National programme of prosthetics and orthotics in Japan.

The Japanese Association of Prosthetic and Orthotic Industry, founded in 1939, consists of 300 manufacturers, of which the total number of prosthetic and orthotic technicians are estimated to be 5,000. In 1968 doctors, engineers and technicians got together to form the Japanese Society of Prosthetic and Orthotic Educat ion, Research and Development. This society, having 500 members, holds meetings twice a year and publishes a journal . In 1974 a b ranch of ISPO was founded in Japan, and this has led to an active exchange of information with foreign countries. T o date its members number about 80. O n the medical side committees of prosthetics and orthotics were formed; firstly in 1971 within the Japanese Association of Rehabili ta­ t ion Medicine and secondly in 1973 within the Japanese Orthopaedic Association. In addit ion to the activities taking place in the various societies, the Ministry of Heal th and Welfare has also been active in the field of prosthetics and orthotics (Table 2). It now conducts training courses for prosthetic and orthotic technicians and, at the same time, a training p rogramme in prosthetics and orthotics for doctors is organized by them every year in co-operation with the Japanese Orthopaedic Association and the Japanese Association of Rehabili tation Medicine. Table 1 National associations in prosthetics and orthotics Table 2 Government activity in prosthetics and orthotics