JAPAN - Medical Device Industry and Demographic Data

Shown below you will find some basic demographic and economic data on the Japanese, plus information specific to the medical device and healthcare industry.

Capital city: Tokyo

Total area: 377 835 km²

Population of Japan: 127.1 million

Structure of Japanese population:
0-14 years: 13.5%
15-64 years: 64.3%
65 years and over: 22.2% (2009 est.)

Currency: Yen

Language: Japanese

Healthcare expenditures in Japan: $2 696 (at int. $ rate, 2007 data)

Number of hospitals: 9 266 (2005 data)

Japanese medical device industry: Japan ranks the 2nd largest medical device market in the world (when comparing countries; Europe is #2 as a whole). The market was estimated at $19.1 billion in 2007. The trade of medical equipment is dominated by imports. In 2007, Japan imported $8.3 billion medical devices, whereas exported medical devices account for $4.6 billion. The local production is estimated at $15.3 billion in 2007. Opportunities: technologically sophisticated medical devices such as pacemakers, implants, catheters, stents, cardiology products, and medical information systems. Threat: in the past Government reduced medical services fees (including reimbursement of doctor's fees, drugs, and medical devices) and more payment cuts for medical devices are expected in order to counterbalance increasing healthcare expenditures.