Japan's medical spending to top JPY40 tn
03-Sep-15, Kyodo News
Japan's medical expenses in the year to March 2015 are certain to hit a new high above 40 trillion yen ($332 billion) on the back of the nation's graying population, health ministry data showed Thursday.
%20Getty%20Images.jpg "Japans medical spending to top JPY40 tn (c) Getty Images")
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In addition to the increasing proportion of elderly people, the continuous growth reflects advances in medical technology that have made services more expensive, a ministry official said.
The official added that the greater use of cheaper generic medicines has slowed the rate of increase compared with previous years.