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How to become an Occupational Health Supervisor

Creates workplaces where workers can work healthily and safely by improving the working environment and managing health.

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

To become an occupational health supervisor (eisei kanrisha), you must pass the health supervisor exam (first class or second class) and hold a health supervisor licence. To sit the exam you must, for example, have graduated from a university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or kosen (college of technology) and have at least 1 year of practical experience in occupational health, have graduated from high school and have at least 3 years' experience, or have at least 10 years' experience regardless of education. Besides those who pass, holders of national qualifications such as doctor, dentist or occupational health consultant can be appointed health supervisors without an exam. In addition, people who graduated from an engineering or science course at a university or college of technology and completed set training can hold the health engineering health supervisor licence. Holders of the first-class licence or the health engineering licence can be health supervisors at workplaces in any industry. Holders of the second-class licence can only be health supervisors at workplaces in certain industries with relatively little hazardous work (such as information and communications, finance and insurance, and wholesale and retail). Companies must appoint a set number of health supervisors depending on their size, so it is common for a company to tell staff to gain the qualification when they are transferred to a general affairs or labour management department. The knowledge and experience gained as a health supervisor is then often used in many kinds of work, such as HR and managing production sites. The qualities needed include the observation and imagination to anticipate danger. Being able to communicate with and show care for staff, for example those returning to work after mental health problems, and listening well also help with the job. Much of the work is done in cooperation with many people, such as company HR staff, occupational physicians and public health nurses, so it suits people who can take the initiative while building good relationships.

Ways in

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Questions people ask

How do I become an Occupational Health Supervisor?

To become an occupational health supervisor (eisei kanrisha), you must pass the health supervisor exam (first class or second class) and hold a health supervisor licence. To sit the exam you must, for example, have graduated from a university, tanki daigaku (junior college) or kosen (college of technology) and have at least 1 year of practical experience in occupational health, have graduated from high school and have at least 3 years' experience, or have at least 10 years' experience regardless of education. Besides those who pass, holders of national qualifications such as doctor, dentist or occupational health consultant can be appointed health supervisors without an exam. In addition, people who graduated from an engineering or science course at a university or college of technology and completed set training can hold the health engineering health supervisor licence. Holders of the first-class licence or the health engineering licence can be health supervisors at workplaces in any industry. Holders of the second-class licence can only be health supervisors at workplaces in certain industries with relatively little hazardous work (such as information and communications, finance and insurance, and wholesale and retail). Companies must appoint a set number of health supervisors depending on their size, so it is common for a company to tell staff to gain the qualification when they are transferred to a general affairs or labour management department. The knowledge and experience gained as a health supervisor is then often used in many kinds of work, such as HR and managing production sites. The qualities needed include the observation and imagination to anticipate danger. Being able to communicate with and show care for staff, for example those returning to work after mental health problems, and listening well also help with the job. Much of the work is done in cooperation with many people, such as company HR staff, occupational physicians and public health nurses, so it suits people who can take the initiative while building good relationships.

How much does an Occupational Health Supervisor 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 an Occupational Health Supervisor?

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

Will AI change the work of an Occupational Health Supervisor?

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