Emergency: 119
AMDA-IMIC

Healthcare Guides for Foreign Residents

Plain-language guides to healthcare in Japan — understanding the insurance system, finding care, navigating emergencies, and managing health at every life stage. All guides are written in English and linked to official Japanese government sources.

Start here

If you are new to Japan's healthcare system, these three guides cover the most important foundations for anyone who needs medical care as a foreign resident.

Emergency Medical Emergencies in Japan What to do in a medical emergency in Japan — calling 119, how ambulance services work, what to tell dispatchers, and what to expect at an emergency department. Getting Care Finding English-Speaking Doctors in Japan How to locate English-speaking physicians and clinics in Japan — official directories, hospital international desks, and what to expect from the search. System Basics How Japan's Healthcare System Works An overview of Japan's universal healthcare system — how it is organized, who pays for what, and what foreign residents need to know to navigate it effectively.

About these guides

Japan operates a universal health insurance system that covers all foreign residents with a registered address. Understanding how to enroll, how copayments work, and how to find English-speaking medical support can make a significant difference in the quality of care you are able to access.

These guides draw on official sources from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), JETRO, and prefecture health bureaus. Each guide includes a glossary of key Japanese terms, answers to common questions, and links to verified official sources. Guides are reviewed periodically and carry a "Last reviewed" date at the bottom.

Not medical advice. These guides explain how Japan's health system is organised and how to navigate it. They do not replace advice from a qualified medical provider. For urgent medical concerns, call 119 (ambulance) or visit the nearest hospital.

System Basics

Choosing Between a Clinic and a Hospital When to go to a small clinic versus a large hospital in Japan — how the two-tier system is designed, what the surcharges are, and how to navigate effectively. Employee Health Insurance (Shakai Hoken) How Japan's workplace-based health insurance works — enrollment through your employer, premium sharing, dependent coverage, and what changes when you leave a job. High-Cost Medical Expense Benefit (Kōgaku Ryōyōhi) How Japan's high-cost medical expense benefit caps your monthly out-of-pocket healthcare costs — who qualifies, what the thresholds are, and how to apply. How Japan's Healthcare System Works An overview of Japan's universal healthcare system — how it is organized, who pays for what, and what foreign residents need to know to navigate it effectively. Medical Costs and the 30% Copayment How Japan's standard 30% patient copayment works, what services it applies to, age-based variations, and practical advice for managing out-of-pocket costs. National Health Insurance (NHI / Kokuho) How to enroll in Japan's National Health Insurance as a foreign resident — eligibility, registration, premiums, the insurance card, and what happens if coverage lapses. Referral Letters and the Selected-Hospital Fee How referral letters (shōkaijō) work in Japan's healthcare system, when you need one, how to request it, and what the selected-hospital fee costs if you skip it.

Getting Care

Dental Care in Japan How dental care works in Japan for foreign residents — what is covered by insurance, how to find an English-speaking dentist, and what to expect at a typical dental visit. Finding English-Speaking Doctors in Japan How to locate English-speaking physicians and clinics in Japan — official directories, hospital international desks, and what to expect from the search. Medical Interpreting Services in Japan How medical interpretation works for foreign residents in Japan — telephone, in-person, and municipal services, and how to arrange an interpreter for a clinic visit. Mental Health Support for Foreign Residents in Japan How to access mental health services in Japan as a foreign resident — clinics, public health centers, crisis lines, and what to expect from psychiatric and counseling services. Over-the-Counter Medicine in Japan A guide to navigating Japanese pharmacies and drug stores for non-prescription medicines — what is available, how products are categorized, and what common OTC items treat. Pharmacies and Prescriptions in Japan How Japan's pharmacy and prescription system works — receiving, filling, and managing prescriptions as a foreign resident, and how to use your medication record book. What to Bring to a First Clinic Appointment A complete checklist for a first medical visit in Japan — insurance card, identification, documents from previous care, and how registration at a new clinic works.

Emergency

After-Hours and Holiday Clinics in Japan How to find medical care in Japan when regular clinics are closed — after-hours services, holiday emergency clinics, and the municipal systems that coordinate out-of-hours access. Disaster Medical Information for Foreign Residents How Japan's medical system responds to earthquakes, floods, and other disasters — what foreign residents need to know about evacuation, medical care, and disaster health resources. Emergency Medical Phrasebook for Japan Essential Japanese phrases for medical emergencies — what to say when calling 119, describing symptoms, and communicating at an emergency department without an interpreter. Medical Emergencies in Japan What to do in a medical emergency in Japan — calling 119, how ambulance services work, what to tell dispatchers, and what to expect at an emergency department.

Life Stages

Children's Healthcare and Vaccinations in Japan How pediatric care works in Japan for foreign residents — the childhood vaccination schedule, health examinations, the child medical expense subsidy, and finding a pediatrician. Elderly Care and Long-Term Care Insurance in Japan How Japan's long-term care insurance system (kaigo hoken) works for older residents — enrollment, care level assessment, services covered, and how to access the system as a foreign resident. Maternal and Child Health Handbook (Boshi Techo) What Japan's maternal and child health handbook is, how to obtain it as a foreign resident, what records it contains, and why keeping it is important for your child's care. Pregnancy and Maternity Care in Japan A guide to prenatal care, birth, and the maternity support system for foreign residents in Japan — insurance, the maternal and child health handbook, and what to expect at each stage.

Work & Conditions

Annual Health Checkups (Kenko Shindan) How Japan's mandatory annual workplace health examinations work for employed foreign residents — what is tested, what employers must do, and how to use the results. Infectious Disease Reporting and Quarantine in Japan How Japan's infectious disease surveillance and quarantine system works — legal reporting obligations, how the system responds to outbreaks, and what this means for foreign residents. Tuberculosis Screening and Treatment in Japan How Japan's tuberculosis surveillance and treatment system works for foreign residents — who is screened, what treatment looks like, and what the notification and support obligations are. Workplace Injury and Workers' Compensation (Rousai Hoken) How Japan's workers' accident compensation insurance (rousai hoken) covers workplace injuries and occupational diseases for employed foreign residents — what it covers, how to claim, and how it differs from standard health insurance.

Practical

Getting Medical Records and Certificates in Japan How to request medical records and official health certificates in Japan — what you are entitled to, how to apply, typical costs, and how to use records for employment or insurance purposes. Medical Vocabulary You Will Hear in Japan A practical reference guide to Japanese medical terms — symptoms, body parts, clinic procedures, and prescription instructions that foreign residents commonly encounter at medical appointments.

Forms library

Alongside these guides, the forms library documents the 12 categories of administrative and medical forms that were available through the original AMDA-IMIC service in nine languages. Many of the guides link to relevant forms where applicable — for example, the workers' compensation guide links to the rousai claim form, and the tuberculosis guide links to the TB treatment tracking form.

For background on this archive and its editorial standards, see the editorial policy and sources pages.