Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2010

Japanese Acupuncture Educational andLicensure System
Shuji Goto
The Japanese acupuncture educational andlicensure system seems quite unique from a global andhistorical viewpoint. Considering the expected
increase of important role in future health care,
Japanese acupuncture and moxibustion therpy should
be further improved and exemplified.
1. Licensing system
Only licensed physicians, licensed acupuncturists,and licensed moxibustionists may provide acupuncture
and moxibustion treatment in Japan.
The license of an acupuncturist or moxibustionist isspecific to that person and to that field of practice.
(Legislation No. 217, Article 1, December 20, 1947)

2. License requirements
Applicants must have graduated from anacupuncture and moxibustion school recognized by theJapanese Ministry for Health, Labor, and Welfare(MHLW) or from a university or college (or in the caseof the visually impaired, from a school for the blind ora center for the visually impaired) recognized by theMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, andTechnology. These graduates must also pass anexamination by the MHLW.
3. Current status of the national examination
At present the national examination is given under
the auspices of the MHLW, and is administered by theFoundation for Training and Licensing Examination inAmma Massage-Acupressure, Acupuncture, andMoxibustion.

the fairness of this examination for visually impaired
applicants who are permitted the use of Braille andtape recordings, and who are allowed extra time tocomplete the examination (1.5 times longer than forsighted students). The ratio of sighted to visually
impaired examinees is approximately 9:1.
The examination covers the following areas.
Topics for the acupuncturist examination (general
medical treatment, sanitation, public health, related
legislation, anatomy, physiology, general pathology,
introduction to clinical medicine, particulars of clinicalmedicine, rehabilitation medicine, general theory ofEastern medicine, general theory of the meridians andacupuncture points, clinical theory in Eastern
medicine, and acupuncture theory)
Topics for the moxibustionist examination (general
medical treatment, sanitation, public health, related
legislation, anatomy, physiology, general pathology,
introduction to clinical medicine, particulars of clinicalmedicine, rehabilitation medicine, general theory ofEastern medicine, general theory of the meridians andacupuncture points, clinical theory in Eastern
medicine, and moxibustion theory)
Recent pass rates are shown below.

2005
2006
2007
2008

Foundation for Training and Licensing Examination in Amma
Massage-Acupressure, Acupuncture, and Moxibustion
http://www15.ocn.ne.jp/~ahaki/index.html

The first national examination was given in 1993,
and examinations have been offered annually sincethen. The examination, which is given at 50 locations
throughout Japan, consists of 160 multiple-choicequestions. A score of 60 is required to pass.
The national examination does not include
practicum testing which is left to the discretion of eachschool. A number of provisions are made to increase

82No. ofExaminees

No.
PassedPass rate(%)

Acupuncture

4271

3396

79.5

Moxibustion

4271

3382

79.2

Year2009

Acupuncture

4707

3789

80.5

Moxibustion

4704

3785

80.5

Acupuncture

5275

4068

77.1

Moxibustion

5261

4072

77.4

Acupuncture

5561

4347

78.2

Moxibustion

5539

4344

78.4

Acupuncture

5354

4216

78.7

Moxibustion

5320

4171

78.4

4. Current status of education
1) In April 2005, there were 71 acupuncture schools forthe sighted in Japan, of which 43 (2 universities and41 private vocational schools) were members of the
Oriental Medicine College Association and 28 wereunaffiliated. In 1999, there were only 28 schools
throughout Japan, but this number has increased
since the system was reformed in 2000.

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)

Volume 1, Special Edition | Current Japanese Acupuncture and Moxibustion 2010

There are 69 schools in Japan for the visually impaired(1 junior college and 68 publicly funded schools for theblind or centers for the visually impaired), withapproximately 300 students.
These schools offer a 3-year program in preparation
for the acupuncturist/moxibustionist examination, withthe option of also studying simultaneously for theexamination for Amma massage/shiatsu massage
therapist. Students also have the option of enrolling in
the program preparing for the Amma massage/shiatsu
massage therapist examination only.
The schools for sighted students have anenrollment capacity of approximately 8000 students inprograms preparing for theacupuncturist andmoxibustionist examination.
The 3-year program includes the following
required courses and credits (hours).
Basic studies
Basics of scientific thought, social studies 14 credits
Foundation for field-specific studies
Structure and function of the human body 13 credits(anatomy, physiology)
Advances in disease prevention and recovery 12 credits(pathology, sanitation, rehabilitation medicine, introduction
to clinical medicine, and particulars of clinical medicine)
Philosophy of acupuncture and moxibustion in relation to
health, medical treatment, and welfare 2 credits (general
medical treatment, and related legislation)
Field-specific studies
Basic acupuncture 8 credits
Clinical acupuncture 12 credits
Acupuncture in society 2 credits
Practicum (including hands-on clinical experience) 16
credits
General studies 10 credits
Total 86 credits (equivalent to approximately 2800 hours)
Credits are calculated on the basis of specifications
established for Japanese universities (1 lecture credit = 15
to 30 hours, 1 seminar credit = 30 to 45 hours, 1 practicum
credit = 45 hours).
The current curriculum was expanded in 2004, andat the same time the credit system was introduced andthe former lists of categories and detailed descriptionsof course contents were eliminated. These changes
were made in order to encourage original thinking,creativity, and independence in each school.
The Oriental Medicine College Association and theNational Association of Presidents of Schools for theBlind are working together to develop educationalguidelines, publish standard textbooks, standardize
educational content, and maintain high standards ofquality.
Oriental Medicine College Association
http://www.toyoryoho.or.jp/index.php

5. Current status of students and graduates
Results of two surveys performed by the OrientalMedicine College Association
First survey performed in 1998
Second survey performed in 2001
1) The ratio of women students rose in 2001
(male-female ratio 1.67:1, in comparison to 1.97:1 in1998). The most common age range for male students
was 25 to 29 (61.4% in 2001, down from 72.8% in 1998).
The ratio of male students was lower for all age groups
in the 2001 survey. The most common age range forfemale students was 21 to 24 (43.1% in 2001, incomparison to 36.1% in 1998). The ratio of women alsorose in the group 25 to 29 years of age (from 26.6% in1998 to 30.9% in 2001), while decreasing in all otherage brackets. The largest number of students was in
the group 25 to 29 years of age, with the largest
number of men in their late 20s and the largest
number of women in their early 20s. Mean age ofstudents was 32.9 years in the second study, nearly thesame as the first study (32.6).
2) The 2001 survey showed 84.5% of graduatespracticing professionally, nearly the same as the 1998
study (84.2%). A higher percentage of male graduates(87.3%) were in professional practice than their female
counterparts (80.4%). The most common age grouprepresented was 40 to 44 years of age (87.2%).
Graduates not in professional practice accounted for
14.7% of the total, down slightly from the first survey(15.1%). A major change was noted in working
circumstances. Considerably more graduates wererunning their own practice in 2001 (32.4%) than in1998 (21.4%). Those working alone accounted for
71.5% of the total in 2001, down from 86% in 1998,
while the percentage with 1 employee rose from 5.6%
in 1998 to 12.3% in 2001. The average number ofpatients treated per day by self-employed practitioners
was 9.6, down from 11.1 patients per day in 1998.
Graduates who were employed by a clinic orhospital accounted for 30.4% of the total, up
significantly from 19.4% in 1998.

The Journal of Kampo, Acupuncture and Integrative Medicine (KAIM)83