Number of drugstores Japan FY 2013-2022

In fiscal year 2022, the total number of pharmacies in Japan amounted to around 62.4 thousand stores, increasing slightly compared to around 61.8 thousand stores in the previous year. The growth followed an upward trend in the past decade, as the number of stores increased year on year since 2013. 

Most popular drugstore in Japan

Matsumoto Kiyoshi was the most well-known and most popular drugstore brand in Japan, as revealed in a survey from January 2021, with most respondents claiming to know and have visited the Japanese drugstore chain. Japan’s largest drugstore chain, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, was founded in 1932 in Matsudo, Chiba prefecture.

Availability of pharmacies in Japan 

With around 63.8 pharmacies per 100,000 inhabitants, Saga prefecture demonstrated the highest density of pharmacies among all 47 Japanese prefectures in the fiscal year 2022. In contrast, Okinawa showed the lowest density of pharmacies among other prefectures. Furthermore, it is worth noting that significantly more drugstores per capita were available in Saga prefecture than in the nation’s capital, Tokyo.