作業療法士（OT） 作業療法士（OT）
What 作業療法士（ot） do
An English description is being prepared. Japanese description:
作業療法士は、病院の場合はカルテや患者との面接などから、訪問介護の場合は患者から直接ヒアリングを行って、医学的情報や生活情報を集める。そして、筋力や反射などの身体機能、認知機能や日常生活動作の能力について観察や検査を行い、患者の問題点を探る。これらの結果をもとに、患者それぞれの訓練目標を決め、具体的な訓練プログラムを作り、作業療法を実施する。
病院の場合、医師、看護師、理学療法士などから成るリハビリテーションチームでこれらを行う。
関節障害など身体の障害、アルコール依存症など精神の障害、脳性麻痺など発達の障害、高次脳機能障害、認知症など老年期の障害など、障害に応じて訓練目的と方法を考え、指導を行う。
◇ よく使う道具、機材、情報技術等
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Employment type of workers
作業療法士（OT） salary
The average annual pay for 作業療法士（OT） in Japan is ¥4.44M (≈ $28,210; Basic Survey on Wage Structure (2025), national). The estimated median is ¥4.13M, the typical range is ¥3.15M–¥7.34M and the top 10% earn about ¥6.37M.
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The distribution is estimated from Japan's national wage statistics, including pay differences by age.
Pay by ageest.
Estimated from the average pay and average age (36.2) using the age-wage curve of the Basic Survey on Wage Structure.
Pay by experienceest.
Pay by employment typeest.
The average hourly wage of ¥2,282 is 1.9× Japan's national average minimum wage of ¥1,177 (fiscal 2026). Minimum wage by prefecture →
Japanese pay is shown in yen (¥5.57M = 5.57 million yen ≈ 557万円). Dollar figures use the current rate of 157.25 yen per dollar and are for reference only; purchasing power differs.
Pay over time
| Year | Average pay | Employment | Openings ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ¥4.27M | — | — |
| 2022 | ¥4.31M | — | — |
| 2023 | ¥4.33M | — | 3.06x |
| 2024 | ¥4.44M | — | 3.09x |
| 2025 | ¥4.44M | — | 3.08x |
Projected pay for 作業療法士（OT） (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today ¥4.44M → in 3 years ¥4.90M → in 5 years ¥5.23M → in 10 years ¥6.17M (10-year range ¥5.31M–¥7.17M). The model assumes pay growth of +3.4% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (the job-openings-to-applicants ratio), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for 作業療法士（OT）
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace 作業療法士（OT）? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using the MHLW job tag survey on work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for 作業療法士（OT）
A ratio above 1.0 means there are more job openings than applicants (a labor shortage). The 5- and 10-year figures are estimates from the openings ratio, wage momentum and AI replacement risk.
The same job in the United States
| 作業療法士（OT） Japan | Occupational Therapists United States | |
|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | ¥4.44M ≈ $28,210 | $100,330 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | ¥6.17M | $141,500 |
| Outlook score | 62 | 73 |
| AI replacement risk | 9% Very low | 19% Very low |
| Workers | — | 162K |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for 作業療法士（OT）
Key skills
Skill levels from the MHLW job tag worker survey.
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Licenses and certifications (Japan)
- 作業療法士
- 理学療法士
- 認定作業療法士
- 専門作業療法士
Related qualifications listed on job tag (names in Japanese). Some are mandatory, others recommended.
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience, licenses)
How to become 作業療法士（ot）
The typical path in Japan is shown by the education, training and experience of current workers above and in the Japanese guidance below. A detailed English guide for this occupation is being prepared.
Guidance from job tag (Japanese)
仕事に就いた後も、専門家の団体や学会などによる研修会・講習会があり、高い水準の専門知識と技術を身につけることができる。
作業療法の手段となる作業や遊び、玩具、道具や機器を使いこなし、それを訓練や指導に結びつけ、応用できる能力が求められる。また、障害のある人々やその家族とコミュニケーションをとり、社会的自立を援助するために、理解力や説得力、プログラム作りの創意工夫、支援制度についての知識なども必要となる。
就職は、養成校の紹介や専門誌の求人情報などによることが多い。
また、一般社団法人日本作業療法士協会の認定資格として認定作業療法士、専門作業療法士がある。
Career path and how to earn more as 作業療法士（ot）
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by experience is shown in the Pay section.