Traditional Chinese Medicine in Japan

□ Article / Journalist Tang Gang Tr. by Chen Yupeng

Traditional Chinese Medicine in Japan

□ Article / Journalist Tang Gang Tr. by Chen Yupeng

“It is astonishing that 90% of the Chinese patent medicine sold over the world are made in Japan”.It’s a regulation in Japan that every medical university must provide education in Kampo medicine.

These days, Chinese people have mixed opinions about traditional Chinese medicine, which has undergone serious doubts regarding its effectiveness. There was even a time when the necessity of its very existence had been discussed.But how is traditional Chinese medicine received outside China? To fi nd out, Mao Dehong, Director of Chinese Medicine Hospital of Yongchuan District,Chongqing, attended a training program organized by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine on “Professionalized Administration of Chinese Medicine Hospitals” in Japan. Upon his return, Mr. Mao talked to us about the development of traditional Chinese medicine, or Kampo medicine,in Japan.

Led by Song Chunsheng, Associate Dean of the Graduate school of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and monitored by Song Lijuan,Associate Director of the Personnel Department of the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the 17 attendees of the training program stayed in Tokyo for 6 days, and Kyoto for 7 days,during which they were mostly attending lectures,and visiting local hospitals and pharmaceutical companies in the rest of the time.

What do Japanese people think of Chinese Medicine? Mr. Mao said that though there is not complete system of traditional Chinese medicine in Japan as there is in China, many medical students in Japan study traditional Chinese medicine, many hospitals in Japan offers treatments with traditional Chinese medicine, and there are institutes of traditional Chinese medicine in Japan. Although Japan does not certify practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine of fi cially, patients in Japan think highly of traditional Chinese medicine and the regimen based on it. Treatments with traditional Chinese medicine are well received in Japan. The health insurance in Japan covers both hospital treatments and pharmaceutical products. Except for decoction pieces of traditional Chinese medicine, all Kampo medicines, even acupuncture, are covered by the health insurance.

Mr. Mao also said that the Japanese government has required since 2010 that all medical universities must provide education in Kampo medicines. Tokyo Women’s Medical University has been in contact with China Medical University for 20 years, and it has also send delegations to Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, who found the latter better equipped than medical universities in Japan after seeing the dietary therapy, advanced equipment, and CT and MBI operation rooms that seem just like the ones in hospitals of western medicine. Although there are 82 medical universities in Japan, none of them dedicate to Kampo medicine exclusively. Acupuncturists are approved by the Japanese government, not as doctors, but as auxiliaries for other types of medical treatment. Kampo medicines, herbal medicines,and raw materials of traditional Chinese medicine belong to a different fi eld other than acupuncture. In Japan, only certi fi ed doctors can prescribe Kampo medicines, that is, Kampo medicines are prescribed by doctors of western medicine.

A Shockingly 90% of the Chinese Patent Drug Sold over the World are Made in Japan

What are the differences between traditional Chinese medicine and Kampo medicine? Mr. Mao said that just like practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners of Kampo medicine study basic concepts such as Yin and Yang, chills and fever, deficiency and excess, exterior and interior,and differentiation of the six meridians, and use the four diagnostic methods of looking, listening,questioning and feeling the pulse, and prescribe dialectical treatment.

“As a type of traditional Japanese medicine, Kampo medicine was developed based on traditional Chinese medicine”, said Mr. Mao. Treatments of Kampo medicine are mostly base on herbal medicines and therapies of traditional Chinese medicine such as acupuncture and massage.Prescriptions of Kampo medicine are taken from Treatise on Cold Damage Disorders, Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet, and other medical classics. Although Japan does not certify practitioners of Kampo medicine, nor boast a system of traditional medicine theory like China,shockingly, 90% of the Chinese patent drug sold over the world are made in Japan. In 2010, the Japanese government issued an order which requires every medical universities in Japan to include 8 periods (90mins each) of Kampo courses in their syllabus. Now 30% of Japanese doctors are studying Kampo medicine vigorously, and know dialectical treatment; 60% of Japanese doctors take interest in Kampo medicine, but cannot make time to study it, therefore they can only prescribe Kampo medicine by following instruction manuals.

Kampo medicine is thriving in Japan. Kampo medicines are produced with advanced technology under strict quality control in Japan, which has contributed to a 90% market share of Chinese patent medicine sold over the world. For Mao Dehong, such facts are thought-provoking and worrying. He hopes that China will invest more in the research and development of traditional Chinese medicine, and increase our market share with quality and effective Chinese patent medicine.

in Japan