Healthcare System in Japan

Japanese have one of the highest life expectancies and are expected to live over four years longer than Americans, on average. Some may attribute this to their lifestyle. According to Today, they tend to eat healthier, consume few calories per bite, and practice life-long habits of regular exercise. Although this strongly attributes to their health, Japan's healthcare system also plays a large role in the health of their citizens.

Surprisingly, Japanese visit a doctor nearly fourteen times a year, which is more than four times more than Americans. Everyone is required to have a health insurance policy, either through an employer or a private insurer. However, insurance costs are significantly lower than those seen in the U.S. because of tight regulations, no for-profit insurance companies, and government negotiations with hospitals. Japan's generous healthcare system accounts for about 8% of the country's GDP and doctors are some of the lowest paid medical professionals in the developed world. However, in return for this generous system, Japanese can visit any doctor, at any time, for very low costs. No one is denied coverage or goes bankrupt from medical costs.

High life expectancy, good quality of life, and low costs make the Japanese healthcare system extremely appealing to patients. This system proves, however, that there are no perfect ways to organize healthcare in a country.