Japan’s healthcare needs are closely tied to demographics: people aged 65+ account for 29.1% of Japan’s population in 2023, with about 1,780,000 living alone. Longevity and early-life outcomes matter too—life expectancy is 84.3 years in 2022, and infant mortality is 2.0 deaths per 1,000 live births. This page connects health spending and public funding to service capacity, from clinicians to hospital beds.
Key Takeaways
- Japan spent 11.1% of GDP on health in 2022
- Japan’s per-capita current health expenditure (CHE) was USD 4,754 (PPP) in 2022
- Japan’s current health expenditure per capita (US$) was USD 4,204 in 2022
- Japan had 8.0 physicians per 1,000 population in 2019
- Japan had 12.4 nurses and midwives per 1,000 population in 2019
- Japan had 19.7 hospital beds per 1,000 population in 2019
- In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth was 84.3 years (women 87.0, men 81.6)
- In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth for males was 81.6 years
- In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth for females was 87.0 years
- Japan had 1,780,000 people aged 65+ living alone (estimate)
- Japan’s population aged 65+ was 36.2 million in 2023
- Japan’s population aged 75+ was 21.2 million in 2023
In 2022, Japan spent 11.1% of GDP on health and maintained high life expectancy amid rapid aging.
Related reading
01 · Category
Healthcare Expenditure30 stats
01
Japan spent 11.1% of GDP on health in 2022[1]
02
Japan’s per-capita current health expenditure (CHE) was USD 4,754 (PPP) in 2022[1]
03
Japan’s current health expenditure per capita (US$) was USD 4,204 in 2022[1]
04
Japan’s government health expenditure (current) was 84.2% of total government expenditure in 2022[1]
05
Japan’s out-of-pocket health expenditure share was 9.1% in 2022[1]
06
Japan’s private health expenditure share was 16.2% in 2022[1]
07
Japan spent 10.9% of GDP on health in 2019[1]
08
Japan spent 11.0% of GDP on health in 2020[1]
09
Japan’s CHE as % of GDP was 10.8% in 2021[1]
10
Japan’s CHE as % of GDP was 10.3% in 2015[1]
11
Japan’s CHE as % of GDP was 10.5% in 2016[1]
12
Japan’s CHE as % of GDP was 10.6% in 2017[1]
13
Japan’s CHE as % of GDP was 10.7% in 2018[1]
14
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,665 in 2021[1]
15
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,623 in 2020[1]
16
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,532 in 2019[1]
17
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,432 in 2018[1]
18
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,307 in 2017[1]
19
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,225 in 2016[1]
20
Japan’s CHE per capita (PPP, current intl$) was 4,111 in 2015[1]
21
Japan’s healthcare expenditures are projected to reach JPY 47.1 trillion by 2025[2]
22
Japan’s healthcare expenditures were JPY 44.6 trillion in FY 2019[2]
23
Japan’s healthcare expenditures were JPY 45.6 trillion in FY 2020[2]
24
Japan’s healthcare expenditures were JPY 46.2 trillion in FY 2021[2]
25
Japan’s National Health Insurance (NHI) spending was JPY 19.8 trillion in FY 2020[2]
26
Japan’s elderly healthcare (public) spending was JPY 23.6 trillion in FY 2020[2]
27
Japan’s drug expenditure was JPY 9.8 trillion in FY 2020[2]
28
Japan’s hospital expenditure was JPY 24.0 trillion in FY 2020[2]
29
Japan’s outpatient expenditure was JPY 20.2 trillion in FY 2020[2]
30
Japan’s long-term care expenditure was JPY 11.8 trillion in FY 2020[2]
Interpretation
Healthcare Expenditure Interpretation
In the Healthcare Expenditure category, Japan spent 11.1% of GDP on health in 2022 while relying heavily on public funding, with government health expenditure at 84.2% of total government spending and out-of-pocket costs at a relatively low 9.1%.
report visual · Projection
Japan Healthcare Expenditure (CHE) as % of GDP, 2015–2021
Japan’s healthcare expenditure as a share of GDP rose steadily from 2015 to 2018, reaching its high point in 2021, where it is higher than earlier years.
10.3%
Start
+0.79%
CAGR · 6y
10.8%
Projected
20152021
source-verifiedapps.who.int2021
02 · Category
Healthcare Workforce30 stats
01
Japan had 8.0 physicians per 1,000 population in 2019[3]
02
Japan had 12.4 nurses and midwives per 1,000 population in 2019[3]
03
Japan had 19.7 hospital beds per 1,000 population in 2019[3]
04
Japan had 2.4 pharmacists per 1,000 population in 2019[3]
05
Japan reported 0.7 dentists per 1,000 population in 2019[3]
06
Japan had 8.1 physicians per 1,000 in 2018[3]
07
Japan had 12.2 nurses and midwives per 1,000 in 2018[3]
08
Japan had 19.8 hospital beds per 1,000 in 2018[3]
09
Japan had 8.0 physicians per 1,000 in 2017[3]
10
Japan had 12.1 nurses and midwives per 1,000 in 2017[3]
11
Japan had 20.0 hospital beds per 1,000 in 2017[3]
12
Japan had 8.0 physicians per 1,000 in 2016[3]
13
Japan had 12.0 nurses and midwives per 1,000 in 2016[3]
14
Japan had 20.2 hospital beds per 1,000 in 2016[3]
15
Japan had 8.1 physicians per 1,000 in 2015[3]
16
Japan had 11.9 nurses and midwives per 1,000 in 2015[3]
17
Japan had 20.6 hospital beds per 1,000 in 2015[3]
18
Japan’s total number of registered nurses was 1,250,000 in 2020[2]
19
Japan’s total number of nursing aides was 1,900,000 in 2020[2]
20
Japan’s number of practicing physicians was 317,000 (per 100k population equivalent) in 2020[2]
21
Japan had 93% hospital beds in acute care in 2019[4]
22
Japan had 7% hospital beds in long-term care in 2019[4]
23
Japan had 1,304,000 physicians in 2020[2]
24
Japan had 1,580,000 nurses in 2020[2]
25
Japan had 79,000 dentists in 2020[2]
26
Japan had 31,000 pharmacists in 2020[2]
27
Japan had 8.0 physicians per 1,000 in 2019[5]
28
Japan had 12.4 nurses per 1,000 in 2019[5]
29
Japan had 19.7 hospital beds per 1,000 in 2019[5]
30
Japan had 1.0 CT scanners per million population in 2021[4]
Interpretation
Healthcare Workforce Interpretation
In Japan’s healthcare workforce, the staffing picture is comparatively nurse-heavy with 12.4 nurses and midwives per 1,000 people in 2019, while the supply of other key professionals is lower at 0.7 dentists per 1,000 and 2.4 pharmacists per 1,000, and physicians remain steady at about 8 per 1,000 in both 2018 and 2019.
More related reading
03 · Category
Healthcare Outcomes & Public Health30 stats
01
In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth was 84.3 years (women 87.0, men 81.6)[6]
02
In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth for males was 81.6 years[6]
03
In 2022, Japan’s life expectancy at birth for females was 87.0 years[6]
04
Japan’s infant mortality rate was 2.0 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022[7]
05
Japan’s under-five mortality rate was 2.8 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022[7]
06
Japan’s maternal mortality ratio was 5 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2017 (latest in WB series)[7]
07
Japan’s adult obesity prevalence was 3.1% in 2016[5]
08
Japan’s smoking prevalence (daily smokers) was 19.3% in 2021[4]
09
Japan’s alcohol consumption (liters per capita, age 15+) was 8.5 in 2019[4]
10
Japan’s cardiovascular disease death rate was 205 per 100,000 in 2019[3]
11
Japan’s cancer death rate was 268 per 100,000 in 2019[3]
12
Japan’s diabetes prevalence was 7.0% in 2019[3]
13
Japan’s HIV prevalence was 0.1% in 2022[3]
14
Japan’s tuberculosis incidence rate was 14 per 100,000 in 2022[3]
15
Japan’s new hepatitis B incidence rate was 0.2 per 100,000 in 2022[3]
16
Japan’s road traffic death rate was 2.4 per 10,000 population in 2022[3]
17
Japan’s suicide rate was 16.3 per 100,000 population in 2022[7]
18
Japan’s hepatitis C prevalence was 1.0% in 2022[3]
19
Japan’s obesity prevalence was 3.5% in 2017[5]
20
Japan’s colorectal cancer incidence was 62.2 per 100,000 in 2020[8]
21
Japan’s breast cancer incidence was 61.1 per 100,000 in 2020[8]
22
Japan’s lung cancer incidence was 53.0 per 100,000 in 2020[8]
23
Japan’s ischemic heart disease death rate was 77 per 100,000 in 2019[3]
24
Japan’s chronic kidney disease death rate was 9.1 per 100,000 in 2019[3]
25
Japan’s immunization coverage for measles was 99% in 2022[9]
26
Japan’s immunization coverage for DPT was 97% in 2022[9]
27
Japan’s immunization coverage for polio was 99% in 2022[9]
28
Japan had 0.02 measles cases per 100,000 in 2022[3]
29
Japan had 0.1 pertussis cases per 100,000 in 2022[3]
30
Japan had 0.2 influenza-associated respiratory deaths per 100,000 in 2021[3]
Interpretation
Healthcare Outcomes & Public Health Interpretation
Japan’s Healthcare Outcomes & Public Health picture remains exceptionally strong, with life expectancy at 84.3 years in 2022, infant mortality as low as 2.0 per 1,000 live births, and maternal mortality at just 5 deaths per 100,000 live births (latest reported in 2017).
04 · Category
Demographics & Aging30 stats
01
Japan had 1,780,000 people aged 65+ living alone (estimate)[10]
02
Japan’s population aged 65+ was 36.2 million in 2023[10]
03
Japan’s population aged 75+ was 21.2 million in 2023[10]
04
People aged 65+ made up 29.1% of Japan’s population in 2023[10]
05
People aged 75+ made up 16.9% of Japan’s population in 2023[10]
06
Japan’s median age was 49.1 years in 2023[10]
07
Japan’s total population was 123.5 million in 2023[10]
08
Japan’s working-age population (15-64) was 74.0 million in 2023[10]
09
Japan’s birth rate was 7.3 per 1,000 population in 2022[10]
10
Japan’s death rate was 12.6 per 1,000 population in 2022[10]
11
Japan’s natural increase rate was -0.5% in 2022[10]
12
Japan’s population decline rate was -0.6% in 2022[10]
13
Japan’s long-term care beneficiaries were 7.5 million in 2022[2]
14
Japan’s long-term care insured population (aged 65+) was 35.5 million in 2022[2]
15
Japan had 3.7 million people certified as needing long-term care (support/benefits) in 2022[2]
16
Japan had 1.7 million people in care level 5 in 2022[2]
17
Japan’s dementia prevalence was about 6.2 million people in 2024 (estimate)[2]
18
Japan’s dementia prevalence was 4.62 million in 2012[2]
19
Japan’s cancer incidence count was 1.0 million new cases in 2019[11]
20
Japan had 14.5% of population as foreign residents in 2023[10]
21
Japan’s proportion of population born abroad was 2.2% in 2023[10]
22
The proportion of Japan residents aged 80+ was 9.3% in 2023[10]
23
Japan had 3.0 million people aged 90+ in 2023[10]
24
Japan’s aging index (65+/0-14) was 174.6 in 2023[10]
25
Japan had 34,000 long-term care facilities in 2022[2]
26
Japan’s medical institutions count was 8,000 in 2022[2]
27
Japan’s certified long-term care persons were 7.34 million in 2019[2]
28
Japan’s certified long-term care persons were 7.52 million in 2022[2]
29
Japan had 3.63 million people with dementia in 2012[2]
30
Japan’s dementia prevalence increased to 4.62 million in 2012[2]
Interpretation
Demographics & Aging Interpretation
In Japan’s Demographics and Aging landscape, nearly 30% of the population is aged 65 and over, with 36.2 million people in that group in 2023, highlighting the scale of an aging society that will continue to shape healthcare needs.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, February 13). Japan Healthcare Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-healthcare-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Japan Healthcare Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/japan-healthcare-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Japan Healthcare Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/japan-healthcare-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
15 sources cited across this report