Medical specialists certified by the Japanese Medical Specialty Board are defined as medical doctors who have been appropriately and extensively trained, provide standard medical care, and are trusted by patients, responding to citizens' needs to receive standard and safe treatment.
 In accordance with this definition, a committee of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology has discussed the criteria for renewal since late 2014 so that the new criteria will not be markedly different from the previous ones.
 The major changes include the following: 1) adoption of the credit-based system in place of the point-based system, 2) making part of the courses mandatory, and 3) requiring five instead of two clinical reports as proof of clinical practice.
 The credits needed to renew certification as a Japanese Board-Certified Psychiatrist are calculated based on proof of clinical practice, across-specialty courses, psychiatry-specific courses, academic achievements, and activities other than clinical practice. In total, 50 credits in 5 years are required to renew the certification.
 In the case of exceptional circumstances where renewal in a timely manner is not possible (e.g., studying abroad for research, taking sick leave, taking maternity leave, caring for a family member, etc.), there are two options to choose from: one is to declare a state of suspension, whereby one's certification is temporarily unused, and the other is to use substitutional means, such as using self-learning in place of clinical practice.
 The committee intends to adopt measures as effectively as possible in order to avoid confusion regarding the new criteria among psychiatrists about to renew their certification, and also to minimize the discrepancy between the renewal process for the Board-Certified Psychiatrists as stipulated by the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology and the requirements for Medical Specialists.
 <Author's abstract>