medicines
Generic Drug
後発医薬品 (Kōhatsu iyakuhin)
A pharmaceutical product that contains the same active ingredient, dosage, and formulation as a brand-name drug but is sold under its chemical name at a lower price after the original patent expires. Japan's government has actively promoted generic drug use to reduce healthcare costs, and pharmacists may substitute generics by default unless the prescriber or patient requests the brand name. Generics undergo bioequivalence testing and are considered therapeutically equivalent.
Japan's government set a target to increase generic drug use to over 80% of prescriptions by volume; patients can ask their pharmacist or write on the prescription form whether they prefer generics.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Generic Drug |
| Japanese (日本語) | 後発医薬品 |
| Chinese (中文) | 仿制药 |
| Korean (한국어) | 제네릭 의약품 |
| Portuguese | Medicamento genérico |
| Spanish | Medicamento genérico |
| Filipino | Generic na gamot |
| Thai | ยาชื่อสามัญ |
| Vietnamese | Thuốc generic |
| Romanization | Kōhatsu iyakuhin |
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Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026