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Shop assistants

How to become a Drugstore Sales Clerk

Official title: Drugstore Sales Clerk (Registered Seller)

Also called: Registered medicine seller, Drugstore assistant

Sells over-the-counter medicines at pharmacies, drugstores and similar shops.

Main tasks

Workers in this job say university or high school 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

No particular education is required for this job, but you need the registered seller (toroku hanbaisha) qualification. Drugstore chains often hire new school leavers and graduates and support them to gain the qualification through on-the-job and in-house training after joining. There is also mid-career hiring. To become a full registered seller, you need 24 months of work experience (at least 80 hours a month) after passing the exam. Until then, you register with the local government where the shop is located after passing the exam and work as a registered seller in training. With experience as a registered seller, some get involved in managing the shop and become store managers. Knowledge of medicines is essential. You need to know where everything is on the shop floor and have the communication skills to explain things clearly to customers and respond flexibly. Dealing with complaints quickly and properly is also important. You also need to keep up with trends and new products by following the news.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Drugstore Sales Clerk?

No particular education is required for this job, but you need the registered seller (toroku hanbaisha) qualification. Drugstore chains often hire new school leavers and graduates and support them to gain the qualification through on-the-job and in-house training after joining. There is also mid-career hiring. To become a full registered seller, you need 24 months of work experience (at least 80 hours a month) after passing the exam. Until then, you register with the local government where the shop is located after passing the exam and work as a registered seller in training. With experience as a registered seller, some get involved in managing the shop and become store managers. Knowledge of medicines is essential. You need to know where everything is on the shop floor and have the communication skills to explain things clearly to customers and respond flexibly. Dealing with complaints quickly and properly is also important. You also need to keep up with trends and new products by following the news.

How much does a Drugstore Sales Clerk earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥3,847,600 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare). The figure is for the wage survey group Shop assistants, which covers several jobs.

Do you need a degree to become a Drugstore Sales Clerk?

Usually not. In this job's census occupation group, only 21% of workers are university graduates.

Will AI change the work of a Drugstore Sales Clerk?

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