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Other health care workers

How to become a Counsellor

Official title: Counsellor (Health and Welfare)

Also called: Certified public psychologist, Psychological counsellor, Clinical psychologist

Uses specialist knowledge of clinical psychology to support people with emotional or relationship problems through counselling and other methods.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say a master's degree or university is common. From job tag's survey of people in each job, who could give several answers. It shows what workers see as common, not how many workers hold each level.

How to become one

Qualifications related to counselling include clinical psychologist and certified public psychologist, and almost everyone in this work holds one of them. Most have a university or postgraduate degree, many in psychology. Only people who have completed a designated postgraduate course can sit the clinical psychologist exam. Certified public psychologist is a national qualification whose exam began in 2018, and there are several routes to sitting it. In health and welfare settings, certified psychiatric social workers (PSWs) sometimes also provide counselling. After starting, most counsellors build experience on the job, and some receive supervision from senior counsellors while learning counselling skills. Several years of clinical experience are needed to be seen as a fully fledged counsellor. With clinical experience, some go freelance or open their own practice. As well as communication skills, psychological counsellors need techniques such as building rapport with clients (helping people open up and forming a good relationship), plus the persistence to stay involved with clients over time. Administrative skills for writing session notes are also needed. Counsellors are bound by strict confidentiality, so they need a strong understanding of compliance, including protecting personal information and following codes of ethics.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Counsellor?

Qualifications related to counselling include clinical psychologist and certified public psychologist, and almost everyone in this work holds one of them. Most have a university or postgraduate degree, many in psychology. Only people who have completed a designated postgraduate course can sit the clinical psychologist exam. Certified public psychologist is a national qualification whose exam began in 2018, and there are several routes to sitting it. In health and welfare settings, certified psychiatric social workers (PSWs) sometimes also provide counselling. After starting, most counsellors build experience on the job, and some receive supervision from senior counsellors while learning counselling skills. Several years of clinical experience are needed to be seen as a fully fledged counsellor. With clinical experience, some go freelance or open their own practice. As well as communication skills, psychological counsellors need techniques such as building rapport with clients (helping people open up and forming a good relationship), plus the persistence to stay involved with clients over time. Administrative skills for writing session notes are also needed. Counsellors are bound by strict confidentiality, so they need a strong understanding of compliance, including protecting personal information and following codes of ethics.

How much does a Counsellor earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,541,500 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Other health care workers, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Counsellor?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 45% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Psychology degrees.

Will AI change the work of a Counsellor?

Generative AI could change some tasks in this job, by the ILO's global estimate.

Sources

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 解説系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_description_7_01.xlsx）ver.7.01 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

独立行政法人労働政策研究・研修機構（JILPT）作成 職業情報データベース 簡易版数値系ダウンロードデータ（IPD_DL_numeric_7_00.xlsx）ver.7.00 職業情報提供サイト（job tag）より2026年10月4日にダウンロード（https://shigoto.mhlw.go.jp/User/download）を加工して作成

Sources: JILPT Occupational Information Database download data via job tag (解説系 ver.7.01 and 簡易版数値系 ver.7.00, downloaded 4 October 2026), processed by Peernovo; MHLW, Basic Survey on Wage Structure 2025; Statistics Bureau of Japan, 2020 Population Census; MEXT, School Basic Survey 2025; MHLW, Employment Referrals for General Workers (Hello Work statistics). Figures processed by Peernovo. English job names, translations and the matching of jobs to statistical groups, schools and degree fields by Peernovo.

Updated 4 October 2026