TOKYO, Broadcasting News Corporation : Medical costs in Japan in fiscal 2021 rose 4.6 pct from the previous year to a record high of 44.2 trillion yen, due to swelled coronavirus-related expenses on top of population aging and the use of expensive cutting-edge technologies, the health ministry said. The growth rate was also the steepest, reflecting a decline in fiscal 2020 after many people refrained from going to the doctor on fears of contracting the novel virus. The costs comprise payments from the public health insurance system, taxpayers’ money and out-of-pocket costs shouldered by patients, excluding costs fully paid by patients and those covered by the worker compensation system. The preliminary total shown by the ministry accounts for roughly 98 pct of the entire medical expenses in the country in the year that ended in March. Specifically, expenses grew 2.8 pct to 17.6 trillion yen for inpatient treatment and 7.5 pct to 15.3 trillion yen for outpatient and house call treatment. NEWS COLLECTED FROM EMIRATES NEWS AGENCY – WAM.