Prescription medication in Japan

So i'm going to start living in Japan from next year and currently I am taking the following medication here in Australia.

- Generic finasteride (marketed as FINASTA) 5mg AUD49.99 per box of 30 tablets (a pill cut into 4 pieces so it'll last me at least four months) FOR HAIRLOSS PREVENTION
- Generic Telmisartan 80mg/Amlodipine 5mg (marketed as Pritor/Amlodipine ) AUD11.95 per box of 28 tablets (a combination of 2 meds in one packaging) FOR HYPERTENSION

When I eventually run out of my stock I'm going to have to go to a Japanese clinic (General Pract?) and ask for the above same meds. My question is how much is it over there? Is it cheaper in Japan than Australia? or is it the other way around?

I heard from a friend who lives there that finasteride only comes in 1mg and in a box of 30 tablets for around 10,000yen a box and he went to a hair clinic (maybe that's why it's expensive. How about a normal GP? maybe cheaper?). WOW that's expensive and that's for every month. Compare that to what I'm paying here in Aus.

For the hypertension meds I'm not so sure, I did some research and it says it's about 164yen per tablet which would come to about 5000yen per month give or take. That too is expensive compared to here.

Doesn't Japan have National Health insurance to cover for some of the cost of medication? In Aus we have Medicare so the cost is subsidised and so it's cheaper. Except for Finasteride which we have to pay full price hence $49.99 (thank God they have a 5mg version!)

Please enlighten me, somebody, anybody who has any knowledge or experience (especially if you're from AUS)

Your replies are much appreciated. Thank you in advance.

Jay.

I cannot comment on your specific meds. But yes Australia is much cheaper in general than Japan for meds.

Just part of living aboard. You'll find other aspects cheaper in Japan like museums and public transport. So you pay more here, save more there.

You may find a doctor to prescribe the same meds, but in principle - a new doctor here will want to determine your illness and prescribe whatever he/she thinks is appropriate. So it is more than the cost of meds - since your new doctor will also need tests, etc. to determine your needs. Plus doctors here typically only prescribe for two or three months, and then a follow-up doctor visit plus confirmation follow-up tests before prescribing for the next period.