68-1

51/98

001300(yrs)433Table 2　Number of educational institutions for radiological technologists (as of 2021)sity, professional training college, or JSDF. Some professional training colleges offer nighttime programs, enabling students to work during the day. Moreover, some students have already obtained a bachelor’s degree by the time they enroll in a professional training college. A few professional training colleges will probably remain in the future as they meet the needs of some students.The curricula of all institutions are standardized and regulated by MHLW35), and moreover, univer-sities are accredited by MEXT. Of 47 prefectures in Japan, 26 have educational institutions offering these programs, with Tokyo having the most, 10, including five universities; four professional training college, and the JSDF training institution. In addi-tion, Osaka has six institutions, including three universities and three professional training colleges; Hokkaido has four (three and one, respectively), Fukuoka has four (three and one, respectively), and Aichi has three (two and one, respectively).Future perspectivesMedical services must be of high quality, acces-sible, and affordable. Simultaneous attainment of these three conditions is barely accomplished in Japan with the contribution of the Japanese health-care system, in which almost 100% of the popula-tion is insured36). The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that, in general, Japanese hospi-tals are well equipped with high-technology medical devices, including CT and MRI scanners, and that the costs of these examinations are rela-tively low36). In addition, patients in Japan are not restricted by any gate-keeping system, allowing them to choose any hospital or clinic36). Conse-quently, many Japanese patients, even those with mild symptoms, often go to secondary healthcare facilities that have advanced equipment36). Increased attendance at these facilities would therefore require an increase in the number of RTs. The MHLW reported that, in 2017, the number of RTs UniversityProfessional training collegeJapan Self-Defense ForcesCourse duration in the workforce was 54,213, or 1.7% of the total number of healthcare workers, 3,124,321. Over the last 30 years, the number of RTs has increased by 1500 to 2500 each year (Figure 3), with the number predicted to increase to 9.5% in 40 years37). Aging of the population and emergence of new infectious diseases such as COVID-19 are expected to accelerate developments in radiological tech-nology. The Japanese education system for RTs has evolved in accordance with the needs of Japa-nese society. However, the increased globalization of healthcare settings will require that the educa-tion system attain a global perspective. For example, new digital technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, in diag-nostic imaging are being intensively studied and becoming competitive. International research collaboration is essential for the development of these emerging technologies38). Future university educational programs should therefore foster RTs with a global mindset.The Japanese education system for RTs has evolved in accordance with technological develop-ments. To maintain awareness of the most recent available technologies and maximize safety, educa-tional programs teaching the latest knowledge were offered during each period. At present, over 70% of Japanese educational programs for RTs are university courses leading to a bachelor’s degree. The increasing globalization of radiological tech-nology requires future radiological education systems to have a global perspective.The authors thank Ms. Rio Imai for her help in the preparation of the reference documents. We also thank Juntendo University Academic Media Center (Library) for their professional assistance.Numbers of institutions by typeNational Public1100Private26140OtherTotal4014149ConclusionAcknowledgments