We offer a range of services to help you during your time in Japan.
Find healthcare/childcare services for your needs
Japan has many hospitals and clinics but how they work is different to many other countries. There is no general practitioner system. Patients can choose where to go but this can be hard to navigate and expensive if you make a mistake.
We will listen to your needs and suggest clinics and hospitals that can help you. We receive thousands of enquiries every year and are experienced in finding the right choices for each person.
We can help you find private and public childcare services like nursery/daycare and kindergarten. The enrolment process is complicated to understand, even for Japanese nationals. We can help find services near you and guide you through enrolment.
Make appointments and inquiries on your behalf
Reception and booking staff are often not able to speak English. We can set up an appointment with the hospital or clinic of your choice. We can also check they can provide the test, medication or treatment you need on your behalf to make sure your time is not wasted.
Please note we do not offer 24 hour emergency assistance. We do not make an urgent, same day appointment arrangements.
Interpretation
When you go to a hospital or clinic it is often only the doctor that can speak some English. You also need to be able to talk with many different healthcare and support staff to get the best care. For this reason, Japanese hospitals ask that a Japanese-speaking person accompanies you, especially for your first visit.
Our trained interpreters can help you communicate throughout your visit.
We can also visit your city office, nursery or public health center to give language assistance. Visit our Interpretation at Hospital or Social Services page for further details.
Find your medication or treatment is available in Japan
Is your regular medication running out? Relocating to Japan and not sure how to get your medication?
We can check the availability of your medications (including injections) and guide you as to where and how to get it.
When you first move to Japan we recommend you bring a couple of months supply to ensure you have time to arrange insurance, a doctor and a new prescription. To do this you may need to obtain an import permit – for more information please visit this page.
Answer your questions about Japanese Health Insurance systems and services
New in Japan and want to know if your insurance is accepted somewhere? Unsure how much you need to pay? Do you need to switch the type of insurance because your work has changed?
We can answer your questions about Japanese Health Insurance and assist with filling out necessary documents or inquiring with your insurer on your behalf. We can guide you how to apply for reimbursement of high cost treatment as well.
Subsidy applications
Do you have a chronic condition that needs expensive treatment? The Japanese government subsidizes over 100 designated conditions. Your condition may be one of them. The process is difficult to understand, even for Japanese nationals but we can help with your application. Visit our Medical Subsidies page for more information.