3 - (SYM 8) Shaping the Future of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Japan: Progress, Challenges, and Opportunities

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has continued to develop and expand steadily within the field of clinical psychology in Japan over the past several decades. This presentation provides an overview of the progress of CBT in Japan, highlighting key achievements, current challenges, and future directions for dissemination and implementation. First, a brief historical review is presented. Two major academic societies—the Japanese Association of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies (JABCT) and the Japanese Association of Cognitive Therapies (JACT)—have played central roles in advancing CBT through training, research, practice, and public education. Although these organizations originated from different professional traditions, psychology and medicine respectively, they have collaborated closely to promote evidence-based practice across disciplines. Second, current trends in CBT practice in Japan are explored, with particular attention to national-level systems that shape service delivery. These include the introduction of the national certification system for psychologists and the expansion of CBT within the national health insurance scheme. Collectively, these developments have enhanced and continue to shape both the accessibility and standardization of CBT practice in Japan. Finally, future directions are discussed considering remaining challenges. These include the certification of CBT therapists, the development of standardized training curricula, culturally adapted CBT practices, and the effective integration of CBT within existing psychosocial and educational services. This symposium seeks to accelerate momentum for the dissemination of CBT across Asia and beyond, leading up to the Asian Cognitive Behavioral Therapies Association (ACBTA) Conference 2027 in Tokyo, Japan.