Great advances in biomedicine in the latter half of the 20th century made a significant contribution to the fields of modern medicine and welfare. In the cancer field especially, progress in basic medicine and also in clinical medicine have meant a considerable improvement in treatment results. Despite these advances, it is still a reality that many cancer patients continue to go through total suffering. Under such circumstances, Palliative Medicine, which aims to improve the quality of life (QOL) of patients, is being established in overseas countries.
However, not enough has been done to establish Palliative Medicine in Japan. We therefore founded the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine in 1996, in order to establish Palliative Medicine as a concept that comprehensively encompasses specialized fields of medicine and welfare. Toward QOL improvement, the Society is dedicated to promoting interdisciplinary and scientific study to develop Palliative Medicine, so as to contribute to society through the practice and education of Palliative Medicine. Additionally, by obtaining corporate status based on the Law to Promote Specified Nonprofit Activities, the Society will further strengthen its ongoing activities and cooperate with other related academic societies, study groups and various organizations in Japan and abroad. Through such efforts, the Society intends to facilitate advancement and promotion of Palliative Medicine, thereby contributing to the development of medicine and welfare.
The Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine will promote interdisciplinary and scientific study to develop Palliative Medicine, aiming at improving people’s quality of life for the entire period of cancer and other intractable diseases, from diagnosis to terminal care. Moreover, through the practice and education of Palliative Medicine, the Society aims to contribute to the development of medicine and welfare.
- (1)
- Organizing academic conventions and lecture meetings concerning Palliative Medicine
- (2)
- Organizing seminars, courses, workshops and so forth concerning Palliative Medicine
- (3)
- Promoting study and research into Palliative Medicine
- (4)
- Issuance of Palliative Medicine-related publications
- (5)
- Public relations, and dissemination and exchange of information on Palliative Medicine
- (6)
- Training and certifying specialists in Palliative Medicine
- (7)
- Providing support to Palliative Medicine-related organizations
- (8)
- Other activities as necessary to achieve the objectives of the Society
- (1)
- Regular members: Individuals who have become members of the Society in agreement with its objectives and have interest in its activities, education and study related to medicine and welfare
- (2)
- Associate members: Individuals and organizations who have become members of the Society to support the Society’s activities
- (3)
- Distinguished service members: Individuals recommenced by Directors or Representatives from among those who have made distinguished contribution to the Society, and approved by the Board of Directors, in accordance with the separate bylaws
- (4)
- Honorary members: Individuals or organizations approved by the Board of Directors as having made significant contribution to Palliative Medicine
- [Chairperson]
- Satoru Tsuneto(Osaka University)
- [Vice Chairperson]
- Harue Arao(Osaka University)
- [Standing Directors]
- Etsuko Aruga(Teikyo University)
Hajime Kagaya(Saiseikai Yokohamashi Nanbu Hospital)
Yoshiyuki Kizawa (University of Tsukuba)
Naohito Shimoyama(Tochigi Cancer Center)
Takashi Higashiguchi(Fujita Health University School of Medicine)
Motohiro Matoba(National Cancer Center)
Mitsunori Miyashita(Tohoku University) - [Directors]
- Yoshikazu Ashino (Towada City Hospital)
Kazunari Abe(Chiba Prefectural University of Health Sciences)
Atsuko Uchinuno (University of Hyogo)
Kenji Eguchi (Teikyo University)
Keiichiro Ota(International University of Health and Welfare)
Fumiko Koyama(Kinki University)
Youji Saito(Shimane University Faculty of Medicine)
Yasuo Shima (Tsukuba Medical Center Hospital)
Yusuke Takamiya(Showa University)
Keiko Tanaka(Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious diseases Center Komagome Hospital)
Keiko Tamura(Yodogawa Christian Hospital)
Satoko Tamura(Higashi Sapporo Hospital)
Yoichirou Tamura(Ashikaga Red Cross Hospital)
Shirou Tomiyasu(Nagasaki Municipal Hospital)
Nobuhisa Nakajima(Sapporo Minami-Seishu Hospital)
Masaru Narabayashi(Saitama Medical University)
Takahiro Hashizume(Akita City Hospital)
Toyoshi Hosokawa(Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine)
Junji Matuoka(Okayama University)
Fumio Yamazaki(Care town KODAIRA clinic)
Kinomi Yomiya(Saitama Cancer Center) - [Auditors]
- Tadao Kakizoe (National Cancer Center)
Tetsuo Kashiwagi (Kinjo Gakuin University)
Noriaki Tanaka(Tottori Municipal Hospital) - [Honorary members]
- Kaoru Abe, Satoshi Ebihara, Micho Ogawa, Minoru Kurihara, Motoharu Kondo, Tadao Nagayama
- [Distinguished service members]
- Masahito Okayasu, Misako Kojima, Noboru Kobayashi, Yasunosuke Sakata, Fumimaro Takaku, Fumikazu Takeda, Michitaka Nakura, Kiichiro Noda, Kikuro Nomoto, Shigeaki Hinohara
Committee of Education and Training : Yoshiyuki Kizawa
Committee of Specialist Palliative Care Promotion : Shirou Tomiyasu
Committee of Specialist Certification and Training : Etsuko Aruga
Committee of Palliative Care Project Promotion : Yasuo Shima
Committee of Online Journal : Mitsunori Miyashita
Committee of Public Relations : Satoko Tamura
Committee of Newsletter Editing : Nobuhisa Nakajima
Committee of Palliative Medicine Guidelines : Motohiro Matoba
Committee of Research Advancement : Naohito Shimoyama
Committee of General Affairs : Harue Arao
Committee of Finance : Junji Matuoka
Committee of Ethics : Kenji Eguchi
Committee of Health and Nursing Care Insurance : Takashi Higashiguchi
Total number of members: 10,030 (As of Feb 1, 2012)
Breakdown by profession
| Doctors: | 4,934 | (49.2%) |
| Dentists: | 44 | (0.5%) |
| Nurses: | 3,413 | (34.0%) |
| Pharmacists: | 1,045 | (10.4%) |
| MSWs: | 194 | (1.9%) |
| Others: | 400 | (4.0%) |
