(1) History

Following the establishment of the Philanthropic Hospital in Tokyo in 1886 and the Regulation on the Training of Relief Nurses in 1889, the JRCS started to train relief nurses in 1890 to develop highly qualified nurses. The JRCS has trained a total of 102,683 nurses who have played important roles in relief activities both at home and abroad. Initially, the purpose of this training was to conduct wartime relief activities, but disaster relief activities were added after Red Cross nurses successfully assisted the victims of the Nobi Earthquake in 1891. Red Cross nurses were first trained in the Philanthropic Hospital, but JRCS chapters later began to establish their own hospitals to train relief personnel.

After the Second World War, under the guidance of the General Headquarters of the Allied Forces, the JRCS introduced a new method of training nurses by transforming training facilities in Red Cross hospitals into schools attached to hospitals. Under the Japanese legal system, only the central and local governments and educational organisations can establish universities and colleges. In 1954, therefore, the Japanese Red Cross Academy, which is an educational organisation distinct from the Japanese Red Cross Society, was established at the same time as the Japanese Red Cross Central College for Women was founded.

(2) Training of midwives

The JRCS has endeavoured to train midwives, in view of the importance of protecting pregnant women and children. At present, in addition to the JRCS Midwifery School, the Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing and Musashino College of Nursing offer courses in midwifery. The graduates of these institutions serve invaluable roles as midwives at hospitals all over Japan.

(3) Red Cross Nursing Institutions

The JRCS operates 17 nursing schools and a Midwifery School, and the Japanese Red Cross Academy operates five colleges and a junior colleges. The nursing schools and colleges offer curricula on basic nursing; the Midwifery School on midwife education; and the Akita College of Nursing on home care worker. The colleges offer curricula on both nursing and public health nursing. The Japanese Red Cross College of Nursing (Tokyo), Hokkaido College of Nursing, Hiroshima College of Nursing and Kyushu International College of Nursing have post-graduate courses. In addition, the Training Centre for Graduate Nurses offers advanced training to nurses who are to assume leading positions in their respective hospitals.

Red Cross nurses are expected to conduct relief activities both at home and abroad, in addition to everyday medical care. The Red Cross nursing institutions, therefore, offer training on various subjects to nurses to enable them to undertake relief activities in accordance with the Red Cross Principles. For example, students are required to take subjects such as the Introduction to the Red Cross and Nursing in Disaster Situations. Every year, about 30,000 nurses start their careers in Red Cross medical facilities, about half of whom are graduates of Red Cross nursing institutions.