Spike in Cosmetic Surgery Clinics in Japan Over Past Three Years

According to a survey of medical facilities recently released by the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, there were 2,016 cosmetic surgery (biyō geka) clinics (with 19 or fewer beds) in Japan in 2023, an increase of 43.6% over the result from the previous survey conducted in 2020, when the total was 1,404. Meanwhile, the number of plastic surgery (keisei geka) clinics as of 2023 was 2,491, an increase of 15.0% over the previous survey. (Typically, plastic surgery refers to procedures that are covered by health insurance, while cosmetic surgery refers to those that are not.)

In 2011, there were only 1,068 cosmetic surgery clinics nationwide, and every three years the survey was conducted up to 2020 the number rose by around 100. But in just the three-year period since then the total shot up by 600 clinics.

While cosmetic clinics are mushrooming, the number of clinics related to pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology have been falling in line with Japan’s decreasing birthrate. Pediatric clinics totaled 17,778 in 2023, which is 1,020 or 5.4% fewer than in 2020. Clinics specializing in obstetrics and gynecology decreased by 51 or 1.6% over the same period, to a total of 3,092.

The number of hospitals (with 20 or more beds) nationwide was 8,122 in 2023, down 34 from the previous year. The number of beds in all hospitals totaled 1,481,183, a year-on-year decrease of 11,774. The number of general clinics was 104,894, a decrease of 288, while the number of dental clinics was 66,818, a decrease of 937.

The breakdown of hospitals according to size showed that “50–99 beds” accounted for the largest segment, at 1,997 or 24.6% of the total, followed by “100–149 beds” at 1,410 (17.4%), “150–199 beds” at 1,378 (17.0%), and “200–299 beds” at 1,013 (12.5%).

(Originally published in Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)