Enter Japan, on Your Own Terms
A pro bono, English-first guide to Japan's medical & healthcare market
Entering Japan's medical and healthcare market is a significant barrier for many global companies. Yet the true nature of that barrier is not the difficulty of the regulations themselves. What the PMD Act governs is broadly aligned with the internationally harmonized regulations of other countries; Japan is not uniquely hard to understand.
For overseas companies, the real barrier lies elsewhere. There is no site that presents the information in English, objectively and appropriately. There is no single place to gather it. Communication with regulatory authorities and Japanese companies presupposes the Japanese language. And there is little familiarity with Japan's culture and business practices. It is these barriers of access that make entry appear more difficult than it truly is. Conversely, once you can reach reliable information in a form you can understand, most of these barriers can be resolved.
Operated as a pro bono initiative, this website provides a centralized repository of the information required for market entry. This lets you reach the knowledge you need by the shortest route, without endlessly searching through scattered websites.
Our defining characteristic is our unwavering commitment to transparency and to your independence. All content on this site is based on primary resources issued by government agencies and public organizations, with direct source URLs provided for every key point. Our objective is to support the creation of a "self-sustaining environment" where you can make your own informed decisions and enter the Japanese market with maximum time and cost efficiency.
JPRO INCUBATION OFFICE and its representative, Kazushi Kamitani, have served for years as advisors, supporters, and mentors within the primary public institutions driving Japan's healthcare startup ecosystem — those funded by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and major local governments such as Tokyo.
Even so, there may be moments you find hard to navigate on your own. Where Japanese-language and regulatory-affairs expertise is needed — for example, assessing medical device applicability, confirming with the authorities, or negotiating with Japanese companies — we help with only the parts you need, only when you need them. Please feel free to reach out.