[Several Issues before and after the Recognition of "Anesthesiology" as "Specially Approved Specialty"]

A movement occurred at the end of 1940's among members of the Japan Medical Association (JMA) to recognize "specially approved specialty" in the practice of medicine, but their petition was rejected by the Medical Ethics Committee. Thus, the JMA expanded an energetic campaign for the recognition, by the support from four diet members. Consequently, six specialties including neurology and venereology were eventually accredited as "generally approved specialty" in 1950. About 1960, several years after anesthesiology having been recognized as a "specially approved medical specialty", some elder members of the Japan Society of Anesthesiology (JSA) discussed to change the term "specially approved specialty" to "generally approved medical specialty"in the Medical Service Law, but their motion could not gain majority support at the Councils of Elders of the JSA. The council also presented to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW), a written request to alter the eligibility criteria of a registered anesthesiologist; however, the request was declined because of a strong opposition of the MHW which was under the strong influence of the JMA. The JSA did never show interest to these issues since then, and the situation remains unchanged to the present.