History and Recent Advances of the Japanese Society of Biofeedback Research

This article provides an overview of the history of the Japanese Society of Biofeedback Research (JSBR) and presents some of its recent advances. Most of the research papers published in the JSBR journal (Biofeedback Kenkyu) have been written in Japanese, and therefore have had very few opportunities to reach global readers. We would like to present some of important findings previously published there. First, we present the history of the JSBR. Secondly, we will focus on paced breathing, which is instrumental in achieving relaxation in heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BF). We will look back on the origin of slow-paced breathing in Japan, that could be attributed to the concept of Tanden breathing (abdominal paced breathing) practiced in Zen meditation. Thirdly, we will introduce some of the current research progresses of JSBR, especially focusing on the development of a non-contact sensing technology and relaxation device. Finally, we will explain about a very recent trial, the "Suu-Haa" Relaxation Technique, which we hope may be useful for helping people cope with the SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) crisis.