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Nutritionists

How to become a Dietitian

Also called: School Dietitian, Welfare Facility Dietitian, Hospital Dietitian, Registered Dietitian

Gives nutrition guidance and advice and manages meals in hospitals, social welfare facilities, companies, schools, government bodies and elsewhere.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university or junior college 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 become a dietitian you need to graduate from a dietitian training institution designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare and apply to the prefectural governor for a licence. To become a registered dietitian (kanri eiyoshi), after getting your dietitian licence you need at least five years of training and work experience combined (one year of work experience after a four-year course, two years after a three-year course, or three years after a two-year course) and must then pass the national registered dietitian exam. However, graduates of a four-year registered dietitian training institution can sit the national exam straight after getting their dietitian licence. You need a wide knowledge of nutrition, a constant interest in new foods and health information, and the ability to give clear guidance and advice on how and what people eat. You must keep building your knowledge and skills after starting work, so dietitians deepen their expertise through training. The Japan Dietetic Association certifies certified registered dietitians and certified dietitians in eight fields: clinical nutrition, school nutrition, health and sports nutrition, food service management, public health nutrition, community nutrition, welfare nutrition (older people and people with disability) and welfare nutrition (children). There are also other qualifications, such as specified-field registered dietitian, certified in five specific fields including specific health guidance and sports nutrition, and specialist registered dietitian, for working with patients with cancer, diabetes and other conditions. Certification shows that a dietitian or registered dietitian has gained specialist skills and knowledge in that area at a practical level.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Dietitian?

To become a dietitian you need to graduate from a dietitian training institution designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare and apply to the prefectural governor for a licence. To become a registered dietitian (kanri eiyoshi), after getting your dietitian licence you need at least five years of training and work experience combined (one year of work experience after a four-year course, two years after a three-year course, or three years after a two-year course) and must then pass the national registered dietitian exam. However, graduates of a four-year registered dietitian training institution can sit the national exam straight after getting their dietitian licence. You need a wide knowledge of nutrition, a constant interest in new foods and health information, and the ability to give clear guidance and advice on how and what people eat. You must keep building your knowledge and skills after starting work, so dietitians deepen their expertise through training. The Japan Dietetic Association certifies certified registered dietitians and certified dietitians in eight fields: clinical nutrition, school nutrition, health and sports nutrition, food service management, public health nutrition, community nutrition, welfare nutrition (older people and people with disability) and welfare nutrition (children). There are also other qualifications, such as specified-field registered dietitian, certified in five specific fields including specific health guidance and sports nutrition, and specialist registered dietitian, for working with patients with cancer, diabetes and other conditions. Certification shows that a dietitian or registered dietitian has gained specialist skills and knowledge in that area at a practical level.

How much does a Dietitian earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥4,040,300 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Do you need a degree to become a Dietitian?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 47% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Health & Public Health degrees; Junior college (短期大学) programme; Vocational college (専門学校) course: Nutrition.

Will AI change the work of a Dietitian?

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