National Reporting Instrument 2015
Section: Background
[S01]
Monitoring progress on the implementation of Code – Second round reporting (2015-2016)
On May 21, 2010 the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (the “Code”) was adopted by the 193 Member States of the World Health Organization. The Code encourages information exchange on issues related to health personnel and health systems in the context of migration, and suggests regular reporting every three years on measures taken to implement the Code. The reporting process is an integral component of the effective implementation of the voluntary principles and practices recommended by the Code.
A self-assessment tool for countries second-round reporting
To monitor the progress made in implementing the Code, and in accordance with the request of the World Health Assembly (Resolution WHA63.16), a national self-assessment tool was created for Member States.
You have been nominated as Designated National Authority (DNA) to respond to the updated national reporting instrument (NRI) via this web-based data interface.
Disclaimer: The data and information collected through the National Reporting Instrument will be made publicly available via the WHO web-site following the proceedings of the World Health Assembly, May 2016.
Please proceed usnig 'Next' button
Contact details
[G1Q00001]
Name of Member State
Japan
[G1Q00002]
Contact information of DNA
Full name of institution
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Name of contact officer
Haruhiko Inada
Title of contact officer
Deputy Director, International Affairs Division
Mailing address
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8916, JAPAN
Telephone number
+81-3-3595-2404
Fax number
+81-3-3502-6678
Email address
inada-haruhiko@mhlw.go.jp
Section 01: Qualitative information (1-4)
[S11]
1) In your country, do equally qualified and experienced migrant health personnel enjoy the same legal rights and responsibilities as the domestically trained health workforce in terms of employment and conditions of work?
No
[S12]
2) Which legal safeguards and/or other mechanisms are in place to ensure that migrant health personnel enjoy the same legal rights and responsibilities as the domestically trained health workforce? Please tick all options that apply from the list below:
2.a) Migrant health personnel are recruited internationally using mechanisms that allow them to assess the benefits and risk associated with employment positions and to make timely and informed decisions regarding them
2.b) Migrant health personnel are hired, promoted and remunerated based on objective criteria such as levels of qualification, years of experience and degrees of professional responsibility on the same basis as the domestically trained health workforce
2.c) Migrant health personnel enjoy the same opportunities as the domestically trained health workforce to strengthen their professional education, qualifications and career progression
2.d) Other mechanism, please provide details if possible:
Other
[S13]
3) Please submit any other comments or information you wish to provide regarding legal, administrative and other measures that have been taken or are planned in your country to ensure fair recruitment and employment practices.
In Japan, all the health professionals are required to pass the Japanese boarding examination to provide healthcare services.
Japan has the scheme of the “certification of application for the national boarding examinations,” which enables medical doctors, public health nurses, midwives, and nurses who obtained their license overseas to take the national boarding examination.
Japan also has the scheme for supporting foreign nationals to obtain the Japanese license for nurses and professional caregivers under the Economic Partnership Agreement.
Once they get the Japanese license, they have equal legal rights as other domestically trained health workforce.
[S14]
4) Please submit any other comments or information you wish to provide regarding difficulties faced by your health personnel working outside your country and any measures that have been taken or are planned in your country to ensure their fair recruitment and employment practices.
Section 01: Qualitative information (5-12)
[S15]
5) Has your country or its sub-national governments entered into bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements or arrangements addressing the international recruitment of health personnel?
No
[S15b]
If 'No', please proceed using 'Next' button at the bottom of the screen.
Section 01: Qualitative information (5-12) contd.
[S17]
7) If your country or its sub-national governments entered into bilateral, regional or multilateral agreements, do those take account of the needs of developing countries and countries with economies in transition?
No
[S19]
9) Does your country strive to meet its health personnel needs with its domestically trained health personnel, notably through measures to educate, retain and sustain a health workforce that is appropriate for the specific conditions of your country, including areas of greatest need?
No
[S111]
11) Has your country adopted measures to address the geographical mal-distribution of health workers and to support their retention in underserved areas?
Yes
[S112]
12) If “Yes”, use Table C below to indicate the top 3 measures in place :
Table C – measures taken to address the geographical mal-distribution of health workers
| Measure Type | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| 12.a) | Community Health Care Support Center | Dispatches doctors to community hospitals that are in short of doctors while supporting the dispatched doctors to pursue their career. |
| 12.b) | Area-specific entrance examination for medical school applicants | Some medical schools assign a portion of their new student quota to local applicants who promise to practice medicine in the geographical area and the specialty designated by the prefecture where the medical school exists for a certain period of time after graduation. Successful applicants benefit from generous scholarship provided by the prefecture. |
| 12.c) | . | . |
Section 01: Qualitative information (13-17)
[S113]
13) Does your country have any (government and/or non-government) programs or institutions undertaking research in health personnel migration?
No
[S115]
15) Has your country established a database of laws and regulations related to international health personnel recruitment and migration and, as appropriate, information related to their implementation?
No
[S116]
16) Does your country have any mechanism(s) or entity(ies) to maintain statistical records of health personnel whose first qualification was obtained overseas?
No
[S116b]
If 'No', please proceed using 'Next' button at the bottom of the screen.
Section 01: Qualitative information (13-17) contd.
[S117]
17) Does your country have any mechanism(s) or entity(ies) to regulate or grant authorization to practice to internationally recruited health personnel and maintain statistical records on them?
No
[S117b]
If 'No', please proceed using 'Next' button at the bottom of the screen.
Section 01: Qualitative information (18-21)
[S118]
18) Has an assessment of what is needed to implement the Code at the national, sub-national and local level been made?
No
[S119]
19) Has your country taken any steps to implement the Code?
No
[S121]
21) Please list in priority order, the three main constraints to the implementation of the Code in your country and propose possible solutions:
| Main constraints | Possible solution | |
|---|---|---|
| 21.a) | . | . |
| 21.b) | . | . |
| 21.c) | . | . |
Section 01: Qualitative information (22-24)
[S122]
22) Has your country provided assistance to one or more Member States or other stakeholders to support their implementation of the Code?
No
[S123]
23) Does your country receive / requested assistance from one or more countries or other stakeholders to support its implementation of the Code?
No
[S124]
24.1) Please submit any other complementary comments or material you wish to provide regarding the international recruitment and management of migration of the health workforce that would relate to implementation of the Code.
I havent been able to receive replies from officials in charge regarding some questions. I have tentatively chosen "No" for questions 9, 11, 18, an 19 and they are subject to future changes.
[S242]
24.2) Please submit any other complementary material you wish to provide regarding the international recruitment and management of migration of the health workforce that would relate to implementation of the Code.
Section 02: Quantitative information - Minimum Data Sets
[S2]
Questionnaire on Foreign-trained Doctors and Nurses
Please follow the instructions within the spreadsheet to complete the questionnaire.
To download the spreadheet please follow the link: /dataformv6/upload/surveys/378366/docs/Adapted_Template_Workforce%20Migration_2015.xls
[S22]
Please upload the filled out spreadsheet here
No comment
Section 03: Reporting instrument for other stakeholders (optional)
[S31]
Submitted by:
Haruhiko Inada
[S32]
Contact details:
[S33]
Name of entity submitting the report:
[S34]
Responsible and/or contact person:
[S35]
Mailing address:
1-2-2 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 1008916, JAPAN
[S36]
Telephone number:
+81-3-3595-2404
[S37]
Fax:
+81-3-3502-6678
[S38]
Email:
inada-haruhiko@mhlw.go.jp
[S39]
Website URL :
[S310]
Description of the entity submitting the report:
Deputy Director, International Affairs Division
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, JAPAN
[S311]
Please describe the entity submitting this report and the nature of its involvement or interest in international health personnel migration issues relevant to the Code.