THE AGING JAPANESE POPULATION AND A HIGH REGARD FOR U.S. MEDICAL PRODUCTS HAVE CREATED A GROWING MARKET FOR ATLANTA MEDICAL EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS, SAID MICHIHIKO DAN, INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS ADVISOR TO TOKYO-BASED NIHON KOHDEN CORPORATION, AT A SEMINAR ON OCT. 4 SPONSORED BY THE JAPAN EXTERNAL TRADE ORGANIZATION (JETRO).
NIHON KOHDEN IS A MEDICAL ENGINEERING COMPANY WITH WORLDWIDE SALES OF MORE THAN $500 MILLION.
THE ELDERLY POPULATION OF JAPAN IS GROWING MORE RAPIDLY THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, SAID MR. DAN, AND IS PROJECTED TO INCLUDE NEARLY 26% OF TOTAL POPULATION BY 2025, COMPARED TO 18.5% FOR THE U.S.
AS THE POPULATION AGES, THE DEMAND FOR MEDICAL CARE WILL INCREASE, HE ADDED, AND U.S. PRODUCTS ARE IN ESPECIALLY HIGH DEMAND BECAUSE OF THEIR REPUTATION FOR EXCELLENT QUALITY.
THE U.S. ALREADY ACCOUNTS FOR MORE THAN HALF OF TOTAL MEDICAL EQUIPMENT IMPORTS, HE SAID, A FIGURE THAT AMOUNTED TO $3.118 BILLION OF EQUIPMENT IN 1994, THE LAST YEAR FOR WHICH FIGURES ARE AVAILABLE.
DEREGULATION AND AN OVERHAUL OF THE REGULATORY SYSTEM HAVE MADE IT EASIER FOR FOREIGN COMPANIES TO ENTER THE JAPANESE MARKET, SAID MR. DAN.
TO SELL THEIR PRODUCTS IN JAPAN, MANUFACTURERS NEED AN IMPORT LICENSE AND PRODUCT APPROVAL, BOTH OF WHICH CAN BE APPLIED FOR SIMULTANEOUSLY, HE SAID. REVIEW OF AN APPLICATION USUALLY TAKES BETWEEN THREE AND 18 MONTHS, HE ADDED.
PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS ARE KEY TO SUCCESS IN JAPAN, HE ADDED, AND A FACE-TO-FACE VISIT WITH THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELFARE AFTER AN APPLICATION IS MADE IS A BIG POINT IN THE APPLICANT’S FAVOR.
SELECTING A DISTRIBUTOR OR PARTNER WITH A NATIONAL NETWORK OF CUSTOMERS IS ALSO IMPORTANT, SAID MR. DAN, AND A COMPETITIVE PRICE CAN GIVE A COMPANY AN EDGE.
MR. DAN’S VISIT WAS COORDINATED BY JETRO-ATLANTA TO HELP ATLANTA HEALTH CARE COMPANIES PREPARE FOR JETRO’S HEALTH CARE IMPORT FAIR, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE IN TOKYO MARCH 12-14.
JETRO MAY BE REACHED AT (404) 681-0600; FAX (404) 681-0713.
BY BRIANA PEHLMAN