Japan enters the Medical Tourism Field

Yet another country in Asia is now jumping on the medical tourism wagon. The Japanese government has recognized the potential in the industry, and the government owned Development Bank of Japan estimates that 430,000 medical tourists will come to Japan in 2020. Currently, there are hardly no international patients seeking healthcare in the country. Wealthy Chinese and Russians are considered the main potential market.

The government has acknowledged the below measures for expansion of the field:

• Creation of a medical service visa system designed to allow foreigners greater flexibility in regards to the duration of their stay.
• Establishing an authorization system for medical and health facilities eligible to accept overseas patients.
• Promoting efforts to develop language-interpreting services at all medical and health institutions.

Toshiki Mano at Tama University

With these measures, the Japanese government hopes to attract new patients. But it is a late wake up for the Japanese state. Many of its neighboring countries are well ahead of them. To find its own niche, the hospitals in Japan are focusing on health check services as a first step. Japan is world leading in the use of high-tech examination devices, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems. However, the choice of a narrow focus is widely questioned by leaders of the field in Japan. Professor Toshiki Mano of Tama University argues that basing an industry purely on health checks is not sustainable in the long term. “Japan is the only country that is trying to capitalize on health checks as a centerpiece of medical tourism. This can work for the present, since only a relatively small number of foreign patients from abroad are currently seeking medical treatment in Japan. However, there’s no telling whether the situation will be the same in 10 years time.” Mano is also convinced that for instance the Chinese or Russians will not come to Japan once such services become available at a lower price in their own country. Instead, he proposes that the government should work to provide international patients with treatment for digestive problems. Japan is very advanced in these services, which could benefit everyone he claims.

Yukihiro Matsuyama at the Canon Institute for Global Studies

Other voices are also heard in the discussing, pointing in different directions. Yukihiro Matsuyama at the Canon Institute for Global Studies argues that Japan should consider exporting the country’s medical facilities and expertise, something that is becoming more and more common these days. “The world is shifting away from the age of medical tourism to the direct export of hospitals and university medical departments. If Japanese hospitals and medical schools are not strong enough to branch out overseas, there will be little chance of this country winning the battle with other nations for medical tourism.”

Japan’s entering on the medical tourism field will be an interesting process to follow for sure. Novasans will do it’s best to keep you updated!