Travel insurance for Japan: what to cover and why it matters

Travel insurance for Japan is not mandatory for visa-exempt visitors, but medical care for foreigners without Japanese public insurance is billed at full price, and some hospitals ask for payment or a guarantee before treatment. A few nights in hospital can cost several hundred thousand yen, and a medical evacuation far more.

What a good policy covers

• Medical treatment and hospitalisation with a high ceiling, including emergency surgery.
• Medical repatriation to your home country.
• Trip cancellation and interruption, useful during the typhoon season.
• Lost or delayed baggage, theft and personal liability.
• Activities such as skiing, snowboarding or mountain hiking, often excluded by default.

Health care in Japan for visitors

Hospitals are excellent, but not all staff speak English, and clinics usually expect payment at the end of each visit. The Japan National Tourism Organization runs the Japan Visitor Hotline (+81 50 3816 2787), available 24 hours a day, which helps find medical facilities and explains what to do in an emergency. The ambulance number is 119 and calls are free.

The Japan Tourism Agency also publishes a search tool for hospitals that accept foreign patients, with the languages spoken and the payment methods accepted.

Credit card insurance

Many premium credit cards include travel cover, but medical ceilings can be low and the cover may only apply if the trip was paid with that card. Checking the ceiling, the maximum trip length and the exclusions avoids surprises.

Choosing travel insurance for Japan

Compare the medical ceiling, the deductible, the 24-hour assistance line and whether the insurer can pay hospitals directly. Direct payment matters in Japan, where a hospital may otherwise ask for a large deposit. Keep the policy number and the assistance phone number on your phone and on paper.

Pre-existing conditions and medicines

Declare existing conditions when buying the policy, and bring enough medicine for the trip in its original packaging with a copy of the prescription. Quantities above one month of prescription medicine require an import certificate obtained before departure.

Long stays

Some visas, such as the long-stay sightseeing visa, require proof of insurance. For short visa-exempt trips, no proof is checked at immigration, but insurance remains the best protection against high medical bills.

What to do in case of illness

For minor problems, pharmacies (look for the sign 薬, kusuri) sell common medicines, although brands differ from home. For consultations, clinics near major stations often see walk-in patients; bring your passport and insurance details. Contact the insurer's assistance line before any planned treatment so they can guarantee payment.

Keep records

Keep receipts, medical reports and prescriptions, which are needed for reimbursement. Ask the clinic for an English summary when possible, and photograph documents in case originals are lost.

Dental and pharmacy costs

Dental emergencies are also billed in full, and medicines prescribed at a clinic are bought at a separate pharmacy. Keeping both receipts helps when claiming the costs back from the insurer after the trip. Keeping a digital copy of the policy in your email also helps if your phone is lost.

Official source: JNTO, guide for medical emergencies

Frequently asked questions