Palliative Care in Japan

In 1990, palliative care services in Japan entered a new era when the national government authorized medical insurance cover for hospice care. Within the last decade, gradual yet remarkable progress has taken place in the perception of the need for palliative care services in Japan. The first Japanese hospice opened in 1981, followed by three other hospices over a nine-year period. These have been well received both by the public and medical professionals, although many difficulties have been encountered in establishing them. It is hoped that further development will include an increase in the number of hospices, a growing awareness within general hospitals of a hospice-style approach to care and an expansion in home care services.