What 日本メディカルシステム（株） does

日本メディカルシステム株式会社 (Japan Medical System Co., Ltd.) is a privately-held Japanese dispensing pharmacy chain operator founded in 1975 by Takagi Tomonao, a University of Tokyo pharmacy graduate. The company operates approximately 140 directly-managed pharmacy stores nationwide organized under five differentiated sub-brands: 太陽堂薬局グループ (pharmacy plus cosmetics/supplements, est. 1984), 薬局漢方閣グループ (Kampo/Traditional Chinese Medicine, est. 1984), メディクスグループ (medical-mall centered community pharmacy, est. 1994), 中央薬局グループ (university-hospital and clinic centered, est. 2000), and 日本メディカルシステムグループ (medical-mall centered, est. 2013). The chain employs 500 licensed pharmacists and reports an average wait time of 8 minutes, with weekend operations across the network.

The company's offerings span three revenue streams. The core is dispensing pharmacy services billed under Japan's national health insurance framework, with on-site prescription handling at each store. The second stream is proprietary health foods and cosmetics (including barley leaf powder and human stem cell exosome cream) developed in-house at the founder-led Anti-Aging Research Institute and sold both in-store and through the online store mssj.online. The third stream is a medical mall development and consulting business that supports physicians in opening clinics through market research, real estate selection, and opening support services, with 350 successful clinic openings to date. Supporting infrastructure includes a digital prescription transmission service via LINE and a dedicated mobile app, same-day delivery via the 'Uber de 薬局' partnership, and a unified loyalty/points program.

The company is founder-controlled with no evidence of external investors, IPO activity, or M&A, and operates from headquarters in Marunouchi (Tokyo) and Osaka, with Tokyo and West Japan Operation Centers. Store openings have accelerated from 117 stores in April 2024 to 140+ by July 2026, reflecting steady geographic expansion into Kansai and additional Tokyo metropolitan areas. Certifications include Medical DX promotion system participation and generic drug promotion pharmacy designation, positioning the chain within Japan's regulatory push for digital and generic-substitution pharmacy services.

Name

日本メディカルシステム（株）

Legal name

日本メトロcalesシステム株式会社

Website

https://jmsys.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

日本メディカルシステム株式会社 is a privately-held Japanese dispensing pharmacy chain founded in 1975, operating ~140 directly-managed stores nationwide under five sub-brands, supported by 500 pharmacists, in-house health product R&D, and a medical mall development business serving physicians opening clinics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Pharmacy Services

NAICS

Pharmacies and Drug Retailers (45611)

SIC

Retail-Drug Stores And Proprietary Stores (5912)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail & Community Pharmacies (Chain/Independent) (HLAFALAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Mail-Order & Home Delivery Pharmacies (HLAFALAD)

Keywords

• Dispensing pharmacy services
• Retail pharmacy chain
• Medical mall development
• Prescription delivery
• Health foods cosmetics

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo (Marunouchi)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Dispensing Pharmacy Services: Prescription dispensing services at 140 physical pharmacy stores nationwide. Revenue from national health insurance claims for medication dispensing, medication guidance, and pharmacy services.
2. Health Food and Cosmetics: Development and sale of proprietary health foods and cosmetics through pharmacy stores and online store. Products include barley leaf powder, stem cell creams, and dietary supplements.
3. Medical Mall Development: Real estate and consulting services for doctors opening medical facilities. Revenue from property discovery, market research, and开业支援 services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Japan Medical System operates a nationwide chain of 140 directly-managed dispensing pharmacies in Japan under five differentiated sub-brands, offering prescription dispensing, OTC medications, health consultations, and proprietary health foods and cosmetics. The company also develops medical malls to support doctors opening new clinics and provides digital services including prescription transmission via LINE/mobile app, same-day Uber medication delivery, and a points-based loyalty program.

Product overview

Japan Medical System Co., Ltd. operates a network of approximately 140 directly-managed dispensing pharmacies across Japan under five distinct sub-brands: 太陽堂薬局グループ (since 1984, offering pharmacy plus cosmetics/supplements), 漢방각 그룹 (since 1984, Kampo/Traditional Chinese Medicine focused), メディクスグループ (since 1994, medical mall centered community pharmacy), 中央药房グループ (since 2000, university hospital/clinic centered), and 日本-Medial-system그룹 (since 2013, medical mall centered). The company provides pharmacy services alongside digital offerings including 処方せん送信 app/LINE for prescription transmission, Uber de 薬局 for same-day medication delivery, オーガニックポイント loyalty program, and an online store for proprietary health foods and cosmetics (including barley green juice and stem cell products). The company also offers medical mall development services supporting physician practice establishment, having supported over 350 clinic openings nationwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 太陽堂薬局グループ: 調髪薬局とコスメ＆サプリを取り扱うブランド。1975年創業。
• 漢局閣グループ
• メディクスグループ
• 中央薬局グループ
• 薬局日本メトロcalesシステムグループ

Products and services

• 調剤薬局サービス (Dispensing Pharmacy Service) Prescription dispensing, medication guidance, and health consultations delivered across 140 directly-managed community pharmacies under five brands, supported by 500 licensed pharmacists with average wait time of 8 minutes and Saturday/Sunday operations.
• 処方せん送信アプリ・LINE (Prescription Transmission App / LINE) Digital service allowing patients to submit prescription photos in advance via dedicated mobile app or LINE official account, allowing pharmacies to prepare medications before patient arrival and reduce wait times.
• Uber de 薬局 (Uber Pharmacy Same-Day Medication Delivery) Same-day medication delivery service powered by Uber, allowing pharmacy customers to receive urgent prescription medications at their home without visiting a pharmacy in person.
• メディカル総合ポイント (Medical Total Points Program) Comprehensive loyalty points program offering rewards and benefits across the pharmacy chain, integrated into the pharmacy shopping experience.
• 健康食品・化粧品 公式オンラインストア (Health Foods and Cosmetics Online Store) Official online store for proprietary health foods and cosmetics developed by the company's in-house Anti-Aging Research Institute. Key products include 大麦若葉青汁 (barley green juice), ヒト幹細胞エクソソームクリーム (human stem cell exosome cream), and dietary supplements.
• 医療モール開発 (Medical Mall Development Service) Real estate and consulting service supporting physicians in opening clinics. Includes market research, prime-location property identification, and comprehensive opening support, having supported 350 successful doctor clinic openings nationwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• 8-minute average wait time at pharmacies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Uber (Uber de 薬局)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Same-day medication delivery partnership allowing pharmacy customers to receive urgent prescriptions via Uber delivery service. This partnership provides competitive differentiation through convenience and speed of medication access.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves34 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sundrug: Drugstore and pharmacy chain operator with ~1,300+ stores, combining dispensing pharmacy, OTC, and H&BC categories. Comparable peer on multi-format retail scale and dispensing-driven revenue mix that mirrors Japan Medical System's pharmacy-plus-supplements positioning.
• Welcia Holdings: Japan's largest dispensing pharmacy and drugstore chain (Aeon group), operating ~2,800+ stores nationwide with a multi-format H&BC plus dispensing model. Directly comparable to Japan Medical System's 140-store chain with insurance-reimbursed dispensing, Saturday/Sunday operations, and integrated pharmacy + drugstore category merchandising.
• Qol Holdings: Dispensing-pharmacy-focused operator with strong presence in hospital-anchored pharmacy locations nationwide. Closely comparable to Japan Medical System's Chuo Pharmacy brand positioning near university hospitals and large clinic centers.
• Cosmos Pharmaceutical: Discount drugstore and dispensing pharmacy chain operating ~1,500+ stores nationally with heavy focus on everyday low pricing and dispensing pharmacy. Comparable to Japan Medical System's nationwide directly-managed chain strategy, particularly in mid-tier urban and suburban catchments.
• Tsuruha Holdings: Major Japanese pharmacy chain with ~2,500+ stores across dispensing pharmacy and drugstore formats, combining OTC, dispensing, and cosmetics/health products comparable to Japan Medical System's 5-brand portfolio of dispensing plus consumer health offerings.
• Ain Holdings: Leading dispensing-focused pharmacy chain operator with ~1,100+ stores concentrated in dispensing revenue alongside drugstore operations. Closely comparable to Japan Medical System's dispensing-heavy model and medical mall co-location strategy within hospitals and clinics.

Broad incumbents

• Matsukiyococokara & Co: Drugstore and pharmacy chain combining traditional drugstores with dispensing pharmacy and cosmetic specialty retail under multiple brands, including a cosmeceutical focus somewhat analogous to Japan Medical System's Taiyodo and anti-aging product strategy.
• Sugi Holdings: Drugstore chain with ~1,700+ stores across multiple formats including dispensing pharmacy. Broader-incumbent comparable on nationwide footprint and drugstore plus dispensing blend versus Japan Medical System's focused chain.
• Create SD Holdings: Drugstore chain operator with ~700+ stores across H&BC and pharmacy categories. Comparable on the dispensing + drugstore hybrid model, but operates at smaller scale relative to top-tier incumbents.

Others

• Medipal Holdings: Pharmaceutical wholesaler and distribution holding company serving pharmacies and hospitals across Japan. Adjacent ecosystem participant that supplies Japan Medical System's stores and shapes the upstream economics of any dispensing pharmacy chain.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/%E6%97%A5%E6%9C%AC%E3%83%A1%E3%83%87%E3%82%A3%E3%82%AB%E3%83%AB%E3%82%B7%E3%82%B9%E3%83%86%E3%83%A0%EF%BC%88%E6%A0%AA%EF%BC%89

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 日本メディカルシステム（株）