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ACQ Volume 12, Number 3 2010 147
we need to increase the qualified SLHT workforce as well as
to improve public awareness of our roles. To commemorate
the day when our licence law was enacted, we designated 1
September as “Speech and Hearing Day” to promote public
awareness and understanding of SLHTs and better speech,
language, hearing, and swallowing.
In 2012, there will be a comprehensive review of both
medical and long-term care service fees, which will then set
the financial foundation for the next few decades. We need
to demonstrate with evidence that our services do make a
difference in order to win favourable results and keep moving
forward. Therefore, the next couple of years are critical for
the future of our profession in Japan and for the future of our
young members in their 20s and 30s, who constitute almost
80% of our association.
References
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Tribune, Birth rate. [Data file and comments]. Retrieved from
Honkawa, Y. (2010b). Birth rate. In Honkawa Data Tribune.
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Japanese Physical Therapy Association (JPTA). (2010a).
Cumulative number of individuals who have passed the
physical therapy national examination. In Proceedings of the
General Meeting, May 2010.
Japanese Physical Therapy Association (JPTA). (2010b).
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Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. (2008b). Number
of nurses, public health nurses, nursing aids and maternity
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toukei/saikin/hw/eisei/08-2/dl/02.pdf
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication Statistics
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Dr Jun Katsuki-Nakamura is a consultant to the Speech and
Language Therapy Service, Department of Rehabilitation, at Yawata
Medical Center, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. Over the last 24 years
while raising three children, she has worked with a range of clients
with communication difficulties including adults with aphasia and
children with speech and language delay. She is the president of
Ishikawa Speech-Language-Hearing Therapists’ Association. She
also served on the executive board of Japanese Association of
Speech-Language-Hearing Therapists (JAS) from 2000 to 2005 as
the director of International Liaison of the association. She chaired
the 7th Japanese Congress of Speech-Language-Hearing in 2006.
Professor Junichi Fukaura is the director of Department of
Speech and Hearing Sciences, Fukuoka School of Rehabilitation,
International University of Health and Welfare, and the president
of Japanese Association of Speech-Language-Hearing Therapists
(JAS). He entered into this field as one of the pioneer students after
receiving a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. Prior to his
current appointment, he worked for many years at the Department
of Otorhinolaryngology, Saga University Medical School Hospital.
His main areas of research interest include hearing impairment and
voice disorder.
Correspondence to:
Dr Jun Katsuki-Nakamura
Department of Speech-Language Therapy
Yawata Medical Center
I-12-7 Yawata, Komatsu-shi
Ishikawa-ken, 923-8551, Japan
phone: +81 761 47 1212
fax: +81 761 47 1941
email
Professor Junichi Fukaura
President
Japanese Association of Speech-Language-Hearing Therapists (JAS)
JAS National Office (Nihon Gengochoukakushi Kyoukai)
8th floor Kasumi Building
2-5-16 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022, Japan
phone: +81 3 6412 9853
fax: +81 3 6412 9854
email: