1922 Health Insurance Law ( implementation: 1927).
1934 Revision of the Health Insurance Law.
– Expansion to cover companies with five employees or more
1938 Establishment of the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
National Health Insurance Law.
1941–45 World War II.
1958 Revision of the National Health Insurance Law.
– 50 percent benefit provision for the insured.
1961 Universal coverage.
1962 Establishment of the Social Insurance Agency.
1972 Revision of the Welfare Law for the Elderly ( implementation: 1973).
– Free medical care for the elderly
1973 Revision of the Health Insurance Law ( so-called First Year of Welfare State).
– Improvement of benefit level for families of the insured from 50 percent to 70 percent.
– Introduction of the upper ceiling for patients’ cost-sharing.
– National subsidy of 10 percent of health expenditure for government-managed
Health Insurance.
1982 Law of Health and Medical Services for the Elderly (implementation: 1983).
1984 Revision of the Health Insurance Law.
– Ten percent cost-sharing by the insured.
– Relaxation of regulations on high-technology health care.
– Introduction of the health care program for retired persons.
1985 Revision of the Medical Service Law.
– Medical plan by prefecture.
1989 Ten-Year Strategy for the Promotion of Health and Welfare for the Elderly so-called Gold
Plan).
1991 Revision of the Law of Health and Medical Services for the Elderly.
– Visiting nurse care service for the elderly.
– Increase in public funds for nursing care from 30 to 50 percent.
1992 Revision of the Medical Service Law.
– Classification of hospitals by function : high-tech hospital, long-term care beds.
1994 New Gold Plan.
1997 Revision of the Health Insurance Law.
– Twenty percent cost-sharing by the insured.
– Introduction of the patient charge on pharmaceutical costs for outpatient services.
Sources: White Paper on Health and Welfare 1998 Edition; Japan International Corporation of
Welfare Services (1995).