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China and Japan: Asia's Sleeping Giants Of all regions in the world aiming for a bright future, none is closer to that goal than Asia. Asia, also known as the sleeping giant accounts for over sixty percent of the earths population with China holding a large amount of the sixty percent. Economically, Japan is in the forefront of the world with only the United States leading them in the category of Gross National Product (GNP). Both Japan and China are looked upon by a great number of people as future leaders of the world. What is remarkable about that statement is the fact that the two nations, while they might have commonalities, are so different. Some might assume that two nations in the same region cannot possibly have so many contrasting traits, but in the case of China and Japan, this is the case.
Both China and Japan do have characteristics that they share such as culture and religion. The similarities end though when speaking about the health care system, the economy and the government of both future superpowers. The health care system in China is one of the worst in the entire world. One would think that a nation who has been granted Most Favored Nation status by the United States would be able to provide their people with adequate health care. The fact is that the Chinese government does not have the funds to supply adequate health care to their over-populated nation. Moreover, the government in China faces the difficult task of whether or not to stress the quality of care to the Chinese people or to spread their medical resources to as many people as possible without the emphasis on high quality care.
China does have a health insurance system in place that provides free coverage for people employed in urban state enterprises. The problem with the insurance system is that eighty percent of Chinas workers work in rural areas, not urban areas (China Online). The poor health system in China contributes to the low life expectancy rates and high infant mortality rates. Life expectancy at birth for males is sixty-eight years while for women it is seventy-one years.
The infant mortality rate in China is one of the worst in the country as it has a total of forty infant deaths for every one thousand live births. The main problem with the health system is not the inability of people to pay for health care, but the fact that there is an inadequate number of resources. There is not only a lack of human resources, but of actual medicines and instruments needed to aid the people in China. While it would be obvious for one to turn to the government for help, the government in China is the one at fault because all the major medical facilities are run by In contrast to the health care system in China, Japans improved health care system is one of the reasons why the Japanese people are living longer.
Because of Japans bolstering economy, the Japanese people enjoy better living conditions and better medical care. As opposed to health care in China, there are a large number of hospitals all throughout Japan, not only in urban areas. Besides the numerous amounts of hospitals, there are also clinics and health care centers spread throughout Japan as well as health education classes in school. Moreover, the elimination of pandemic diseases has been possible due to the health care system (Japan Fact Book).
To recognize Japans superior health care system, one only has to look at the life expectancy and infant mortality rates of Japan. While Chinas life expectancy rate is sixty-eight for males and seventy-one for females respectively, Japans life expectancy rate is seventy-six for males and eighty-three for females. The most astonishing statistic is that of the infant mortality rate compared to that of China. While China has one of the highest infant mortality rates at forty deaths per one thousand live births, Japan has a rate of four infant deaths per one thousand live births. Also in contrast to China, the government of Japan does not have control of a large part of the health care system but has established hundreds of medical centers throughout the country. The government also provides a great welfare system for their citizens in that they provide care for the elderly such as free examinations, home-help services, recreational and financial aid service.
Free medical care is also provided by the government to expectant mothers and to young children who come from low income families (Japan Fact Book). While Asia, as a collective unit, can boast of a great economy, it is not due in large part to Chinas help. China is a socialist country in which the government plays a large role in what is called a command economy. A country with a command economy relies solely on what the government feels should be produced and sold and not on supply and demand.
Chinas soviet-style of a command economy has diminished somewhat but when there is no sense of private ownership, problems can occur. In 1995, when inflation dropped dramatically, the government had a difficult time collecting revenues from provinces, businesses and individuals, reducing extortion and other economic crimes and keeping afloat the large state owned enterprises (China Online). The governments decision to institute Western ideals such as an open market, has helped China increase their gross national product rapidly (Minami). One of the main reasons preventing China from being a hegemonic economic power is their enormous population.
Because of Chinas immense population, they have a small per capita income of only $ 2, 900 dollars, making them one of the poorest nations in the world. China exports approximately 148 billion dollars a year worth of goods such as garments, toys and footwear. Agriculturally, China is the leading rice producer in the entire world and is also a leading producer of wheat, tobacco, corn and cotton. While they do export a great deal, China imports approximately 132 billion dollars of commodities such as machinery, plastics, communications equipment and aircraft (China Online). This means that they are only profiting from 16 billion dollars which they have to put back into the government for the production of exports adding yet another reason that is preventing Chinas emergence as an economic superpower. In sharp contrast to the economic situation in China, Japan can boast fortuitously of having one of the strongest economies in the world.
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Research essay sample on Health Care System Gross National Product
