Make a healthy mind and body, /// . and be active for life!    /// Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists (JAOT) I N F O R M A T I O N B 0 0 K Occupational therapy for Mind and Body. Imagine a future with disability due to illness or injury where your daily routines suddenly become inconvenient. You are happy when you do something well, but you feel disappointed when you can’t, and daily occupations such as eating, sleeping and enjoying leisure time are complicated for your mind and body. Occupational therapy is rehabilitation which makes a healthy mind and body through engaging in daily life activities including work, leisure and household chores. Its purpose is to enable to clients to live an active life with their disabilities. An occupational therapist helps you to live your life, and satisfactorily actualize your potential both now and in the future.
For all ages.
Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who need daily life support due to illness, injury or a congenital disorder. Who benefits from Occupational Therapy? Physical and mental disabilities
Mental disorders
Schizophrenia, mood disorders, neurotic disorders, stress-related disorders, psychoactive substance use disorders (such as alcoholism), organic mental disorders (such as neurocognitive disorders), disorders of adult personality and behavior
Physical dysfunctions
Cerebrovascular disease (Cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage), higher cortical dysfunction, brain and spinal cord tumor, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinocerebellar degeneration, peripheral nerve injury, fractures, amputation, rheumatoid arthritis, burns, disuse syndrome,
Developmental disorders
Cerebral palsy, encephalodysplasia, microcephaly, hydrocephalus, anomalad, spina bifida, hypoxic encephalopathy, encephalitis, encephalopathy, meningitis, intellectual disability, hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, learning disability
Geriatric
Organic mental disorder (neurocognitive disorder), cerebrovascular accident, fracture, bone and osteoarthropathy, disuse syndrome Ability and Capability. Three abilities: Fundamental, Applied and Social adaptive abilities. Occupational therapy also aims to actualize each client's life, including maintenance and health promotion, environmental adjustment (artificial, physical and social environment) and use of social resources and the social security system. Maintain and improve the three abilities.
What is Occupation?
All human daily life activities including eating, craftwork, working and leisure are called occupation. These occupations are used as a means for intervention, support and guidance in occupational therapy.
Handicrafts including Ceramics and Knitting
Working_and Educational activities Social Activities such as Studying and Farming
Occupational therapists

Occupational therapists are rehabilitation professionals. We work in various fields such as medical care and welfare, health promotion, education, and job training. Our activities include treatment and prevention, as well as support for social re-adjustment.
Rehabilitation with an Occupational Therapist. Acute Phase → Recovery Phase → Chronic Phase Rehabilitation is provided at hospitals or medical facilities when people become disabled due to disease or accident. Occupational Therapists provide clients with treatment, support and guidance. They consider each individual's unique status, enabling their daily life occupations, including dining, getting dressed, bathing, and walking.
Acute Phase 「*シ
Early rehabilitation begins in the acute phase immediately after the disease and injury. In this phase, occupational therapists support clients to improve their basic physical and mental function, while preventing further functional deterioration. Eating with self-help devices Transferring from wheelchair to bed Transferring to the toilet seat and using the toilet
Recovery Phase  「「」
In the recovery phase, the client's condition is stable, and improvements are made in function and ability. In this phase, clients become reacquainted with missing functions necessary for daily life on an individualized basis. Putting on and taking off Daily life activities clothes and shoes such as cooking Going out of the house such as taking a walk
Chronic Phase  「お
The chronic phase is when occupational therapists provide clients with support that focuses on their individual life. The purpose of this phase is to enable clients to find their own purpose in society and to help them enrich their lives. Occupational therapists support their client’s life by providing them with a place to spend time and occasions to make friends so that they may live by their own values. Supporting community Readjusting to society near their workplace shopping involvement Making a secure and pleasant environment for the clients Enabling the clients to enjoy their hobbies and life with self-help devices Making the environment more pleasant and individual for each client The clients practice going up and down stairs by making skillful use of their remaining function and ability.
Occupational Therapists
work in and out of Japan.
Japanese Occupational Therapists are playing active roles abroad by participating Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers and Senior Overseas Volunteers, giving research talks at The International Congress held by World Federation of Occupational Therapists. They are widening their sphere of activities abroad as well as in Japan.
How to become an
Occupational Therapist.
There are over 170 universities or schools for occupational therapists in Japan. The training institutions include universities and vocational colleges which can last three or four years. At the training institutions, students learn basic medicine and the specialized knowledge and expertise necessary for occupational therapists through lectures and fieldwork. Through the fieldwork, the students experience hands on treatment of the clients at hospitals and facilities under the supervision of licensed practitioners. Graduating from a training institution enables eligibility for admission to sit for the national OT exam. Those who pass the national exam can be registered as a licensed occupational therapist by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.
Japanese Association of
Occupational  Therapists (JAOT)
Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists (JAOT) consists of nationally qualified occupational therapists. It was established in 1966 and joined the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in 1972 as full member. In 1983, the association was approved as an incorporated association by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and it made the transition to a general incorporated association in 2012. The purpose of the association is to improve medical care, health and welfare. JAOT is working energetically to improve medical care, health and welfare, both in Japan and overseas with the following main goals: 1. Education in self-improvement of academic and practical skills for occupational therapy 2. Improvement in qualifications of occupational therapists 3. Dissemination and development of occupational therapy
Prefectural Associations of
Occupational Therapists (PAOT)
Prefectural associations of occupational therapists (PAOT) are located in each prefecture, and they develop activities based on the needs of each community. www.jaot.or.jp Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists (JAOT) Morimitsu-shinko Bldg,1-5-9 Kotobuki, Taito-ku Tokyo 111-0042 Japan Phone +81(3)5826-7871 Fax.+81(3)5826-7872