The Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN) decided to establish the new board certification system in June 2015 under the guidelines proposed by the Japanese Medical Specialty Board (JMSB). After repeated consultations with the JMSB, the JSPN released the new rules and bylaws of the New Board Certification System in November 2015. The new certification system will be implemented in April 2017, in which 4-500 trainees will start the new three-year training in psychiatry under the new program. The first accredi- tation of the qualified trainees will be approved by the JMSB in 2020. From then, all fellows approved by the JSPN are expected to renew their qualification under the guidelines proposed by the JMSB. I regard designing the board certification system as one of the most important endeavors of the JSPN, and the ad hoc committee has worked toward the goal of designing a new certifica- tion system acceptable to the JMSB, which will stimulate and promote the improved training and education of psychiatrists. In this paper, I report the present situation of the new certification system as of February 2016.