Japan’s hospitals weigh overseas branches, medical tourism

 19-Jul-15, The Japan Times

Mount Fuji, medieval castles and amusement parks are among the most popular destinations for tourists coming to Japan. Now the government wants a visit to a clinic for a full-body medical checkup or a meeting with a nutritionist to become part of the itinerary.

Image: The Japan Times

The 2015 Japan Revitalization Strategy, a government policy strategy announced last month, says the health care sector — which has long been heavily regulated and shielded from pressures of capitalism — should be turned into a moneymaker and even a driver of national economic growth.

Health care and nursing care fields are facing a big turning point,” declares the document, adopted by the Cabinet on June 30. “Medical needs are diversifying on the back of rise in public awareness on health and preventive medicine, while demand for health care services has gone up rapidly due to population aging… We need to think about how to revitalize health care as an industry and raise its productivity.”

In particular, the government wants to boost medical tourism, or the acceptance of foreign tourists at hospitals and clinics in Japan, and help Japanese medical institutions branch out overseas, especially in emerging economies where medical needs are surging.

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