The inauguration last month of Donald Trump as U.S. president and his plan to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare," has left many people here wondering: How does Japan compare?
In Japan, health care has long been likened to air and water — givens often taken for granted. Like all other developed countries except the United States, Japan has universal coverage, which means everyone is covered by the public health insurance program.
The government has long boasted that Japanese health care is first-class, affordable and helps extend its high life expectancy rates. In 2016, Japan was ranked first in the world in this category, with the average life span hitting 83.7 years.