Japan Healthcare Info

In Japan, there are 3 major groups of mental health care providers

Psychiatry

Psychiatrists work at psychiatrist department in hospitals or specialized clinic. They specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health problems, such as depression or  insomnia.
The consulting time they can provide is generally very short, less than 20 min or so. They can prescribe medications to treat mental illnesses. Psychiatrist services are covered by Japanese Health Insurance.

Note: Sleep apnea treated by a pulmonary/ENT specialist, not a psychiatrist.

JHI has English-speaking specialists information and we are happy to assist you find a specialist that matches your needs.

Clinical psychologist

Clinical psychologists provide counseling services. They are working in mental health clinics, mental Hospitals and counseling centers. Some clinical psychologists work on freelance basis, or provide telephone counseling.
In general, clinical psychologists can deal with patients with wide range of mental health issues. However, depending on the skill and experience of the psychologists, the quality of service a patient receives can differ.
Clinical psychologists can perform psychological tests, but cannot prescribe medication.
Their counseling service is not covered by Japanese Health Insurance. The costs vary, generally 5,000 yen to 10,000 yen/50 min.

JHI can assist you find a psychologist that matches your needs and it is free of charge.

Psychosomatic medicine

Psychosomatic medicine doctors are generally working in specialized clinics. They mainly treat physical problems caused by psychological stress, such as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Psychosomatic medicine specialists do not treat mental-oriented disorders like depression or schizophrenia.
If you have a physical symptom and general doctors do not know the cause or treatment for it, psychosomatic medicine clinic is a recommended place to visit.
They can prescribe medications to treat illnesses and most cares are covered by Japanese Health Insurance.

JHI can assist you find a Psychosomatic medicine specialist that matches your needs. Contact us.

The following article is contributed by one of JHI users. The author talks about the personal experience and tips about visiting a mental health clinic in Japan – the information provided here is real and extremely useful. We believe this will help many people who have a plan to use Japanese mental health services. The “Things to keep in mind” list is strongly recommended for preparing for your first visit.
Comments from JHI are added below for your references.

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Japanese Mental Health Clinics and Refilling Foreign Prescriptions in Japan

After coming to Japan, you will likely many things are more convenient or easier to take care of than in your home country. However, finding a good mental health professional requires research and often the advice of someone you can trust. JHI helped me immensely with this process, and I felt I could clearly communicate my situation to them without feeling judged while gaining much-needed help and support. Taking care of your health is very important, and especially while living overseas, it is imperative that you have people with whom you feel comfortable explaining your situation to and asking for help.

If you are still living in your home country and are planning a move to Japan, I recommend having your prescriptions translated into Japanese. You will eventually need a new prescription while living in Japan, and this can make it easier to get a suitable prescription from your Japanese doctor.

These are the general procedures for going to a mental health clinic:

Step 1
Bring your Japanese National Health Insurance card (if you have one) to the clinic, and fill out a form or survey about your medical and family background.

Step 2
Have a 20 minute consultation with a clinical psychologist (required only for your first appointment, this will cost around 3000* yen).*1

Step 3
Have a brief conversation with your psychiatrist. (This will be a standard, 5 minute procedure every time you have your prescription refilled. The costs are approximately 1050* yen.)

Step 4
Take your psychiatrist’s prescription to a pharmacy and obtain you medication. (This will generally take about 10 minutes. The costs of each refill will be approximately 870* yen.)

Coming from a small European country, I was surprised by how similar my experience in Japan was to my experience back home. The procedures were almost identical, except we don’t do Step 2 in my home country.

Please keep in mind that, while Japan is well-known for its punctuality, seeing your mental health professional will require some patience. Upon your arrival, you are going to spend about 25 minutes or more in the waiting room, so your waiting time (before seeing your psychiatrist) may vary depending on the number of people who came before you. You may want to bring some reading material or an mp3 player to pass the time.

While Step 2 was not something usually done in my home country, I was pleasantly surprised with my experience. The psychologist I spoke with was friendly, open for questions, authentic, and there was genuine effort to understand my point of view. I was a person who could simply talk to another person, and that was such an important component in my decision to use that particular clinic.

While in Japan, you may encounter Japanese doctors who speak English or foreign professionals who offer counseling services. However, it is imperative your psychiatrist be open and have a genuine interested in helping you.

Please note that you will only meet with a clinical psychologist on your first visit. It is important that your psychologist speaks English (help him or her by avoiding jargon, idioms, slang and pay attention to non-native pronunciation of English) or that you are able to speak Japanese well enough to clearly explaining particular things related to your well-being. In case you decide to continue seeing a clinical psychologist, note that while this is possible, the fee of 5,000 yen for 50 minutes may seem somewhat steep, and that your National Health Insurance will not cover counseling.

Step 3 — seeing a psychiatrist in Japan might be different from where you’re from, expect a brief check-up with your psychiatrist (often to discuss to changing or switching your medication and dosage) rather than a counseling session.

Step 4 — going to a pharmacy to pick up your medicine will require some waiting, and you might be asked some questions about your medicine dosage or whatever drug you’re picking up (as they might offer smaller doses of your medicine or a giving you generic medicine that has the same effect as the one originally prescribed), having a smart-phone with Japanese-to-English translation might come in useful.

Things to keep in mind:

• Adjust your expectations of the mental health profession to match the reality in Japan.
• Be open to longer commutes if that means finding a clinic where you’ll feel comfortable.
• Make sure you feel comfortable with your doctor, opt out if you feel any judgment or discomfort.
• Even if your people at your school or place of work seem open and friendly, keep in mind that it’s better to abstain from talking about your personal life in a working environment.
• If you have any prescriptions from your home country, have them translated and bring them with you or have them sent to you if finances permit.

Remember — no matter what your problem might be, whether this is insomnia, work-related stress, or a bi-polar disorder; there is no shame in having a problem. Having a problem does not automatically make you or your life a problem. Wanting to help yourself is a sign of courage, not an admission of weakness.

Make sure that you include your commuting fare, the fee for a brief psychiatrist check-up and the pharmacy fee into your monthly budget.

Before coming to Japan, my biggest worry was seeing a psychiatrist in Japan and refilling my medication. However, as often happens in life, thanks to JHI and a friend/blogger on life in Japan who recommended them – this turned out to be the least of my worries, my biggest surprise about my Japan stay, and one of the things I was happiest with. My days going to a mental health clinic in Japan were days of calm and serenity, and I am truly grateful to both JHI and my friend who recommended them for helping me when I needed help the most.

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JHI comments

* All the fees in this article are only applied to this author’s case. Each patient is charged according to his/her condition and will differ.

*1 Not every mental health clinic has an in-house clinical psychologist. In that case a patient is likely to have a consultation with a psychiatrist for 20 to 30 minutes at the first time consultation

The information that may identify the contributor and details of the clinic are omitted to protect privacy of the author