Peernovo
Midwives

How to become a Midwife

Helps women give birth, advises pregnant women and new mothers, and gives health guidance to mothers and babies from pregnancy until after the birth.

Main tasks

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 become a midwife you must pass the national midwife exam. You must already have passed the national exam for registered nurses to be eligible, so after high school you complete three to four years of specialist study at a nursing university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college) and then sit the nursing exam. Those who chose the midwifery option at a nursing university become eligible for the national midwife exam once they pass. Others become eligible after two years at a nursing graduate school, or one year of specialist study on a postgraduate or special course at a nursing university, a postgraduate course at a nursing junior college or a midwife training school. Whichever route you take, you become a midwife after passing the national midwife exam. Although the name of the job, qualification and exam has changed from "josanpu" (midwife, a term for women) to the gender-neutral "josanshi", the midwife exam is still open only to women. To keep mother and baby safe during birth, you need sound judgement and the ability to act quickly, as well as the related specialist knowledge and skills.

Ways in

Pay · Job openings · AI and this job

Not sure this is for you? Take the 2-minute career quiz

Questions people ask

How do I become a Midwife?

To become a midwife you must pass the national midwife exam. You must already have passed the national exam for registered nurses to be eligible, so after high school you complete three to four years of specialist study at a nursing university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or senmon gakko (vocational college) and then sit the nursing exam. Those who chose the midwifery option at a nursing university become eligible for the national midwife exam once they pass. Others become eligible after two years at a nursing graduate school, or one year of specialist study on a postgraduate or special course at a nursing university, a postgraduate course at a nursing junior college or a midwife training school. Whichever route you take, you become a midwife after passing the national midwife exam. Although the name of the job, qualification and exam has changed from "josanpu" (midwife, a term for women) to the gender-neutral "josanshi", the midwife exam is still open only to women. To keep mother and baby safe during birth, you need sound judgement and the ability to act quickly, as well as the related specialist knowledge and skills.

How much does a Midwife earn in Japan?

Average annual income in the private sector, bonus included, is ¥5,667,000 (Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare).

Do you need a degree to become a Midwife?

Not always. In this job's census occupation group, 44% of workers are university graduates. Ways in include: Nursing & Midwifery degrees.

Will AI change the work of a Midwife?

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