Emergency Medical Helicopters: What Should Be Done to Maintain Stable Operations?

Editorial

16:10 JST, March 29, 2026

Demand is rising for emergency medical helicopters, which transport emergency patients with doctors and nurses on board, but operations have had to be suspended one after another in various places. This is because it has become difficult to secure staff due to mechanics quitting or taking a leave of absence.

The central and local governments must take measures to ensure there will be no disruptions in the transport and treatment of patients.

Emergency medical helicopters allow doctors to rush to accident sites and other locations with drugs and medical equipment. Initial treatment is given to patients while they are being transported to hospitals. Transport is not hindered by road conditions, making it possible to quickly move patients in mountainous areas and on remote islands.

The use of medical helicopters has expanded gradually since the 2000s. A total of 57 such helicopters are currently deployed across all prefectures.

Since last year, however, there have been a notable number of cases in which operations were suspended in 10 prefectures including Tokyo and Osaka. This was due to a staffing shortage at Hirata Gakuen, an educational institution in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, that has been contracted to operate these helicopters.

Regarding Tokyo, which uses a medical helicopter in the Tama area, the helicopter has been grounded since April because the metropolitan government has been unable to secure an alternative operator. Prospects for resuming medical helicopter operations are also not in sight for the prefectures of Osaka and Tokushima.

In Nagasaki Prefecture, which has many remote islands and sees high demand for medical helicopters, operations were suspended for more than half of the month in March. The prefecture is managing to handle emergency cases with a helicopter that is meant to respond to disasters and with support from neighboring prefectures. However, there reportedly have been delays of about one hour to transfer patients on remote islands.

So far, no cases have been reported of disruptions in rescue operations directly caused by the suspension of medical helicopters. But there is a risk that patients with life-threatening conditions, such as cerebral hemorrhages, might not be able to be saved.

In some areas, Self-Defense Forces helicopters have been mobilized for the nighttime transport of patients. Efforts should be made to maintain the emergency medical system by utilizing both disaster response helicopters and SDF helicopters.

However, stopgap measures do not provide a fundamental solution. The shortage of mechanics is a problem that affects the entire aviation industry. The shortage is reportedly attributed to the decline in demand for aviation amid the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a 50% drop in the number of people aspiring to become mechanics. It is an urgent task to improve their working conditions.

Support from the central government is essential for the systematic recruitment of mechanics. The Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry is reportedly considering hiring foreign workers. Another option would be to hire retired SDF personnel with experience in aircraft maintenance.

The time to replace aging aircraft is also approaching. In addition to the high cost of purchasing aircraft, the burden placed on operating companies and local governments will become even heavier if they have to take measures to compensate for the shortage of mechanics. How about considering joint operations of emergency medical helicopters by multiple prefectures to reduce their burden?

Medical helicopters have become indispensable to emergency medical care. To ensure stable operations, government agencies, emergency medical personnel and the aviation industry should work together and draw on their knowledge.

 (From The Yomiuri Shimbun, March 29, 2026)