Digital Healthcare 2025

JAPAN Trends and Developments Contributed by: Satoshi Ogawa, Yuto Noro, Hitoshi Fujimaki and Yuka Hirata, TMI Associates

The Current Outlook for Digital Healthcare in Japan General Japan’s rapidly ageing population, with approxi- mately 30% aged 65 or older, presents signifi- cant societal challenges, including a shrink- ing workforce, increasing regional healthcare disparities, and rising social security costs. In response, Japan has accelerated its digital health transformation, leveraging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), and data analytics. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst, prompting a shift towards remote work and non- contact activities starting in 2020. This transition facilitated the adoption of digital health solu- tions. In 2025, Japan’s digital health landscape is evolving to include expanded remote medical consultations, the proliferation of health-related mobile apps, and a heightened focus on the secure and effective use of healthcare data. Efforts are underway to integrate these tech- nologies into the public health infrastructure, with ongoing discussions addressing nationwide standards for electronic medical records, inter- operability, and privacy protection. Simultane- ously, Japan is working to enhance the global competitiveness of its digital health industry, aiming to establish itself as a leader in innova- tive healthcare solutions. Government policies Promotion of medical DX In 2023, the Japanese government released its “Timetable for the Promotion of Medical DX”, outlining the fundamental concepts and con- crete initiatives to accelerate digital transforma- tion (DX) in the healthcare sector. Key measures include:

• development of a nationwide infrastructure for information-sharing; • expansion of the scope of medical data that can be shared across institutions; and • standardisation of electronic medical records (EMRs). A central pillar is the Nationwide Medical Infor- mation Platform, which is designed to be built upon and enhance the current online eligibility verification system by integrating cloud-based data-sharing among medical institutions. The platform will encompass not only provision of receipts and specific health checkup data, but also vaccination records, electronic prescrip- tions, EMRs, and other healthcare information generated by medical and long-term care pro- viders. This platform is intended to facilitate timely and appropriate information exchange among municipalities, care providers, and other relevant stakeholders. Full-scale operation is scheduled for fiscal year 2025. Once implemented, the platform is expected to support the exchange of essential documents – such as referral letters, health checkup results, and discharge summa- ries – as well as six key categories of critical medical data: diagnoses, allergies, infectious diseases, drug contraindications, test results, and prescriptions. Start-up policy In June 2023, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (the MHLW) established a dedicated project team to evaluate and advance initiatives aimed at strengthening start-up companies in the healthcare sector. The team developed a blueprint to consolidate concrete policy propos- als across four key areas, including medical DX and medical devices.

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