Pensions and Other Benefit Plans (Details 15) - USD ($) $ in Millions	12 Months Ended
Jan. 03, 2016	Dec. 28, 2014
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	$ 22,575
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	22,254	$ 22,575
Debt Securities [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	1,144
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	1,051	1,144
Equity Securities [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	11,225
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	11,328	11,225
Commingled Funds [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	7,251
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	7,222	7,251
Insurance Contracts [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	24
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	23	24
Other Assets [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	278
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	367	278
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	134	141
Realized gains (losses)	(1)	(5)
Unrealized gains (losses)	(16)	2
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	(3)	0
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	(4)	(4)
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	110	134
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Debt Securities [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	1	1
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	0	0
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	0	0
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	1	1
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Equity Securities [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	0	4
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	0	0
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	0	(4)
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	0	0
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Commingled Funds [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	46	44
Realized gains (losses)	1	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	(11)	2
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	(2)	(2)
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	(1)	2
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	33	46
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Insurance Contracts [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	24	23
Realized gains (losses)	0	0
Unrealized gains (losses)	0	0
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	1	3
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	(2)	(2)
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	23	24
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member] \| Other Assets [Member]
Change in Plan Asstes
Plan assets at fair value - beginning of year	63	69
Realized gains (losses)	(2)	(5)
Unrealized gains (losses)	(5)	0
Purchases, sales, issuances and settlements, net	(2)	(1)
Transfers in/out and exchange rate changes	(1)	0
Plan assets at fair value - End of year	$ 53	$ 63

Defined benefit plan realized gains losses.

No definition available.

Name:	jnj_DefinedBenefitPlanRealizedGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Defined benefit plan unrealized gains losses.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	jnj_DefinedBenefitPlanUnrealizedGainsLosses
Namespace Prefix:	jnj_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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

- Definition

Assets, usually stocks, bonds, and other investments, that have been segregated and restricted (usually in a trust) to provide benefits, at their fair value as of the measurement date. Plan assets include amounts contributed by the employer (and by employees for a contributory plan) and amounts earned from investing the contributions, less benefits paid. If a plan has liabilities other than for benefits, those non-benefit obligations may be considered as reductions of plan assets.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 30
-Section 35
-Paragraph 50
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49178875&loc=d3e12355-114930

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

+ Details

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

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in plan assets from purchases, sales and settlement of plan obligations.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(02)(B)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)(iv)(02)(B)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e2446-114920

+ Details

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

- Definition

Transfers in and out of Level 3. For example, transfers due to changes in the observability of significant inputs.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (d)(iv)(02)(C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e1928-114920

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 715
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (c)(iv)(02)(C)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=58740216&loc=d3e2446-114920

+ Details

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

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_DebtSecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_EquitySecuritiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=jnj_CommingledFundsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=jnj_InsuranceContractsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanByPlanAssetCategoriesAxis=us-gaap_OtherAssetsMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis=us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: