospective studies on acupuncture and moxibustion-related adverse events, collecting information about medical accidents involving acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan, addressing the media pertaining to false information regarding the safety of acupuncture and moxibustion, and formulating the Safety Guidelines for Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Practice. At the 71st annual Tokyo congress workshop, activities conducted over the past decade were summarized.　Regarding the studies on acupuncture and moxibustion-related adverse events, a literature review of reports concerning acupuncture- and moxibustion-associated adverse events published globally from 2004 to 2019 was introduced. Furthermore, the results of a multicenter prospective study conducted by the safety committee were also introduced. Additionally, the Safety Guidelines for Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion Practice were introduced, and the results of a questionnaire survey determining the degree of recognition of these guidelines were simultaneously reported. Moreover, regarding future developments, plans to create and publish a safety manual for acupuncture and moxibustion (provisional name) were reported.　In the second half of the workshop, reports on the past cases of needle breakage and retained needles were introduced under the topic "precautions and preventive measures regarding needle breakage and retained needles." Furthermore, the number of needle breakage claims filed under the liability insurance of acupuncture and moxibustion practitioners was reported. These details demonstrate that despite the common use of single-use acupuncture needles, accidents involving needle breakage still exist. Lastly, measures for reducing the difficulty in needle removal and preventing needle breakage were summarized, and opinions on the same were exchanged with the participants.

Drastic Change Needed Now For Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion of Tomorrow / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

At the Tokyo Proclamation Symposium, I was responsible for the study of Characteristics of Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion from the clinical viewpoint. The subject was based on an analysis of the discussion of the drafting committee and the results of a survey concerning the acupuncture-moxibustion business conducted by Ido-No-Nihon magazine.<BR>The characteristics of Japanese acupuncture-moxibustion differing from those of general medicine are:<BR>1 st In both diagnosis and treatment "touch"is extremely important<BR>2 nd The development of treatment and diagnostic implements based on Western medical concepts<BR>3rd The development of weak stimulation treatment using insertion tubes and various fine minute needles<BR>4 th Therapy based on a blending of Western medical concepts and classical teachings<BR>5 th The popularity of moxibustion therapy<BR>6 th The importance placed on preventative therapy<BR>7 th Individualized treatment not limited to the main complaint<BR>There is a great diversity of characteristics in Japanese acupuncture-moxibustion but this should not be taken advantage of or lead to complacency.<BR>As individualization is not adaptable to Cartesian science, Western medicine aims for standardization. Also in spite of the fact that the patient's condition is grasped in terms of causes, therapy begins and ends with what is known as allopathic or symptomatic therapy, as analysis of the functions of the whole body systemically and dynamically is impossible. As allopathy applies opposition therapy, when the body temperature is elevated, regardless of the cause, the aim of treatment is to reduce the temperature. Likewise in cases of high blood pressure or glucose count. With Eastern medicine, in order to increase immune power and restrict the activity of bacteria and viruses, treatment is administered to increase the body temperature. Which type of treatment is more substantial is obvious.<BR>With the decreasing birthrate and the aging population one would expect that hereafter the demand for economical acupuncture-moxibustion therapy which safely promotes the natural healing powers of the body and is useful in the prevention of disease should increase. However the reality is, the demand is declining, not only among the general population but also at medical facilities which proves our neglect to analyze the customers'(population and medical facilities) needs and our failure to revolutionize. To rectify this situation, educational reform before and after graduation is a necessity

Toward the Tokyo Declaration of Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion is characterized by its diversity, a diversity which has been created by accepting the knowledge and techniques of foreign origin and ingeniously applying Japanese mentality to convert those techniques to conform to the culture and climate of Japan. Because of its diversity, Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion are considered to be effective complements to and easily integrated with various kinds of modern medicine in such a way that they are considered to be suitable medicines for the 21st century. <BR>International standardization is progressing in the world in this age of globalization. This trend also affects standardization in the medical field, including acupuncture and moxibustion, as evident by the drafting of acupuncture standards for ISO. <BR>However, to promote sound development of acupuncture and moxibustion, it is more important to promote academic exchange that respects the characteristics of the therapy in each country than to promote standardization. Therefore, I believe that dispatching information on the characteristics of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion both inside and outside the country will contribute to the overall improvement of medicine and blaze a new trail in the field of acupuncture and moxibustion. The Tokyo Declaration (draft) dispatches these concepts to the outside world as well as within Japan.

History of Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

The birth of Oriental Medicine, including Acupuncture and Moxibustion, is attributed to Chinese civilization and is thought to have occurred in the Yellow River valley 2000 years ago. The contributing factors establishing Oriental medicine included the development of city-states designed to unite the country under a single authority. The governors of these city-states wisely designed policies to make the health of the people a top priority.<BR>In the middle of the 6th century Acupuncture and Moxibustion spread into Japan. From the enactment of the "Taiho Code"(701 AD) until the promulgation of the "Modern Medical System"(1878) these modalities were recognized as the National Medicine of Japan. <BR>During the Nara and Heian period (8-12 c), Japanese practitioners mainly accepted and learned the Chinese style of acupuncture and moxibustion. After the Kamakura period (13-14 c), during the Muromachi and Azuchi Momoyama periods (15-16 c), and into the Edo period (17-19 c), the original character of Japanese-style acupuncture and moxibustion began to develop unique characteristics.<BR>Here, I have to specifically mention that a Portuguese ship arrived at Tanegashima Island in 1543, after which the cultures of Spain and the Netherlands influenced Japanese culture. Of course these foreign influences spread to the field of Acupuncture and Moxibustion.<BR>During the Edo period, Japan closed its borders to foreign influences. During this time Japan traded only with China, Korea and the Netherlands. These trade routes, the merchandise, and exchange of information did not directly or immediately influence Japan, but they did play an important role in future cultural trends. Especially in the medical field, through trade with China, and Korea, Japan continued to accept information about Oriental Medicine. Likewise, through trade with the Netherlands, Western medical innovation gradually became popular.<BR>In this way, Japan received the latest medical information from the forerunners of the world's medicine of that period. Naturally, the use of both traditional and modern modalities increases. As a result, Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion practitioners deepened their knowledge of classic texts, and made good use of the information from China and Korea. Significant innovations of this period include the concept of inserting acupuncture needles through a guide tube, more thorough abdominal diagnoses according to Chinese theories, and increasing acceptance of Western medicine theories. During the Edo period, developments in Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion would sustain the progress of these medical fields up to and into the Meiji era. <BR>These developments included changes in the medical system, education, and research of Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion.

On an Encounter of Acupuncture-and-Moxibustion with Natural-healing-energy / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

If we consider the internal and external circumstances surrounding our acupuncture-and-moxibustion (Harikyu) community in Japan, it will become clear that we are required to construct a Japanese Harikyu Study immediately. Thinking one of the traits of Harikyu is to assume the natural healing energy is a basis, searching for the root are the subjects of this announcement. If we examine the natural healing energy that is thought to be used in our clinical scene now, the hypothesis that it is not what was inherited the Chinese traditional medicine, but it is a property of the Dutch studies imported in the middle of the Edo period will emerge. The keyword is "the natural action power"described in the greatest Edo period care of health document "Byoka Suchi (Knowledge that every patient and his/her family should have)"published at the end of the Edo period. Looking back upon the thought of "the natural right ability"used as the basis of the Chinese medicine revival movement of Keijuro Wada in the Meiji period, the author argues that the natural healing energy thought with which Japanese acupuncturists is familiar was derived from Occidental Hippocrates medicine. The author also submits the hypothesis that the Japanese original healing capacity thought "Ja-Sho Ichinyo (Wrong and right are but two faces of the same coin)"served as a backdrop for the Edo period Japanese accepting the natural healing energy thought of Hippocrates medicine.

A Study of Classical Techniques of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in Japan: With Emphasis on Abdominal Palpation and Needle Tapping / 全日本鍼灸学会雑誌

Studying traditional techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan is indispensable both when tracing the history of acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan as a traditional form of medicine and when using acupuncture and moxibustion to deal with diverse diseases in modern Japanese people. Japanese techniques of acupuncture and moxibustion have been gradually evolving since the Muromachi Era. Techniques were developed, tailored to Japanese cultural and racial characteristics. Among these techniques, abdominal palpation and needle tapping, developed by the Mubun School, are particularly noteworthy and deserve world-wide attention. The author recently investigated the methods and views of various classical schools of acupuncture and moxibustion in Japan, emphasizing study of abdominal palpation and needle tapping and exploring common features of these techniques across different schools. The author found that abdominal palpation is suitable for detecting vertical or horizontal shifts in Qi (vital energy) and Ketsu (nourishing energy) in the human body, and that when applying abdominal acupuncture, it is essential to restore the balance of Qi and Ketsu in each direction around the umbilicus.