[Historical development of modern anatomical education in Japan]

The medical schools in the beginning of Meiji era were diverse both in the founders and in the way of education, frequently employing foreign teachers of various nationalities. In 1871, German teachers were appointed to organized medical education at the medical school of the university of Tokyo. The anatomical education in the school was conducted by German teachers, i.e. Miller (1871-1873), Dönitz (1873-1877), Gierke (1877-1880) and Disse (1880-1885), followed by Koganei who returned from the study in Germany. In 1882 (Meiji 15th), the general rule for medical school was enforced so that the medical schools were practically obliged to employ numbers of graduates of the university of Tokyo. In 1887 (Meiji 20th), the educational system was reformed so that many of the medical schools were closed, and the medical schools were integrated into one university, five national senior high schools and three prefectural ones in addition to four private ones. After that most of anatomical teachers were either graduates of the university of Tokyo or those who studied in the anatomical department of the university. Before 1877 (Meiji 10th), the anatomical books were mainly translated from English books, and foreign teachers of various nationality were employed in many medical schools in Japan. After 1877 (Meiji 10th), the anatomical books based on the lectures by German teachers at the university of Tokyo were published. The anatomical books after 1887 (Meiji 20th) were written based on German books, and the German anatomical terms were utilized. After 1905 (Meiji 38th), the original Japanese anatomical books appeared, employing international anatomical terms. At the first meeting of Japanese Association of Anatomists in 1893 (Meiji 26th), the Japanese anatomical teachers met together and most of them were graduates of the university of Tokyo or fellows of its anatomical department.