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Other health care workers

How to become a Cytotechnologist

Examines cells taken from patients to find cells and pathogens linked to disease.

Workers in this job say university or vocational college (senmon gakko) 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

To qualify as a cytotechnologist you must pass the cytotechnologist certification exam recognised by the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology and the Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine. To sit it you must either hold the clinical laboratory technologist or medical laboratory technician qualification and have at least one year of experience in cytology work, or be a graduate (or expected graduate) of a cytotechnologist training school recognised by the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology. However, medical laboratory technicians are no longer being trained. After qualifying, cytotechnologists must be reviewed to renew their qualification every five years. Cytotechnologists with three years of work experience can also sit the international cytotechnologist exam, held in Tokyo once every two years. Passing it earns recognition as a specialist when working overseas as an international cytotechnologist. The qualification exists for the early detection and accurate diagnosis of cancer and other diseases, so you must keep studying the latest medical information and maintain and improve the advanced skill of never missing an abnormal cell in a sample. You need patience, calm judgement and a sense of responsibility.

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Cytotechnologist?

To qualify as a cytotechnologist you must pass the cytotechnologist certification exam recognised by the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology and the Japanese Society of Laboratory Medicine. To sit it you must either hold the clinical laboratory technologist or medical laboratory technician qualification and have at least one year of experience in cytology work, or be a graduate (or expected graduate) of a cytotechnologist training school recognised by the Japanese Society of Clinical Cytology. However, medical laboratory technicians are no longer being trained. After qualifying, cytotechnologists must be reviewed to renew their qualification every five years. Cytotechnologists with three years of work experience can also sit the international cytotechnologist exam, held in Tokyo once every two years. Passing it earns recognition as a specialist when working overseas as an international cytotechnologist. The qualification exists for the early detection and accurate diagnosis of cancer and other diseases, so you must keep studying the latest medical information and maintain and improve the advanced skill of never missing an abnormal cell in a sample. You need patience, calm judgement and a sense of responsibility.

How much does a Cytotechnologist 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 Cytotechnologist?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 45% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Allied Health degrees; Junior college (短期大学) programme.

Will AI change the work of a Cytotechnologist?

Generative AI can do relatively little of this work, 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