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2)Mid-20th century: Including establishment of the Radiological X-ray Technologist Act (1951)46uted topics related to clinical practice. Among the other articles are topics including introduction of X-rays and X-ray tubes, physics, electricity, and X-ray generators10). Shimadzu Corporation, a manufacturer of precision, measuring, and medical instruments, produced the first medical X-ray equipment in Japan9). A seminar organized by Shimadzu Corporation was the foundation of Shimadzu X-Ray Technology Training Center, the first X-ray technical education institution in Japan (established, 1927). It is believed that the number of X-ray technologists in Japan was 500 to 700 by the end of the Taisho era (1912-1926)11). As demon-strated in Figure 1, the number of training institu-tions known today is few in this period. This indi-cates that many technologists were trained in various different programs, which were not stan-dardized by the national authority.The increases in the numbers of radiological examinations during the middle of the 20th century resulted in the profession of RT becoming widely recognized and established in Japan. Following several difficult years required for reconstruction after World War II, the establishment of the profes-sion of RT began in the 1950s. The Radiological X-ray Technologist Act was enacted in 1951, and a two-year educational program accredited and standardized by MHLW was started the next year12). The first national examination for X-ray technologists took place in 1954. Prior to that, the first national examination designed for accredita-Year19181921192719511952Start of an educational program for radiographers by Tokyo DenkiStart of an educational program for radiographers by the Shimadzu CorporationEstablishment of the first X-ray technical education institution in Japan Enactment of the X-ray Technologist Act Start of a 2-year educational program accredited by the MHLW First national examination for non-certified X-ray technologistsFirst national examination for X-ray technologists (terminated in 1984)Termination of the national examination for non-certified X-ray technologists Enactment of the Radiological Technologists ActFirst national examination for Radiological TechnologistsEstablishment of the first bachelor’s program for Radiological Technologists by Fujita Health University1954195619681987Table 1　Historical milestones of the Japanese education system for radiological technologiststion of those working as medical X-ray technolo-gists was held in 1952. Because of increases in radiological applications in medicine, the Radiolog-ical X-ray Technologists Act was renewed as the Radiological Technologist Act in 196813), with the first national examination for RTs taking place the same year and continuing since then. The educa-tion program was gradually extended from two to three-years in Junior College (Table 1, Figure 1).During this period, a remarkable event in radio-logical technology was the emergence of contrast radiography. Egas Moniz, a Portuguese neurosur-geon, discovered contrast angiography in 1927, enabling the imaging of cerebral blood vessels and vascular alterations as well as other intracranial disorders14). Two years later, Reynaldo dos Santos, another Portuguese physician, introduced translumbar aortography15). Following further developments in angiography, it began to be used in clinical applica-tions. An innovative method using a catheter to gain vascular access, was introduced in 1953. This method, called the Seldinger technique, enabled angiography to be performed safely16). Angiog-raphy has since been applied to excretory urog-raphy, the thoracic aorta, coronary vessels, the renal artery, and the diagnosis of aortic aneu-rysms15, 17, 18). Interventional radiography (IR), first introduced in 1967, is a low-invasive procedure widely used for both diagnostic and treatment purposes19). IR initially involved the use of X-ray fluoroscopy, but methodological advances have enabled IR to be performed using a combination of CT and ultrasound20).Improvements in the safety and quality of Event