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Japan's Leading causes of death and health issues: (2020)

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Japan's Leading causes of death and health issues: (2020)

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1. Malignant neoplasms (cancer): 369,127

2. Diseases of the circulatory system (heart disease): 335,252

3. COVID-19: 15,099

4. Respiratory diseases: 61,247

5. External causes of morbidity and mortality (accidents): 43,243

6. Dementia: 40,595

7. Cerebrovascular diseases (stroke): 37,722

8. Digestive diseases: 24,460

9. Renal failure: 21,706

10. Diabetes mellitus: 18,988²⁶

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 U.S. Leading causes of death and health issues: (2020)

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 U.S. Leading causes of death and health issues: (2020)

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1. Heart disease: 659,041

2. Cancer: 601,382

3. COVID-19: 378,323

4. Unintentional injuries: 210,172

5. Stroke: 158,448

6. Chronic lower respiratory disease: 154,596

7. Alzheimer's disease: 139,893

8. Diabetes: 105,163

9. Influenza and pneumonia: 53,934

10. Kidney disease: 52,822²⁵

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> A study conducted with patients of similar medical conditions showed that in Japan patients were hospalitized for an average of 25 days. Meanwhile, U.S. patients were on average 8.8 days in the hospital³⁰
> Within this study, in the U.S. the total charge of the hospitalizations was on average 2.3 times higher than in Japan³⁰

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With robust institutions, regular elections, and a thriving free press, Japan stands out as a prosperous democratic nation. Unlike some European nations, India, and the US, Japan's democracy has remained remarkably stable with no history of being rocked by populist movements.³²

Japan's economic development is largely due to private entrepreneurship.

The government has also helped cushion the effects of economic depression.

The government protects the living standards of citizens.²³

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The United States' preeminent global influence stems not just from its extensive military, technological, and economic capabilities, but also from its unwavering adherence to democratic values. The country's dedication to upholding the principles of the rule of law, freedom of the press, impartial justice, and the peaceful transfer of power between presidential administrations has earned it international admiration.³¹

The United States economy is a market economy, but the government plays a significant role.

The government redistributes income through entitlement programs and unemployment, using taxes collected from individuals and businesses.²²

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>Respect, dignity, and honor hold a central place in Japanese culture.
>The country takes pride in its exquisite arts, literature, and poetry, which are highly coveted and referred to as "living national treasures."
>Visitors to Japan can expect to receive courteous and respectful treatment due to the cultural emphasis on politeness and hospitality²⁴

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>In American culture, the concept of independence is often associated with the prevailing spirit of individualism.
>The belief among Americans is that they have complete control over their own lives, and even if they belong to a particular group, their individuality remains relatively unaffected by it²¹

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Benefits and Limitations to Japan's Healthcare System

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Benefits and Limitations to Japan's Healthcare System

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Disadvantages:
• PCP's do not exist; any physician (specialist or doctor at the hospital) will need to review the patients entire medical history before proceeding with any treatment plan which can be time consuming.
• Lack of advancements in psychiatric hospitals; continue to use outdated methods of control such as isolation and physical restraint.
• Everyone is forced to pay taxes into the healthcare system.
• Healthier people pay for the costs of medical care for those who are more prone to illness.
Advantages:
• By law, all residents of Japan have to have healthcare insurance.
• Non-citizens qualify for the National Health Insurance (NHI) after staying in the country for more than one year.
• Medical fees in Japan are regulated by the government; ensures the medical services remain affordable.²⁰

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Benefits and Limitations to the U.S Healthcare System

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Benefits and Limitations to the U.S Healthcare System

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Disadvantages:
• The population is recorded to have poorer health, more illness, and shorter lives compared to other higher income countries.¹⁷
• The American population receives low value care for their healthcare spending.¹⁷
• Nearly 1/10 of the US population lacks coverage and is underinsured.¹⁸
• 1/3 of Americans are reported experiencing cost related barriers to obtaining medical care in 2020.18
Advantages:
• America is the most advanced in medical innovations and equipment.¹⁹
• Policies such as Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Patient Protection, and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have provided access to affordable health care to millions who previously did not have insurance.¹⁹

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• Health spending increased by 2.7% in 2021 to $4.3 trillion or $12,914 per capita.
•Though you’d believe this to be a high growth rate, it is extremely lower than 2010 whose increased by 10.3%.
• The decrease could be due to the decline in the use of medical goods and services in comparison to the pandemic in 2020.
• The United States spent $4,255.1 billion on healthcare in 2021.¹⁴

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• Healthcare expenditures increased by 4.6% in 2021 to ¥44.2 trillion yen or ¥352,000 yen per capita.¹⁵
• ¥44.2 trillion yen is an average of 33 million U.S dollars.
• ¥352,000 yen = $2,630.30 U.S dollars.
• Japan's health spending is low compared to other advanced economies.¹⁶
• The increase in spending could be due to the aging population, modernization of medical technologies, and procedures related to COVID-19. ¹⁶

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> In the United States, the doctors provide their care in a mix of both private and public sectors²⁹
> The doctors per capita in the U.S is 2.6²⁸

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> About 15% of hospitals in Japan are public hospitals. Doctors provide their care in mainly private and nonprofit sectors²⁷
> The doctors per capita in Japan is 2.528

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1. Authors Roosa Tikkanen, Authors, Tikkanen, R., Osborn, R., Mossialos, E., Djordjevic, A., & Wharton, G. A. (2020, June 5). Japan. Home. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/japan

2.Girvan, G. (2023, March 3). Japan: #26 in the 2022 world index of healthcare innovation. Medium. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://freopp.org/japan-26-in-the-2022-world-index-of-healthcare-innovation-1b6a97bf03a8

3.U.S. health care from a global perspective, 2019: Higher spending, worse outcomes? U.S. Health Care from a Global Perspective, 2019 | Commonwealth Fund. (2020, January 30). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2020/jan/us-health-care-global-perspective-2019

4. Population, total - Japan. World Bank Open Data. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL?locations=JP

5. Japan demographics. CountryReports. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.countryreports.org/country/Japan/population.htm

6. US population by year, race, age, ethnicity, & more. USAFacts. (2023, April 4). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ND-DemPop&gclid=Cj0KCQjwuLShBhC_ARIsAFod4fIa6L0gdqBBVkT5kCjqVRhgxebsf2w0_CgnWjWXPSHWXnqn7Z1sMUaAmi9EALw_wcB

7. U.S. Census Bureau quickfacts: United States. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045221

8. Life expectancy at birth, male (years) - Japan. World Bank Open Data. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.DYN.LE00.MA.IN?end=2020&locations=JP&start=2020&view=bar

9. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023, February 7). FastStats - life expectancy. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/life-expectancy.htm

10. Japan infant mortality rate 1950-2023. MacroTrends. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/JPN/japan/infant-mortality-rate

U.S. infant mortality rate 1950-2023. MacroTrends. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.macrotrends.net/countries/USA/united-states/infant-mortality-rate

11. List of OECD member countries - ratification of the convention on the OECD. List of OECD Member countries - Ratification of the Convention on the OECD. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.oecd.org/about/document/ratification-oecd-convention.htm

12. Japan age structure. Japan Age structure - Demographics. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.indexmundi.com/japan/age_structure.html

13. The U.S. population is growing older, and the gender gap in life expectancy is narrowing. PRB. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.prb.org/resources/u-s-population-is-growing-older/

14. Trends in health care spending. https://www.ama-assn.org/about/research/trends-health-care-spending (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

15. Japan's healthcare expenditures reach record high. https://www.nippon.com/en/japan-data/h01445/ (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

16. Health expenditures. https://japanhpn.org/en/finan1/ (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

17. U.S. health disadvantage: Causes and potential solutions. https://www.cdc.gov/policy/chep/health/index.html (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

18. Henderson. New publication details strengths and weaknesses of the U.S. Health Insurance System. https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210512/New-publication-details-strengths-and-weaknesses-of-the-US-health-insurance-system.aspx (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

19. Lubin, G. 10 reasons why the US Health Care System is the envy of the world. https://www.businessinsider.com/10-reasons-why-the-us-health-care-system-is-the-envy-of-the-world-2010-3 (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

20. Gaille, L. 16 pros and cons of the Japan Healthcare System. https://vittana.org/16-pros-and-cons-of-the-japan-healthcare-system (accessed Apr 14,  2023).

21. Čirjak, A. (2020). What Are The Common Values In American Culture? WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-are-the-common-values-in-american-culture.html

22. Econ Express Fundamentals | Concept 12: Roles of Government in the US Economy. (n.d.). Georgia Public Broadcasting. https://www.gpb.org/education/econ-express/roles-government-us-economy

23.
Japan - The Economy - THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT AND BUSINESS. (n.d.). https://countrystudies.us/japan/99.htm#:~:text=Although%20Japan%27s%20economic%20development%20is%20primarily%20the%20product,and%20protect%20the%20living%20standards%20of%20the%20citizenry.

24. Morishita, Y. (2022, March 12). What Is Japanese Culture Known For? Everything You Need to Know. THE JAPANESE WAY. https://thejapaneseway.com/what-is-japanese-culture-known-for/#:~:text=Japanese%20culture%20is%20rich%20in%20values%20and%20heritage,expect%20to%20be%20treated%20with%20dignity%20and%20politeness.

25. Ahmad, F. B., Cisewski, J. A., Miniño, A. M., & Anderson, R. H. (2021). Provisional Mortality Data — United States, 2020. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 70(14), 519–522. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm7014e1

26. Countries. (n.d.-c). https://data.who.int/countries/392

27. Japan: Summary. Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. (2023, January 31). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/research/others/comparative-health-policy-library/japan-summary#:~:text=Hospitals%20in%20Japan%20are%20mainly,well%20as%20insurers%20and%20providers.

28.  Doctors per capita by country 2023. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/doctors-per-capita-by-country

29.  Authors Roosa Tikkanen, Authors, Tikkanen, R., Osborn, R., Mossialos, E., Djordjevic, A., & Wharton, G. A. (2020, June 5). United States. Home. Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://www.commonwealthfund.org/international-health-policy-center/countries/united-states

30. Hospital length of stay in the United States and Japan ... - sage journals. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2023, from https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.2190/8A4W-83KG-J5MU-CVV2

31. What ails American democracy, and what to do about it. (2021, January 13). Harvard Kennedy School. https://www.hks.harvard.edu/faculty-research/policy-topics/democracy-governance/what-ails-american-democracy

32. Nilsson-Wright, J. (2022). Democracy in Japan. Chatham House – International Affairs Think Tank. https://www.chathamhouse.org/2022/09/democracy-japan

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Yes. Joined on 12 April 1961. ¹¹

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Yes. Joined on 28 April 1964. ¹¹

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5.480 deaths per 1,000 live births.¹⁰

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1.564 deaths per 1,000 live births.¹⁰

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Female: 79.3 years
Male: 73.5 years⁹

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Female: 88 years
Male: 82 years⁸

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- 331,893,745 people.⁶

- Ethnic groups: White 75.8%, Black/ African American 13.6%, American Indian/ Alaska Native 1.3%, Asian 6.1%, Native Hawaiian 0.3%, Hispanic/ Latino 18.9%, White, not Hispanic/ Latino 59.3%.⁷

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- 125,681,593 people.⁴

-  Ethnic groups: Japanese 98.5%, Koreans 0.5%, Chinese 0.4%, other 0.6%.⁵

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> Has the lowest life expectancy of one of the higher income countries
> Prioritizes prevention, such as cancer screenings
> Higher obesity rates
> Shortage of physicians and longer wait times to see physicians ³

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> Japan has one of the highest life expectancy
> Citizens have short wait times to see physicians
> Shortage of PCP's consequently leads to longer hospital stay. ²

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>  Has private insurance and federal/state programs, (Medicare/ Medicaid); no universal coverage
> The co-payment determines what type of insurance one possesses.
>A deductible must be paid before benefiting off one's health insurance plan

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Mixed System in Japan: Private Insurance

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Mixed System in Japan: Private Insurance

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> Fundamentally used for life insurance purposes
> Assist in income/expenses for individuals who have to take time off work due to illness ¹

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Mixed System in Japan : Public Insurance

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Mixed System in Japan : Public Insurance

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> Funded by taxes
> Citizens pay 30% of the bill as the co-payment; government pays the rest of the 70%
> Undocumented immigrants are prohibited to these benefits ¹