"Japan operates a fee-for-service system, while offering unrestricted access to specialists and hospitals and a large supply of MRI and CT scanners," said the report.

"Rather than containing costs by restricting access, Japan instead sets health care prices to keep total health spending within a budget allotted by the government."

The United States spent nearly $8,000 per person in 2009 on health care services, more than Australia, Britain, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden or Switzerland.

Japan spent the least -- $2,878 per capita in 2008 -- according to the report by The Commonwealth Fund, a private foundation that promotes improved health care in the United States.