Abstract
The purpose of this research paper is to make clear the process by which TBA (Traditional Birth Attendant) changed to modern licensed midwifery in Japan in the Meiji era by analyzing the transformation of the regulations of midwifery in Osaka, about which, to this day, the details have been unknown. Since the official notice of medical regulations “Isei” was issued to the three prefectures of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka in the 7th year of Meiji (1874), Osaka and the other prefectures devised their own regulations and objectives of midwifery according to the local conditions in each prefecture. As a pioneer, the education for midwives in Osaka began in the 8th year of Meiji (1875) and in the next year certificates were given to midwives who had completed the course. There were two kinds of midwife licenses: one that was issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs as the legitimate license, and the other by local governments as the provisional license after the 10th year of Meiji (1877). In the 17th year of Meiji (1884) the governmentauthorized midwife licenses were issued for the first time in Osaka. As the background, after legislation was enacted in the 16th year of Meiji (1883), regulations of midwifery in Osaka became stricter in order to control midwives.
