Legal Proceeding Textuals Abstract.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Number of patients in settlement

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jnj_Numberofpatientsinsettlement
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Product liability contingency number of claimant.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jnj_ProductLiabilityContingencyNumberOfClaimant
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of judgment or settlement awarded to (against) the entity in respect of litigation.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationSettlementAmount
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of litigation expense, including but not limited to legal, forensic, accounting, and investigative fees.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25496072&loc=d3e14435-108349

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of another entity's patents that the entity has allegedly infringed.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyPatentsAllegedlyInfringedNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_AsrMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_PinnacleAcetabularCupSystemMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_PelvicMeshesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_RisperdalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_XareltoMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=jnj_BabyPowderMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_SettledLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=jnj_MisdemeanorviolationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis=jnj_ForfeitureMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationStatusAxis=us-gaap_PendingLitigationMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=jnj_InvestigativeDemandsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=jnj_DePuyASRU.S.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=jnj_RocheDiagnosticsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=jnj_MedinolLtd.Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis=jnj_DePuyASRU.S.SecondAgreementMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementBusinessSegmentsAxis=jnj_MedicalDevicesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Legal Proceedings (Details) $ in Millions	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Legal Proceedings (Details) $ in Millions	May 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013 patents	Jul. 03, 2016 USD ($) claimant	Jun. 28, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 03, 2016 USD ($) patents claimant
ASR
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			2,900		2,900
Pinnacle Acetabular Cup System
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			9,100		9,100
Pelvic Meshes
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			50,100		50,100
Risperdal
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			13,000		13,000
Xarelto [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			13,900		13,900
Baby Powder [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Product Liability Contingency Number Of Claimants			1,700		1,700
settled litigation \| misdemeanor violation [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Litigation Settlement, Amount \| $					$ 20
settled litigation \| Forfeiture [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Litigation Settlement, Amount \| $					5
Pending Litigation \| Baby Powder [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Loss Contingency, New Claims Filed, Number	2
Investigative Demands [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Litigation Settlement, Expense \| $					$ 4
DePuy ASR U.S. \| settled litigation
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Number of patients in settlement			8,000		8,000
Roche Diagnostics [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Loss Contingency, Patents Allegedly Infringed, Number \| patents					2
Medinol Ltd. [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Loss Contingency, Patents Allegedly Infringed, Number \| patents		4
DePuy ASR U.S.Second Agreement [Member] \| Pending Litigation
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Number of patients in settlement			1,800		1,800
Medical Devices [Member]
Legal Proceeding (Textuals)
Litigation Settlement, Expense \| $			$ 570	$ 134	$ 676