by Caitlin Kenney

signs on an MRI machine in Japan
Mckibillo/Flickr

An MRI in Japan can cost as little as $160.

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On today's Planet Money:

We continue our search for answers about why MRI prices can differ so greatly. This time we travel from New Haven, Conn. to Japan, where an MRI costs only $160. Why? Well, it's because of the government, the quality of the machines and as we'll hear from neurologist Dr. Michiko Kimura Bruno, because Japanese people really love MRIs.

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