Many Westerners in Japan have looked on in envy at the comparatively slim physiques that characterise the majority of the country’s population. Yet, according to Shukan Diamond (30 May), for some people, the outcome is a result of blood, sweat, tears—and large monetary outlays.
In an exhaustive 44-page report, the publication estimates that diet food, medical outlays not covered by national health insurance, the so-called “health maintenance market”, and membership at gyms are worth a total of more than ¥2trn annually.
Medical outlays account for an estimated ¥1trn, the largest segment of the spending. Included are physical examinations, such elective surgery as liposuction, “genetic diets”, as well as treatments at aesthetic salons and “fat farms”.
In terms of money spent, the second most popular industry is diet-related food and supplements, the so-called tokuho or tokutei hoken-yo shokuhin (food for specified health purposes).
These are food and beverages that have obtained recognition from the Japanese government’s Consumer Affairs Agency for having therapeutic properties, such as helping to reduce blood pressure, that account for an estimated ¥379bn per annum.
A newcomer expected to make waves is the system, introduced in April 2015, that allows manufacturers to display functionality on food product labels.
Under this system, firms submit an application and supporting data to the Consumer Affairs Agency, which allows them to display such claims as that a product “aids in the absorption of fats” once the fact has been confirmed.
Part of the logic behind the deregulation is the growing burden on the national health insurance system, due to Japan’s ageing population. As a result of deregulation, the market for products and services not covered by insurance, but which claim to prevent (or delay the onset of) health problems, is expected to swell from last year’s ¥2trn to ¥9trn by 2020.
Pushing this growth is data suggesting that, out of the total nationwide medical and related costs of ¥38.4trn in 2012, roughly one-third—some ¥12trn—is believed to have been spent as a consequence of lifestyle-related disease.
One of Diamond’s reporters, 35-year-old Takeshi Shigeishi, enrolled in a two-week programme at the Jingumae branch of RIZAP in Shibuya Ward, one of the firm’s 44 training gyms. The firm claims that 99% of its clients are able to lose weight and backs its claim with a 30-day, money-back guarantee.
It charges ¥375,840 (inclusive of membership charge and consumption tax) for a short-term plan to make your body slender that includes two weekly supervised training sessions of 50 minutes each, as well as diet counselling and other amenities.
According to Shigeishi, the calisthenics were “too rigorous” and the diet rules were “too demanding”. Among the prohibited items were bananas, potatoes, beer and apples.
He was nonetheless impressed by the spectacular physiques of the trainers, who included a former professional boxer and a K1 fighter.
By the end of the two weeks, he said he was “astonished” by the results. His body weight had declined by 3.7kg, with practically no loss of muscle mass. What amazed him even more was the reduction of 7.7cm from his stomach and 4cm from his waist, requiring him to tighten his belt by two notches.
When meeting up with acquaintances he had not seen for some time, to his delight he was often asked, “Have you lost weight?”
Exchanging a firm handshake with his trainer at the end of the two-week session, Shigeishi vowed to restrict his consumption of sugars and continue his exercise regimen.
To provide contrast between traditional and modern dieting methods, Diamond reporter Naoyoshi Goto, age 34, visited a kenko (health) dojo—specialising in danjiki (fasting)—on Awaji Island in the Seto Inland Sea off the coast of Hyogo Prefecture. There, supervised fasts lasting up to 20 days are conducted, accompanied by Zen Buddhist meditation.
The publication also introduced 15 smartphone applications related to diet and health, including a seven-minute exercise session available for the new Apple Watch.