The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare published the overview of the 2024 Health Administration Report (Working Healthcare Personnel), reporting that the number of healthcare workers reached the highest level since the survey began.
According to survey results, all seven occupations - public health nurses, nurses, dental hygienists, anma-massage-shiatsu practitioners, acupuncturists, moxibustion practitioners, and judo therapists - recorded the highest number of workers ever. Particularly for nurses, the trend of increasing numbers of workers is prominent due to increasing medical demand accompanying population aging and promotion of work style reforms.
By occupation breakdown, nurses have the highest number of workers, followed by physical therapists, dental hygienists, and pharmacists in order. By region, concentration in urban areas is observed while serious personnel shortages in rural areas are also confirmed. In age composition, many occupations are centered on people in their 40s-50s, with securing and retaining younger generations identified as important future challenges.
This survey is conducted annually to understand the supply and demand situation of healthcare workers and serve as basic material for developing healthcare delivery systems and personnel securing policies. The current results are analyzed as showing policy effects from enhancement of healthcare worker training facilities, expansion of return-to-work support systems, and promotion of work style reforms.
However, considering future further increases in medical demand, personnel shortages are not expected to be resolved even at the current pace of increase, requiring continued comprehensive efforts to secure and retain healthcare workers. Particularly urgent are personnel securing in rural areas and development of working environments corresponding to diverse work styles.
The article shows that while human resources forming the foundation of Japan's healthcare delivery system are steadily increasing, continued responses to structural issues such as population aging and regional disparities are required.