Running Head: HEALTH CARE 1

Japan’s Health Care System

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Japan’s healthcare system is definitely one of the best healthcare systems in the world.

The cost, quality, and access to care are very remarkable since it made Japan one of the

healthiest nations in the world. Japan spends about half as the US on healthcare at $4.150 per

capita as compared to the latter at $9,451. The quality of medical services is superior because of

their employer-purchased insurance, universal coverage, government-fixed price services, and

more. According to New England Journal of Medicine, outcomes of surgery and survival are

better in Japan than in US. Access to care in Japan is nearly four times as compared in the US as

Japanese visit the doctor 14 times a year. In terms of women’s health and maternal child care,

Japan ranks #1 with Finland in infant mortality rates at 2.3 with the US at the bottom of the list at

6.1. On the other hand, the vulnerable population of the elderly remains to rapidly increase in the

ratio, which burdens the government to hold the health care costs. Nonetheless, their healthcare

system also contributes to their longest life expectancy, median age, low obesity rates, and likely

to have heart attacks. Japan’s healthcare focuses on preventive medicine for disease management

on communicable and non-communicable diseases. Their health promotion strategies such as the

universal health care coverage allow them to become the healthiest nations on Earth unlike US

with 50 million people who do not have health care insurance and some even go bankrupt.

However, Japan’s health system falls under excessive use of lab test and high-tech lab equipment

and number of hospital days, as well as the quality of mental health care. The behavior and

lifestyle factors involved in the wellness of Japan is that they walk more at 3.5 miles as

compared to Americans at 1 mile due to expensive driving experience in Japan while Japanese

tends to eat around 200 calories less due to high-priced food and more fruits and vegetables are

easily accessible to the population. Hence, Japan have 3.7% obesity rates as compared to US at

38%. Other factors include low rates of violence, drug addiction, and income disparity. Policies
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in the US should mirror the same attention with improving the wellness of the citizens to provide

a better healthcare system to the health promotion and disease management in the country.

REFERENCES

Cooper, E., & Taylor, L. (2011, September 15). Comparing Health Care Systems. Retrieved

from https://www.context.org/iclib/ic39/cooptalr/a

Ikegami, N. (2008). Japan, Health System of. International Encyclopedia of Public Health, 1-8.

doi:10.1016/b978-012373960-5.00310-5

Townsend, M. (2018, January 11). 3 Lessons Studying Japanese Healthcare. America Pay

Attention. Retrieved from https://tincture.io/3-lessons-studying-japanese-

healthcare- america-pay-attention-14e81a4f4002

Wanjek, C. (2009, July 28). Healthcare Systems: U.S. vs. Japan. Retrieved from

https://www.livescience.com/7830-healthcare-systems-japan.html