Updated 27 May 2025
In 2015, Yokota’s Medical Group began training Japanese physicians in a one-year rotating education program. Education is conducted in English and focuses on familiarizing and acculturating Japanese physicians to the practice of medicine in the United States. Accepted Japanese physicians learn outpatient and inpatient medicine as they would experience it in an American hospital-based residency program. Additionally, physicians in the program assist as medical liaisons between Yokota's hospital and local Japanese hospitals.
Three Japanese physicians are selected in August to begin training the following April. The year includes rotations in anesthesia, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, radiology and our urgent care clinic. Ten weeks of elective rotations are available in optometry, oral maxillo-facial surgery, orthopedics, otolaryngology, physical therapy, and psychiatry.
Physicians will work 40 hours per week which may be required to work night, early morning, weekends and holidays. Japanese physicians will observe U.S. national holidays and the following Japanese holidays: Birthday holiday, Marine Day, Year-End and New Year holidays. Japanese physician salary is approximately JPY 260,000 per month before taxes and bonuses.
Japanese physicians are insured with health insurance for Japanese employees working on base.
Yokota Air Base is a tobacco-free campus. There are very few designated smoking areas. Smoking is not permitted in or near the hospital.
Qualification:
*Japanese citizens or permanent residents of Japan who have graduated from a Japanese
medical college or university.
*Must possess Japanese Doctor's License.
*To possess English Language Proficiency Level 4(LPL-4) : TOEIC:860～、TOEFL(PBT):600～、TOEFL(CBT):250～、TOEFL(iBT):100～、Eiken:1st～
LPL-3 applicants will be also considered: TOEIC:730～、TOEFL(PBT):550～、TOEFL(CBT):210～、TOEFL(iBT):80～、Eiken:Pre-1st～、CASEC:870～
· It is preferred that new fellows will have completed PGY 2 by the time they start their fellowship at Yokota Air Base.
· All fellows need to find off-base housing within 30-minute radius driving from Yokota Hospital - commuting by car is highly recommended.
To apply, please follow the following steps:
1. Complete the application forms
a. JPFP application form
b. USFJ Form 196aEJ Personal History Statement Part A
c. Addendum to the application
d. Resume of specialized work experience
2. Email the below documents:
a. Completed forms above (a-d).
b. Recent photograph of yourself (passport style, official size not required).
c. Certificate of English Proficiency.
d. Copy of your Japanese doctor’s license.
e. Current curriculum vitae, written in English.
f. Two letters of recommendation from faculty members you have worked with.
g. Copy of your passport or permanent resident card
c. Copy of your medical school graduation certificate
d. Copy of PGY 2 completion certificate or letter from your hospital stating you
are in your PGY 2 year, if applicable
*Email address usaf.yokota.374-mdg.mbx.374-mdg-japanese-physician-fellowship@health.mil
*IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING E-MAIL ADDRESSES
Unfortunately, the US Air Force often blocks yahoo e-mails and cellular/smart phone
e-mails. E-mails from gmail and hotmail should not be blocked.
.
Applications are accepted now for the class beginning in April 2026.
Application deadline is 9 July (Wed) 2025.
Applicants who passed the initial screening of applications by the directors will be invited to an interview.
Interviews will be held on 17 July (Thu) 2025 (in-person interview at Yokota hospital).
2026-2027 orientation begins on 01 April 2026. Full Attendance to this orientation and pre-employment health check in Jan or Feb 2026 at the designated hospital in Fussa are required for participation in our program.
Open House on 26 June (Thu) 2025 at 12:30pm
Yokota Air Base hospital offers a half day open house for Japanese physicians interested in our Fellowship Program on 26 June at 12:30pm. The open house is designed to orient attendees to the hospital and the Fellowship Program. No application is required but arrangements must be made in advance. If you are interested, please send us e-mail usaf.yokota.374-mdg.mbx.374-mdg-japanese-physician-fellowship@health.mil with your name, age, date of birth, address, medical specialty, nationality, name of medical school you graduated and current medical practice address.
If you have questions, please email us: usaf.yokota.374-mdg.mbx.374-mdg-japanese-physician-fellowship@health.mil
Academic Curriculum
Core Rotations
Family Medicine 8 weeks
Urgent Care Clinic 8 weeks
Obstetrics and Gynecology 6 weeks
Pediatrics 6 weeks
General Surgery 4 weeks
Internal Medicine 4 weeks
Anesthesiology 2 weeks
Radiology 2 weeks
Elective Rotations
Otorhinolaryngology (ENT) 2 weeks
Oral Maxillo-Facial Surgery 2 weeks
Anesthesia 2 weeks
Psychiatry 2 weeks
Optometry 2 weeks
Physical Therapy 2 weeks
Didactics
Case Presentation (Presented by fellows to the faculty) 1st Wed & 2nd Tue 1200-1300
Staff Lectures Thu 1200-1300 twice a month
Journal Club every 3 months