Japan aims to establish 16 medical care hubs by 2020

It plans to offer 29 medical projects overseas, mainly to Asian and Middle Eastern nations, as part of efforts to promote Japan's medical expertise and equipment worldwide, government sources said Saturday.

The government plans to first conduct on-site studies and promote Japanese-style medical services through cooperation between the public and private sectors.

The government has included 1 billion yen (about $9.5 million) in the 2014 budget for research expenses related to each project.

The project is part of the government's growth strategy to advance into international medical markets.

According to its growth strategy approved in June, the government plans to establish about 10 medical hubs in foreign countries, through which it aims to acquire new overseas markets for the medical equipment industry, which has high growth potential.

The government has set a target of tripling the size of the market for related Japanese companies to 1.5 trillion yen in 2020.

Given the present circumstances, the market size is expected to exceed the target amount, and the number of countries to set up the hubs will likely increase, the sources said.

Japanese medical corporations and national university hospitals, as well as medical equipment manufacturers and consulting firms, are among those who will join the projects to set up the hubs. The government plans to sell facilities and services in a package that includes technical guidance and medical equipment.

The government will subsidize capital investment by such companies and organizations.

The Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry will likely allow medical corporations to finance hospitals overseas in the near future.

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Regional hubs and proposed facilities or services:

China: Remote image diagnosis for cancer patients; training for treatment of sleep apnea and provision of related equipment; support to train dental technicians

South Korea: Help expand respiratory rehabilitation

Vietnam: Introduction of endoscopic diagnosis training system; training for prenatal care, others

Thailand: Capital provision for practical use of regenerative medicine, others

Indonesia: Establishment of liver disease diagnostic center, others

Myanmar: Sales of cataract therapy apparatus, others

Singapore: Sales of artificial joints

India: Sales of medical equipment for household use; establishment of cancer centers

Bangladesh: Establishment of hospitals

Saudi Arabia: Establishment of center for artificial dialysis

United Arab Emirates: Expansion of genetic cancer diagnosis system, others

Egypt: Establishment of liver disease diagnostic center

Russia: Establishment of medical centers

Kazakhstan: Establishment of cancer center

Turkey: Support construction of hospitals, others