Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Details Textuals) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Textuals)
Amortization expense of amortizable intangible assets	$ 980	$ 866
Estimated amortization expense per year	1,300
Patents And Trademarks [Member]
Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Textuals)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Weighted-Average Useful Life	17 years
Customer relationships and other intangible assets [Member]
Intangible Assets and Goodwill (Textuals)
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Weighted-Average Useful Life	24 years
Consumer [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Impairment of Intangible Assets (Excluding Goodwill)		$ 294

Finite Lived Intangible Assets Future Amortization Expense Per Year In Succeding Five Years

No definition available.

Name:	jnj_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsFutureAmortizationExpensePerYearInSuccedingFiveYears
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	jnj_IntangibleAssetsAndGoodwillTextualsAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The aggregate expense charged against earnings to allocate the cost of intangible assets (nonphysical assets not used in production) in a systematic and rational manner to the periods expected to benefit from such assets. As a noncash expense, this element is added back to net income when calculating cash provided by or used in operations using the indirect method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 230

-SubTopic 10

-Section 45

-Paragraph 28

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 45

-Paragraph 2

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6388964&loc=d3e16225-109274

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 350

-SubTopic 30

-Section 50

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (a)(2)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26713463&loc=d3e16323-109275

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AmortizationOfIntangibleAssets
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Useful life of finite-lived intangible assets, in 'PnYnMnDTnHnMnS' format, for example, 'P1Y5M13D' represents the reported fact of one year, five months, and thirteen days.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetUsefulLife
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount of impairment loss recognized in the period resulting from the write-down of the carrying amount of an intangible asset (excluding goodwill) to fair value.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration