Innovations and challenges in occupational therapy in Japan: From the viewpoint of the Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists

Abstract

This article contains the recommendations that were made with hope for the future, by creating a historical overview of the progress and challenges of ‘50 years of occupational therapy in Japan’ and determining today's tasks, from the viewpoint of the Japanese Association of Occupational Therapists. This paper is based on the keynote speech for the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress, 2014.In ‘From the past to the present of occupational therapy in Japan’, the author overviewed the main events in occupational therapy according to five periods. In ‘Current occupational therapy in Japan’, the author notes activities in areas such as clinical practice, education, research and social contributions, against a backdrop of Japan's declining birthrate, ageing population, the rapid increase in the number of young occupational therapists and the low level of awareness about occupational therapy. Finally, in ‘Message for the future of occupational therapy in Japan’, the author gives her personal opinion about the ‘identity of occupational therapy’ from the perspectives of an experienced occupational therapist.