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# Japan’s Medical and Wellness Industry is in Good Health with New Technology

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Innovation has been the beating heart of Japan’s economic might for generations. 

Among the nation’s most vital success stories has been its medical and wellness industry, where lifesaving and life-improving ideas, systems and products have made a huge impact on the world.

With great strides in areas such as wheelchair mobility tech, hairstyling devices, pharmaceutical developments and medical communications, a diverse range of SMEs are driving the sector forward with growing sales at home and abroad.

“Japanese products are highly regarded overseas for their attention to detail, superior quality, and innovative design, particularly in Asian markets,” said Hiroki Toyama, president and CEO of Satudora Holdings Co., Ltd.”

Innovation is crucial in the development of mobility aids. New materials and ideas are helping refine their technology for use, cost and accessibility.

Nissin Medical Industries Co., Ltd. is working to spearhead such advances, according to President Keiji Matsunaga.

“We know that for design and R&D, we have to use new methods such as 3D printing. The future generation of electric wheelchairs will also have autonomous driving technology, which may require partnerships with other companies to produce,” said Matsunaga.

“One thing we are working on is using the highest amount of recycled material possible in wheelchairs. Another is making the wheelchairs more modular—meaning single pieces can be replaced and reused when necessary,” he added.

Automation is also a major part of the strategy at DIA Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

“Balancing quality and productivity is a significant challenge, and automation is one of the key solutions,” said President Daizou Morikane.

“As a manufacturer of poultices and patches, we have made substantial investments in automation to ensure mass production. Our patch production is already automated, allowing us to scale efficiently,” he added.

Koji Muneto, president of Medicaroid Corporation, envisions a world where automated technology has an even more acute presence in medical care, with robotic systems performing operations in the future.

“In our case, we store all the necessary data for surgeries on the cloud and then connect the assistant robots. Leveraging that accumulated data enables younger intern doctors to learn skills from veterans more easily and can streamline a lot of medical treatments,” said Muneto.

“Using AI, I believe that we can facilitate the automation of what are now manual operations. We are working on the development of remote surgery technologies. We believe this will be a great solution to address the decline in medical professionals in rural areas and the disparity between those regions and urban centers,” he added.

As fast-evolving technologies and boundaries are pushed further every day, helping support the industry at this crucial time is of the utmost importance.

Dr. Norihiro Kokudo, president of the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS), explained that his organization plays a key role in this.

“The Japan Institute for Health Security is investing heavily in the integration of AI technology within the medical field,” said Kokudo.

”Our organization coordinates the comprehensive research initiative known as SIP, the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program, focusing on this advancement,” he added.

Wellness, sustainability and corporate social responsibility are all major factors in any company’s strategic plan.

In the world of wellness and beauty, hairstyling technology, such as dryers and straighteners, is a massive part of the industry.

However, according to Ryota Kamijo, president of KINUJO Co., Ltd., you can never stand still in the face of competition and development.

“Our biggest seller is the hair straightener. It is the first step the company took and our flagship product. We now enjoy the highest share in the hair iron category at large home appliance retailers,” said Kamijo.

Representative and CEO of the company, Tomoaki Hamada, added, “Hair care devices are our flagship, but moving forward, we wish to have a wider approach, covering broader beauty products. We recently introduced a new shower head and will introduce more hair care products, such as aesthetic devices or epilators.”

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