Japan: annual national medical care expenses

In the fiscal year 2020, the national medical care expenses in Japan amounted to approximately 43 trillion Japanese yen, an increase from around 38.6 trillion Japanese yen in fiscal 2011. National medical care expenditure consists of the total public funding and medial expenditure paid by patients in Japan, as well as payments through the Japanese health insurance system. With over 38 percent, the government provides the largest share of expenses through the national treasury and municipality funds.

Medical expenses per capita

The national medical expenditure per capita has risen in the past decade, crossing the 300-thousand-yen mark in 2011. Several services are summarized under medical care expenses, among which are dental care, nursing care, as well as food and living expenses during hospitalization. Inpatient and outpatient services accounted for the highest per capita expenditure, with both amounting to over 100 thousand yen. Inpatient care describes the care of patients admitted to larger hospitals with beds. Outpatient services refer to treatments without overnight admissions conducted both at hospitals and small-scale medical clinics. Hospitals and medical clinics are the two main types of medical facilities in Japan, as opposed to general practitioners, private practices, or family doctors found in other countries.

The prefecture with the highest individual expenditure

Most recently, the Fukui prefecture was the Japanese region with the highest individual spending on health and fitness. Known for its large elderly population and the above-average longevity of its residents, thirty percent of surveyed Okinawans were willing to spend more money on health preservation.