Survey overview
JapanTrak 2025 was conducted by Anovum on behalf of the Japan Hearing Instruments Manufacturers Association and forms part of the EuroTrak/APACTrak series. It is based on a representative sample of 14,368 people, including 1,380 people with self-reported hearing loss, 932 hearing-impaired non-owners and 448 hearing aid owners.
Hearing loss and adoption
Self-reported hearing loss affects 11.0% of Japan’s population and 12.6% of adults, rising to 33.6% among those aged 75 and above. Hearing aid adoption continues to increase gradually, reaching 15.6% of people with self-reported hearing loss, compared with 15.2% in 2022 and 14.4% in 2018. Across the total population, 1.7% report using hearing aids. Adoption is highest among those with more severe hearing loss.
Route to care
Half of respondents had a hearing test in the past five years, most often at work, through a family doctor, at school or with an ENT doctor. Among people with self-reported hearing loss, 43% discussed it with an ENT and/or family doctor, while 16% received positive medical advice or a recommendation for further action. Of those who spoke with a doctor, 81% first spoke with an ENT specialist. Key reasons for not visiting an ENT were seeing hearing loss as not troublesome or as part of ageing.
Satisfaction and benefits
Hearing aid satisfaction is improving, with 54% of users satisfied in 2025, up from 50% in 2022. Average daily wearing time increased from 6.5 to 7.3 hours. However, 11% of owners do not use their devices at all, and roughly one fifth use them for one hour a day or less. Satisfaction is higher among users fitted by certified hearing aid technicians and those buying through hearing aid centres.
Users report clear benefits: 68% say their hearing aids work as expected or better, and 95% say they improve quality of life at least sometimes. 71% feel more confident moving around a city, 91% of employed users say hearing aids are useful at work, and around two thirds believe they enable them to remain employed for longer. Compared with non-users with significant hearing loss, users are associated with lower risk of depressive symptoms, less evening fatigue and better sleep quality.
Awareness and device type
Awareness remains limited. 52% of people with self-reported hearing loss know of a hearing aid shop in their area. 26% know what a “Certified Hearing Aid Specialist Store” is, and 18% know the term “Certified Hearing Aid Technician”. Only 13% know that hearing aids are untaxed in Japan’s value-added tax system, rising to 44% among users.
19% of hearing aid owners report having a PSAP/OTC-type device rather than a professionally fitted medical device. The main reasons are ease of ordering/access and perceived adequacy. These devices are mainly bought online and are much cheaper than medical hearing aids, which typically cost 100,000 to 300,000 yen per ear. Medical-device pathways are associated with higher satisfaction, longer daily use than PSAP/OTC or unknown devices, and stronger NPS.
Barriers and outlook
Among non-users with more significant hearing loss, leading barriers include discomfort, perceived limited benefit, hearing loss not being seen as severe enough, noisy situations and affordability. The main triggers for adoption are worsening hearing loss and ENT advice, with GP advice and price also important for non-users.
JapanTrak 2025 shows progress in adoption, satisfaction and daily use, but substantial unmet need remains. Earlier intervention, clearer information and stronger referral pathways will be important to improving access to professional hearing care and supporting healthy ageing, social participation and quality of life.
Source: Anovum – JapanTrak
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Japan Trak 2025 was designed and executed by Anovum (Zurich) on behalf of the European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (EHIMA) and the Japan Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association (JHIMA).
Download Japan Trak 2025 here.
