OECD Health Data 2007 report reveals that specialists, rather than general practitioners, account for more than half the number of physicians in most OECD countries.

The number of physicians per1,000 people ranges from over four to under two in OECD countries, with Japan ranking 27th out of 30 with two per 1,000, ahead of Turkey, Korea and Mexico.

The report says Japan is suffering a serious shortage of physicians and has underdeveloped preventive medical care.

Doctor consultations per capita in Japan are the highest among 28 countries at 13.8, however, in women’s health, only 4.1% of women between 50 and 69 took a mammogram to test for breast cancer in 2004, the lowest among the countries providing data.

In 2004, Japan’s medical spending per capita was $2,358, against the OECD average of $2,759, the lowest of 19 OECD countries and the lowest of the G7 nations.