Abstract: High turnover among Japanese nurses is a significant issue. In 2012, 191,000 nurses joined the profession, while up to 161,000 left. If this trend continues, healthcare service delivery could be severely impacted. However, it is not clear why Japanese nurses leave the profession. There are no systematic reviews clarifying the complex interrelated personal, organizational, and socio-cultural factors that contribute to nurse turnover in Japan. Such insight may help when developing policies in response to this public health issue.