On Assuming the Third Term as President of the JAHP - by Koji Tanaka, Ph.D

I have been recently reappointed as president (representative director) (term: July 2013 - March 2015) at the general meeting of delegates (association members) and the meeting of the board of directors held on June 23, 2013. I would like to take this occasion, to express my hopes during my words of welcome.

During my previous term of office of a year and three months, I worked on reforms with the slogan, “bringing fresh air into JAHP,” focusing on “JAHP’s information dissemination and sustainable growth.” As described below, some progress has been made in short-term issues, but issues to be addressed over a medium term have only just begun, the progress of which I hope to achieve in my third term of office.

[Progress of short-term issues]

• Academic development of health psychology, enhancing information dissemination
  In areas of research that may germinate into academic development, research groups have been publicly sought under JAHP research grants, and several research committees have been established. Additionally, the online version of JAHP’s journal, “The Japanese Journal of Health Psychology,” has been posted on J-STAGE from Vol. 26 No. 1 August 2013, providing open access of the journal to enhance information dissemination.
• Open and sustainable operation of JAHP
  Efforts have been made to improve the website, the delivery of e-mail publications, updates to the newsletter, and other improvements, in order to enhance channels of communication among JAHP members. Furthermore, provision of a stable service by outsourcing membership operations, achievement of fiscal soundness by streamlining management (realization of surplus on a single-year basis) and other activities, have made it possible for JAHP to invest its human energy and financial resources into research and practical business it should really be engaged in.

[Mid-term issues]

• Improving appeal and recognition of “The Japanese Journal of Health Psychology”
  It is important that the journal is appealing and highly regarded. With the posting of the journal on J-STAGE, it is expected that the number of cited papers will increase and the evaluation of the journal enhanced. Accordingly, it will become all the more important to improve the quality of papers published in the journal. As for resuming the publication of the English journal, we will continue publication of special editions for a while in the hope of steadily expanding the submission of English papers.
• Promoting a qualification system for health psychologists, research, and practice
  Amid the growing possibility of a national qualification framework for psychologists, we are currently reviewing the qualification system for health psychologists, training curriculum, and training contents. We will concentrate our efforts especially on promoting training to improve practical techniques of health psychologists and practical studies that bridge the gap between theory and practice.
• Vitalizing JAHP’s international activities
  We will continue to deepen exchanges with the American Psychology Association (APA) Division 38 (Health Psychology), the European Health Psychology Society, and the Asian Congress of Health Psychology. JAHP has already made proposals for symposiums and offered assistance to dispatch young researchers to international conferences, and hopes to promote this further.
• Publication commemorating the 30th anniversary of the foundation of JAHP
  An executive committee for the commemorative publication has been already set up. Commemorative issues planned by JAHP will be published over several years in the form of a basic series, an expansion series, or other format.

Thank you.

Koji Tanaka, Ph.D.
(Professor Emeritus and Executive Adviser, Okayama University)

Mission and Operation

The Japanese Association of Health Psychology (JAHP) aims to promote research on health psychology, contribute to the dissemination of research results, and support JAHP members in mutually exchanging knowledge and understanding each other better.
To achieve these aims, JAHP conducts the following operations.

• Hosting annual conferences, workshops, and training sessions to encourage research among JAHP members.
• Editing and publishing journals, newsletters, research materials, membership directories, and other publications.
• Collaborating with related domestic and overseas academic organizations.
• Other operations necessary for JAHP.

Research Activity

Health psychology is the study of psychology that aims to understand how psychological factors and treatments contribute to maintaining and improving health and preventing and curing illness. It also aims to provide psychological contributions in health education, health care systems, and formulation of health policies.
Health psychology promotes not only basic and clinical research on psychology, but also collaborative research with related areas such as medical care, nursing, health, public health, education, physical exercise, sports, nutrition, social welfare, and bioethics.
The following are some examples of the keywords related to the research.

Organization and Administration

Board of Directors

· President

Tanaka Koji

· Vice President

Noguchi Kyoko

· Chief Secretariat

Takenaka Koji

· Executive Director

Ishihara Shunichi
Kojima Masatoshi
Shimai Satoshi
Tanaka Tomoko
Tsuda Akira
Mori Kazuyo
Yamada Fumio

· Director (30 member quorum)

　

· Auditor (2 member quorum)

　

Committees → * & Chiefs

Standing Committees

· Committee for Journal Edition

Ishihara Shunichi

· Committee for Authorizing Qualification

Mori Kazuyo

· Committee for Training

Yamada Fumio

· Committee for Public Relations

Takenaka Koji

· Committee for Research Promotion

Tanaka Tomoko

· Committee for International Relations

Tsuda Akira

· Committee for General /Financial Affairs

Noguchi Kyoko

· Committee for Motoaki Commemorative Award Nomination

Kojima Masatoshi

Special Committees

· Committee to Support Research/Practice Activities

Shimai Satoshi

· Executive Committee for Commemorative Publication

Shimai Satoshi

Representative (55 member quorum)