In Japan, Healthy Eating Habits Start at School — An Interview With Dietitian Fumiko Ichimura

Fumiko Ichimura is a nationally registered dietitian in Japan. She uses her knowledge about balanced meals in a primary school, where she makes the menus so that children grow healthy and learn to enjoy eating. I asked her about the effects of Japanese food on health, the changes in Japan’s eating habits, and teaching kids about nutrition.

The Traditional Japanese Diet and Recent Changes

Why did you decide to become a nutritionist?

Food is important because we need it to live, and it influences our health. By learning about nutrition, I thought that I could make my daily habits healthier and my family’s. At first, my main concern was the people close to me.

What qualification do you need to be a nutritionist in Japan?

You need a nutritionist license. You can study for it at a university, a junior college, or a vocational school. I have studied regular courses at a university for four years. My university’s classes also allowed me to become a nationally registered dietitian, for which you need to sit a national exam. In my university, people can also apply for a nutrition teacher license if they want to, which is what I did.