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Consumer Health in
Japan

Country Report

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Executive Summary

Oct 2019
Shift in consumer attitudes having a variable impact across consumer health

Growth patterns in the Japanese consumer health market reflected changing consumer attitudes and lifestyles in 2019. Eye care was amongst the most dynamic categories at the end of the review period, as the increasingly central role of electronic devices with screens in consumers’ everyday working and social lives contributed to an increase in the prevalence of eye problems.

Growing focus on personalisation

Personalisation became an increasingly significant trend in the Japanese consumer health market in 2019. The refinement of consumer demand led to increasing segmentation across a wide range of consumer health categories, leading to the introduction of products targeting specific types of eye problem in eye care and particular levels of symptom in adult combination products – analgesics, for example.

Changing demand trends complicating the competitive environment

Taisho Pharmaceutical retained the lead in the Japanese consumer health market in 2019 thanks to a wide ranging presence, particularly in OTC products, in which it was the largest player in cough, cold and allergy (hay fever) remedies, dermatologicals and digestive remedies. The company also, notably began to build a presence in dietary supplements in the latter part of the review period, reflecting the growing consumer interest in more holistic, preventative health measures that was undermining demand in a number of OTC categories.

Drugstores/parapharmacies and internet retailing register increasing share of sales

Drugstores/parapharmacies remained the largest distribution channel for consumer health products in 2019. With easily accessible locations, often near train stations, the channel benefits from consumer demand for immediate treatment in several categories, particularly in OTC products.

Healthy living trends set to drive growth

The ongoing decline of the Japanese population and maturity in key categories will act as significant constraints on the development of consumer health over 2019-2024. Nonetheless, rising consumer health-consciousness and government efforts to promote a culture of self-medication are expected to contribute to continued growth during the forecast period.

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Consumer Health in Japan

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Overview

Discover the latest market trends and uncover sources of future market growth for the Consumer Health industry in Japan with research from Euromonitor's team of in-country analysts.

Find hidden opportunities in the most current research data available, understand competitive threats with our detailed market analysis, and plan your corporate strategy with our expert qualitative analysis and growth projections.

If you're in the Consumer Health industry in Japan, our research will save you time and money while empowering you to make informed, profitable decisions.

When you purchase this report, you also get the data and the content from these category reports in Japan for free:

The Consumer Health in Japan market research report includes:

  • Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
  • Detailed segmentation of international and local products
  • Historic volumes and values, company and brand market shares
  • Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth  
  • Robust and transparent market research methodology, conducted in-country

Our market research reports answer questions such as:

  • What is the market size of Consumer Health in Japan?
  • What are the major brands in Japan?
  • What are the main trends in OTC Healthcare?

Why buy this report?

  • Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
  • Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
  • Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions

This industry report originates from Passport, our Consumer Health market research database.

Consumer Health in Japan

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Shift in consumer attitudes having a variable impact across consumer health
Growing focus on personalisation
Changing demand trends complicating the competitive environment
Drugstores/parapharmacies and internet retailing register increasing share of sales
Healthy living trends set to drive growth

MARKET INDICATORS

Table 1 Consumer Expenditure on Health Goods and Medical Services: Value 2014-2019
Table 2 Life Expectancy at Birth 2014-2019

MARKET DATA

Table 3 Sales of Consumer Health by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 4 Sales of Consumer Health by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 5 NBO Company Shares of Consumer Health: % Value 2015-2019
Table 6 LBN Brand Shares of Consumer Health: % Value 2016-2019
Table 7 Penetration of Private Label in Consumer Health by Category: % Value 2014-2019
Table 8 Distribution of Consumer Health by Format: % Value 2014-2019
Table 9 Distribution of Consumer Health by Format and Category: % Value 2019
Table 10 Forecast Sales of Consumer Health by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 11 Forecast Sales of Consumer Health by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

APPENDIX

OTC registration and classification
Vitamins and dietary supplements registration and classification
Self-medication/self-care and preventative medicine
Switches
Summary 1 OTC: Switches 2018-2019

DEFINITIONS

SOURCES

Summary 2 Research Sources

Analgesics in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Segmenting the offer to cater to demand for more personalised care
Modern living causes headaches, but rival treatments emerging
Topical analgesics/anaesthetic benefits from growing interest in exercise

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Hisamitsu’s strong marketing activity supports market lead
Bayer withdraws from aspirin
Voltaren differentiates its positioning from Salonpas

CATEGORY DATA

Table 12 Sales of Analgesics by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 13 Sales of Analgesics by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 14 NBO Company Shares of Analgesics: % Value 2015-2019
Table 15 LBN Brand Shares of Analgesics: % Value 2016-2019
Table 16 Forecast Sales of Analgesics by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 17 Forecast Sales of Analgesics by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Hay fever remedies face expanding range of competition
Codeine banned for children in 2019
Self-medication deduction tax system yet to have desired effect

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Taisho maintains lead but growing competition in hay fever remedies
Brands need to work to stand out in increasingly crowded environment
Flonase switched to OTC status

CATEGORY DATA

Table 18 Sales of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 19 Sales of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 20 NBO Company Shares of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies: % Value 2015-2019
Table 21 LBN Brand Shares of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies: % Value 2016-2019
Table 22 Forecast Sales of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 23 Forecast Sales of Cough, Cold and Allergy (Hay Fever) Remedies by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Dermatologicals in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Hot summers weakening demand
Oral systemic products pose threat to dermatological haemorrhoid treatments
Professional hair loss treatments pose a growing threat

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Growing range of hair loss treatments targeting younger consumers intensifies competition
Growing demand for products treating age-related conditions
Potential diversification of the threat from professional treatments

CATEGORY DATA

Table 24 Sales of Dermatologicals by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 25 Sales of Dermatologicals by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 26 NBO Company Shares of Dermatologicals: % Value 2015-2019
Table 27 LBN Brand Shares of Dermatologicals: % Value 2016-2019
Table 28 LBN Brand Shares of Hair Loss Treatments: % Value 2016-2019
Table 29 Forecast Sales of Dermatologicals by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 30 Forecast Sales of Dermatologicals by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Dietary Supplements in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Consumers looking for precise functionality
Tourism plays key role in dietary supplements
Personalisation services emerging

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Suntory leads a category whose boundaries are becoming increasingly blurred
Smaller players innovating in terms of products, formats and services
Threat from functional foods

CATEGORY DATA

Table 31 Sales of Dietary Supplements by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 32 Sales of Dietary Supplements by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 33 Sales of Dietary Supplements by Positioning: % Value 2014-2019
Table 34 NBO Company Shares of Dietary Supplements: % Value 2015-2019
Table 35 LBN Brand Shares of Dietary Supplements: % Value 2016-2019
Table 36 Forecast Sales of Dietary Supplements by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 37 Forecast Sales of Dietary Supplements by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Digestive Remedies in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Changing consumer behaviour undermining demand
Holistic approaches reduce demand for digestive remedies
Targeting non-Japanese consumers

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Taisho retains lead despite falling sales
Seirogan benefits from long-standing presence and promotional activity
Modest growth for motion sickness players

CATEGORY DATA

Table 38 Sales of Digestive Remedies by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 39 Sales of Digestive Remedies by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 40 NBO Company Shares of Digestive Remedies: % Value 2015-2019
Table 41 LBN Brand Shares of Digestive Remedies: % Value 2016-2019
Table 42 Forecast Sales of Digestive Remedies by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 43 Forecast Sales of Digestive Remedies by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Eye Care in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Increasing inbound tourism supports growth
Consumers turn to eye care rather than reduce screen usage
Product offer becoming increasingly segmented

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Rohto Pharmaceutical works to reinforce lead through innovation
Wakamoto Pharmaceutical promotes year-round allergy care
Growing focus on dry eye syndrome

CATEGORY DATA

Table 44 Sales of Eye Care by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 45 Sales of Eye Care by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 46 NBO Company Shares of Eye Care: % Value 2015-2019
Table 47 LBN Brand Shares of Eye Care: % Value 2016-2019
Table 48 Forecast Sales of Eye Care by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 49 Forecast Sales of Eye Care by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Herbal/Traditional Products in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Inbound tourists bolster demand in herbal/traditional products
Herbal/traditional dietary supplements compatible with evolving demand trends
Kampo-focused stores target new consumer attitudes to traditional medicine

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Leading player experiences ongoing share erosion
Cosmetics company launches Kampo line
Yomeishu Siezo targets younger consumers

CATEGORY DATA

Table 50 Sales of Herbal/Traditional Products by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 51 Sales of Herbal/Traditional Products by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 52 NBO Company Shares of Herbal/Traditional Products: % Value 2015-2019
Table 53 LBN Brand Shares of Herbal/Traditional Products: % Value 2016-2019
Table 54 Forecast Sales of Herbal/Traditional Products by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 55 Forecast Sales of Herbal/Traditional Products by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

NRT Smoking Cessation Aids in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

NRT smoking cessation aids hit by competition from alternatives
New generation smoking products have potential to undermine demand
Japan becoming increasingly unfavourable for smokers

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Nicorette supported by strong marketing activity
Employing social media
Concerns about “smell harassment” could encourage people to quit

CATEGORY DATA

Table 56 Sales of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 57 Sales of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 58 NBO Company Shares of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids: % Value 2015-2019
Table 59 LBN Brand Shares of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids: % Value 2016-2019
Table 60 Forecast Sales of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 61 Forecast Sales of NRT Smoking Cessation Aids by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Paediatric Consumer Health in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Paediatric consumer health suffering from a declining consumer base
Ban on codeine
Paediatric VDS needs to overcome parental scepticism

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Taisho Pharmaceutical’s lead founded on strength in cough/cold remedies
Strong competition from prescribed medicines
New supplements highlight opportunities

CATEGORY DATA

Table 62 Sales of Paediatric Consumer Health by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 63 Sales of Paediatric Consumer Health by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 64 Sales of Paediatric Vitamins and Dietary Supplements by Type: % Value 2016-2019
Table 65 NBO Company Shares of Paediatric Consumer Health: % Value 2015-2019
Table 66 LBN Brand Shares of Paediatric Consumer Health: % Value 2016-2019
Table 67 Forecast Sales of Paediatric Consumer Health by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 68 Forecast Sales of Paediatric Consumer Health by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Sleep Aids in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Sleep aids struggles to compete with alternative products
Improving sleep hygiene threatens development of OTC sleep aids
Professional treatment options expanding

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

SSP retains clear lead, but faces competition from supplements
Kobayashi’s change of direction highlights problems facing sleep aids
Diversification of competition set to continue in the forecast period

CATEGORY DATA

Table 69 Sales of Sleep Aids: Value 2014-2019
Table 70 Sales of Sleep Aids: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 71 NBO Company Shares of Sleep Aids: % Value 2015-2019
Table 72 LBN Brand Shares of Sleep Aids: % Value 2016-2019
Table 73 Forecast Sales of Sleep Aids: Value 2019-2024
Table 74 Forecast Sales of Sleep Aids: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Sports Nutrition in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Increasing engagement in sport and exercise driving growth
Expanding distribution supporting growth
Protein content becoming increasingly important

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Meiji continues to gain ground on Otsuka
Growing interest from overseas could threaten domestic companies
Celebrity-endorsed products entering the market

CATEGORY DATA

Table 75 Sales of Sports Nutrition by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 76 Sales of Sports Nutrition by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 77 NBO Company Shares of Sports Nutrition: % Value 2015-2019
Table 78 LBN Brand Shares of Sports Nutrition: % Value 2016-2019
Table 79 Forecast Sales of Sports Nutrition by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 80 Forecast Sales of Sports Nutrition by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Vitamins in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Vitamin C benefits from skin care association, but trend expected to be short-lived
Multivitamins’ range of benefits helps it to outperform single vitamins
Private labels gaining share in vitamins

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Amway retains the lead, while Takeda’s OTC presence proves disadvantageous
Functional foods represent a growing threat
Gummy formats help to differentiate vitamins from medication

CATEGORY DATA

Table 81 Sales of Vitamins by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 82 Sales of Vitamins by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 83 Sales of Multivitamins by Positioning: % Value 2014-2019
Table 84 NBO Company Shares of Vitamins: % Value 2015-2019
Table 85 LBN Brand Shares of Vitamins: % Value 2016-2019
Table 86 Forecast Sales of Vitamins by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 87 Forecast Sales of Vitamins by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Weight Management and Wellbeing in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Changing attitudes lead to decline in meal replacement
Evolving meaning of “weight management” helps to extend the consumer base
Supplement nutrition drinks used in care for the elderly

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Fancl closes the gap on DHC Corp
Strict regulatory environment presents a barrier to meeting demand for precise functional claims
Mei Balance benefits from mass store-based distribution

CATEGORY DATA

Table 88 Sales of Weight Management and Wellbeing by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 89 Sales of Weight Management and Wellbeing by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 90 NBO Company Shares of Weight Management and Wellbeing: % Value 2015-2019
Table 91 LBN Brand Shares of Weight Management and Wellbeing: % Value 2016-2019
Table 92 Forecast Sales of Weight Management and Wellbeing by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 93 Forecast Sales of Weight Management and Wellbeing by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024

Wound Care in Japan

HEADLINES

PROSPECTS

Leader’s new campaign targets new job seekers
Wound care gains prominence in context of natural disasters
Category seeing functionality move beyond simply treating wounds

COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

Johnson & Johnson seeks to bring Band-Aid out into the open
Bandai uses technology to appeal to children
Potential threat from blister prevention products

CATEGORY DATA

Table 94 Sales of Wound Care by Category: Value 2014-2019
Table 95 Sales of Wound Care by Category: % Value Growth 2014-2019
Table 96 NBO Company Shares of Wound Care: % Value 2015-2019
Table 97 LBN Brand Shares of Wound Care: % Value 2016-2019
Table 98 Forecast Sales of Wound Care by Category: Value 2019-2024
Table 99 Forecast Sales of Wound Care by Category: % Value Growth 2019-2024