Medicine Day

What Is Medicine Day?

Every May 5th is "Medicine Day" (薬の日, Kusuri no Hi) in Japan. The date commemorates an event from 611 CE (the 19th year of Emperor Suiko's reign), when the Empress Suiko and her court ventured to the Utano hunting ground in Yamato Province (present-day Nara Prefecture) to gather medicinal herbs — one of the earliest recorded examples of official Japanese attention to medicinal plants. The All Japan Drug Retailers' Federation (全国薬業団体連合会) designated May 5th as Medicine Day in 1958 to promote public understanding of medicines, safe drug use, and the importance of proper medication management.

Japan's Pharmaceutical Heritage

Japan has a deep tradition of herbal and botanical medicine stretching back over 1,400 years. Traditional Japanese medicine (漢方, kanpō) — adapted from Chinese medical traditions — remains actively practiced alongside modern Western medicine in Japan, with kanpō formulations prescribed by physicians, dispensed by pharmacists, and sold over the counter in pharmacies. Japan's pharmaceutical industry developed from this traditional base to become one of the world's most sophisticated, producing major innovations in drugs, medical devices, and biotechnology.

Japan's Pharmaceutical Industry

Japan is home to major pharmaceutical companies — Takeda, Astellas, Daiichi Sankyo, Eisai, Shionogi, and others — that are active in global drug research and development. Japanese pharmaceutical innovations have contributed significantly to global medicine, particularly in the treatment of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and infectious diseases. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted Japan's pharmaceutical capabilities, including Shionogi's development of an antiviral treatment and collaboration with global vaccine programs.

Medicine Safety and Public Health

Medicine Day promotes not only the pharmaceutical industry's achievements but also responsible medication use. Japan faces challenges of polypharmacy (excessive medication use, particularly among elderly patients), counterfeit medicines in online markets, and the proper management of leftover prescription drugs. Public health campaigns around Medicine Day encourage people to discuss their medications with pharmacists, avoid sharing prescription drugs, and properly dispose of unused medicines.

Fun Facts

• Pharmacist consultation: Japanese pharmacies (薬局, yakkyoku) are staffed by licensed pharmacists who are required to counsel patients on prescription medications, drug interactions, and proper usage — a role that has expanded significantly as Japan's aging population takes more medications.
• Over-the-counter kanpō: Japan is unusual among developed nations in the extent to which traditional herbal medicine (kanpō) formulations are available over the counter in ordinary pharmacies — blurring the boundary between traditional and modern medicine in everyday health care.