TOKYO, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- About 83.3 percent of public hospitals in Japan operated in the red in fiscal 2024, with a combined deficit of 395.2 billion yen (about 2.67 billion U.S. dollars), the internal affairs ministry said Tuesday.
The proportion of hospitals that were in the red and the size of the deficit both marked record highs, according to the ministry.
Rising labor costs and prices of medication and other products contributed to putting the hospitals nationwide in a deteriorating financial situation, the ministry said.
Helped by the government's subsidy program introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, public hospitals in Japan reported a surplus of 325.6 billion yen in fiscal 2021.
However, since fiscal 2023, hospitals have been facing more severe financial difficulties, as soaring costs of labor and materials outpaced medical service incomes. ■
