Home > EnglishTop > Establishment of JMA
Establishment of JMA

In 1899, the legal regulations for midwifery practices were issued in Japan2) . The adaptation of this law made way for the licensing of midwives, thus creating a method to better ensure practice by qualified professionals. As a result of this legal recognition, midwives gradually gained social status 1),2) .
As a natural corollary to wider social acceptance, organizational activities of midwives became increasingly prominent at regional levels1),2) . In the early 20th century, regional professional associations of midwives sprung up throughout the country1) . As the practice of midwifery flourished, there was an increased demand for the establishment of headquarters to supervise these regional associations1) . The factors that accelerated these demands include: 1) a need for nationwide assurance of quality perinatal health care services; 2) the escalation of the War. The Japanese government supported these organizations because they helped stimulate governmental industrial projects, instill national policies, and distribute essential information throughout the country1),2) . The Japanese Sanbas Association, the antecedent of the Japanese Midwives Association, was established in this social context in 19271),2) .
After the War, the General Head Quarters from the United States(GHQ) conducted the reformation of Japanese nursing as a part of the post-war rehabilitation effort1) . In 1948, the Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse Law was issued. The major changes created by this law include: 1) the reestablishment of a formal nursing education; 2) the replacing of regional licenses for national ones; and 3) placing Japanese midwifery education after a formal nursing education1),2) . In addition, the title of "midwife" in Japanese, which used to be called "Sanba", was changed to "Josanpu" under this law.
The GHQ's goal was to unify three nursing-related professions, which were public health nursing, midwifery and nursing. Following the GHQ's lead, the three professional associations were unified and became the Japan Association of Midwifes, Nurses, and Public Health Nurses. In 1951, the name of the unified association was changed to the Japanese Nursing Association. The Japanese Sanbas Association was reestablished as a division of the midwifery profession at the nursing association1),2) .
However, the newly established association met opposition by some of their member midwives. One possible reason for this conflict was because many midwives before the implementation of the Public Health Nurse, Midwife and Nurse Law had not had nursing qualification. Therefore some of them had been uncomfortable with staying in a "nursing" association and willing to make an independent association for "midwives". As the voices for establishing an independent organization for midwives were magnified, the division of midwifery profession sent this issue to a congress and the bill was passed by a majority of votes1) . In 1955, Japanese Midwives Association was incorporated with 60,000 members. About 100 of midwives remained at the nursing association .
 
1. Japanese Midwives Association(ed.) (1998). The 60 Years of Japanese Midwives Association. Tokyo: Japan Midwives Association Publication [Japanese].
2. Okamoto, K. (1999). The History of Midwifery Practices in Japan. Perinatal Care, (225), pp.55-68 [Japanese].
3. Watanabe, N. & Okamoto, K. (2000). Japanese Nursing Association and Japanese Midwives Association: The History and Issues. Josanpu-zasshi, 54(12).34-38 [Japanese].