Ishida T, Ohta M, Katsurada K, Sugimoto T
J Emerg Med. 1984;2(1):45-55. doi: 10.1016/0736-4679(84)90048-9.
In Japan, ambulance service was originated by the Osaka Branch Office of the Japan Red Cross in 1931. In 1933 the fire department organ of Yokohama started ambulance service. It was, however, without any legal requirements. Since the early 1960s, Japan has experienced a rapid development of industry and economy, so that traffic accidents have increased, necessitating a nationwide ambulance service system. In October 1961 the Director-General of the Fire Defense Agency organized the Fire Defense Council to study the problem of ambulance service. In response, the Fire Defense Act was amended in 1963, assigning ambulance service responsibilities to Fire Defense organs. During 1982 total ambulance runs numbered 2,125,447, and the total number of transported persons was 2,049,487. Response time is excellent in Japan. More than 50% of persons who called an ambulance could get help within five minutes. First-aid management was given to 56% of total transported persons. Of these, temperature regulation was most often administered, followed by oxygen inhalation, dressing, and hemostasis. Currently, 2,965 (91.1%) municipalities provide ambulance services to 98.3% of the population. The Japanese emergency medical system has serious problems, however, such as an inadequate number of general hospitals and a flood of nonemergent patients. To alleviate such problems, the Ministry of Health and Welfare developed the critical emergency transfer system in 1977.
在日本，救护车服务始于1931年日本红十字会大阪分会。1933年，横滨消防部门开始提供救护车服务。然而，当时没有任何法律规定。自20世纪60年代初以来，日本经历了工业和经济的快速发展，交通事故增加，因此需要一个全国性的救护车服务系统。1961年10月，消防厅厅长组织了消防委员会来研究救护车服务问题。作为回应，1963年修订了《消防法》，将救护车服务职责赋予消防机构。1982年，救护车出动总数为2125447次，运送总人数为2049487人。日本的响应时间非常出色。超过50%拨打救护车电话的人能在五分钟内得到帮助。56%的运送人员接受了急救处理。其中，体温调节最为常见，其次是吸氧、包扎和止血。目前，2965个（91.1%）市町村为98.3%的人口提供救护车服务。然而，日本的紧急医疗系统存在严重问题，如综合医院数量不足和非紧急患者大量涌入。为缓解这些问题，厚生省于1977年开发了危急紧急转运系统。
