Capital and Treasury Stock - Changes in Treasury Stock (Details) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2021	Dec. 29, 2019	Dec. 30, 2018
Changes in Treasury Stock Shares Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Treasury Stock, Balance, Shares	487,336	457,519	437,318
Employee compensation and stock option plans, Shares	(21,765)	(20,053)	(22,082)
Treasury Stock, Ending Balance, Shares	487,331	487,336	457,519
Changes in treasury stock
Treasury Stock, Balance	$ 38,417	$ 34,362	$ 31,554
Employee compensation and stock option plans related to treasury stock	(3,148)	(2,691)	(3,060)
Repurchase of common stock, Amounts	3,221	6,746	5,868
Treasury Stock, Ending Balance	$ 38,490	$ 38,417	$ 34,362
Treasury Stock
Changes in Treasury Stock Shares Outstanding [Roll Forward]
Repurchase of common stock, Shares	21,760	49,870	42,283
Changes in treasury stock
Repurchase of common stock, Amounts	$ 3,221	$ 6,746	$ 5,868

Changes in treasury stock.

No definition available.

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

- Definition

Changes in Treasury Stock Shares Outstanding [Roll Forward]

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of shares of stock issued attributable to transactions classified as other.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_StockIssuedDuringPeriodSharesOther
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Value of shares of stock issued attributable to transactions classified as other.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Number of common and preferred shares that were previously issued and that were repurchased by the issuing entity and held in treasury on the financial statement date. This stock has no voting rights and receives no dividends.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29,30)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockShares
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Number of shares that have been repurchased during the period and are being held in treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02(29))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockSharesAcquired
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount allocated to treasury stock. Treasury stock is common and preferred shares of an entity that were issued, repurchased by the entity, and are held in its treasury.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405834&loc=d3e23315-112656

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.29,30)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_TreasuryStockValue
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Equity impact of the cost of common and preferred stock that were repurchased during the period. Recorded using the cost method.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=109259400&loc=d3e21463-112644

Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 30
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6405813&loc=d3e23239-112655

Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 505
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.3-04)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27012166&loc=d3e187085-122770

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis=us-gaap_TreasuryStockMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: