The Japanese hospital establishment seems determined to attract more foreign patients for high-tech treatments that may not be covered by some medical insurance policies in Western countries.

Unfortunately, the value proposition that encourages many patients to travel for surgery is hard to find in the field of cosmetic plastic surgery, which is far less dependent on Japan's advanced robotics, molecular biology, and fancy gadgets.

In fact, Japan has recently experienced an exodus of its own population for care in nearby South Korea, where prices may be less than half, quality comparable, and access to invasive maxillofacial surgery easier to arrange.

Young Japanese patients in their twenties possess an aesthetic sense very different from their parents due to cultural influences such as manga and marketing.

Impressed by the dramatic results in operated Korean soap-opera celebrities shown on foreign television, many now view Seoul's surgeons as more adventuresome and innovative.