Catharina Klein
Research expert covering Japan
Women's health and FemTech market in Japan - statistics & facts
Japan’s population is both shrinking and aging dramatically, and as a consequence, one of the most pressing challenges for its government and society is to secure a sufficient workforce. The Japanese government has relied on the increasing involvement of the elderly generation and female population in employment to offset the labor shortage in recent years. As the number of working women of all ages has grown, female health protection has increased in importance, specifically in the fields of gynecology and obstetrics.
The Japanese government anticipates that the development of female health technology (FemTech) will further facilitate the practical health management of women, and consequently, extend the average duration of women’s ability to stay in the workforce. Therefore, the government began providing financial assistance to businesses offering or implementing FemTech services in 2021.
Currently, the menstruation-related area is the biggest market in the Japanese FemTech industry. Intimate care products such as period-absorbing underwear, and period tracker apps have become the most popular FemTech products. Major fashion retail companies like Uniqlo and Peach John launched period pants and sanitary shorts in 2021 and widely promoted FemTech products.
With the growing interest of public and private organizations and consumers, the Japanese FemTech market is expected to grow in the coming years. However, according to a recent survey, the share of women who have used FemTech services or products remains rather low and is highest among younger age groups. The main reason for not using FemTech products was that women were unsure of how to use them and what to do.
In recent years, the health ministry in Japan resumed the recommendation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for young women after a substantial increase in cervical cancer cases. The restart of the campaign is expected to increase the number of women getting the free HPV vaccine as well as raise awareness of the vaccine and the importance of women’s active engagement in health management from the early stage of their lives.
FemTech market
The FemTech market encompasses services and products alleviating the health issues that women face during menstruation, pre-and-post pregnancy, and menopause as well as products to gain better sexual well-being.Currently, the menstruation-related area is the biggest market in the Japanese FemTech industry. Intimate care products such as period-absorbing underwear, and period tracker apps have become the most popular FemTech products. Major fashion retail companies like Uniqlo and Peach John launched period pants and sanitary shorts in 2021 and widely promoted FemTech products.
With the growing interest of public and private organizations and consumers, the Japanese FemTech market is expected to grow in the coming years. However, according to a recent survey, the share of women who have used FemTech services or products remains rather low and is highest among younger age groups. The main reason for not using FemTech products was that women were unsure of how to use them and what to do.
Gynecology and obstetrics
The gynecology and obstetrics field of health is still often considered a taboo topic in Japan. Taking official leave for menstruation, premenstrual syndrome, or menopause is highly uncommon. Regular preventive checkups at a gynecologist are also not a routine habit for many women. At the same time, the number of new cases of uterus cancer, ovary cancer, and breast cancer have risen due to several factors such as increased average age and better diagnostics in the last decades.In recent years, the health ministry in Japan resumed the recommendation of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for young women after a substantial increase in cervical cancer cases. The restart of the campaign is expected to increase the number of women getting the free HPV vaccine as well as raise awareness of the vaccine and the importance of women’s active engagement in health management from the early stage of their lives.
