Find Healthcare and Childcare Services for Your Needs
Japan has many hospitals and clinics, but the healthcare system works differently from those in many other countries. There is no general practitioner system, and although patients can choose where to receive care, it can be difficult to know where to go. Choosing the wrong facility can also be costly and time-consuming.
We will listen to your needs and do our best to suggest hospitals and clinics that can provide the care you need.
We can also help you find private and public childcare services, including nurseries, daycare centres and kindergartens. The enrolment process can be complicated to understand, even for Japanese nationals. We can help you find suitable services near you and guide you through the enrolment process.
Interpretation
When you visit a hospital or clinic, it is often only the doctor who can speak some English. You may also need to communicate with reception staff, nurses and other healthcare or support staff during your visit. For this reason, Japanese hospitals may ask patients who do not speak Japanese to bring someone who can communicate in Japanese, particularly for their first visit.
Our trained interpreters can help you communicate throughout your hospital or clinic visit.
We can also accompany you to your city or ward office, nursery or public health centre to provide language assistance.
Visit our Interpretation at Hospital or Social Services page for further details.
Subsidy Applications
Do you have a chronic condition that requires expensive treatment, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, multiple sclerosis or epilepsy? The Japanese government provides subsidies for treatment of more than 100 designated conditions, and your condition may be eligible.
The application process can be difficult to understand, even for Japanese nationals, but we can help you through the process. We can accompany you in person to your local city or ward welfare office and assist you with the actual application.
Visit our Medical Subsidies page for more information.
Make Appointments and Inquiries on Your Behalf
Hospital reception and booking staff are often unable to speak English. We can arrange an appointment with the hospital or clinic of your choice. We can also contact the facility on your behalf to check whether they can provide the test, medication or treatment you need, helping you avoid an unnecessary visit.
Please note that our services are for residents of Japan. Tourists can seek assistance from their hotel staff or private travel insurance provider.
We do not provide 24-hour emergency assistance or arrange urgent, same-day appointments.
Find Out Whether Your Medication or Treatment Is Available in Japan
Is your regular medication running out? Are you relocating to Japan and unsure how to obtain your medication?
We can check whether your medication, including injectable medications, is available in Japan and guide you on where and how to obtain it.
When you first move to Japan, we recommend bringing a supply of your regular medication to give you enough time to arrange health insurance, find a doctor and obtain a new prescription.
Depending on the medication, you may need to obtain an import permit before bringing it into Japan. For more information, please visit our Can I Bring Medication with Me When I Go to Japan? page.
Answer Your Questions About Japanese Health Insurance
Are you new to Japan and unsure whether your insurance will be accepted at a particular hospital or clinic? Are you unsure how much you will need to pay? Has your employment changed and you need to know whether you need to change your health insurance?
We can answer your questions about the Japanese health insurance system and help you complete necessary documents or make inquiries with your insurer on your behalf.
We can also guide you through the process of applying for reimbursement for high-cost medical treatment.