Guide · Plan the trip
Travel insurance for Japan: what the official advice says
Not compulsory, but the health ministry strongly recommends private cover. JNTO cites bills up to $64,520 (¥10 million). Choose cashless service.
Buy private travel insurance before you fly. Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says it strongly recommends private health insurance with sufficient coverage for visitors, and that medical expenses can be very costly. JNTO says insurance is not compulsory but strongly recommended, and its medical guide quotes bills of $48,390 (¥7.5 million) and $64,520 (¥10 million). Dollar figures use about ¥155 to US$1 and are rounded; you pay in yen, so check the rate.
Is travel insurance required to enter Japan?
No. JNTO’s FAQ says insurance is not compulsory and is strongly recommended. The ministry’s page also strongly recommends private health insurance with sufficient coverage.
What can a medical bill cost?
JNTO’s medical guide quotes two cases, one at $48,390 (¥7.5 million) and one at $64,520 (¥10 million). Both figures are old and come from an insurer’s assistance company.
| Case | Total quoted |
|---|---|
| Bicycle collision | $48,390 (¥7.5 million) over 19 days, including a business-class flight home |
| Heart attack | $64,520 (¥10 million) over 45 days |
Read them as examples of scale, not as prices: a long stay or a flight home is where a bill grows.
How do you pay for treatment in Japan?
You usually pay cash at a clinic unless your insurer provides cashless service. JNTO says clinics are usually cash only, and cards are accepted only at major hospitals.
| Where | What you pay |
|---|---|
| Clinic | Usually cash, and possibly the full amount without cashless insurance |
| Major hospital | Card accepted, and possibly the full amount without cashless insurance |
| With cashless insurance | Nothing on site |
JNTO’s example of cashless insurance uses cover of up to $64,520 (¥10 million), and it says a policy can be bought online instantly, including after you arrive.
Does the policy cover skiing and snowboarding?
Winter sports cover depends on the policy wording, and the ministry and JNTO pages do not mention it. Ask the insurer, in writing, whether skiing, snowboarding and off-piste riding are covered before you pay. Guides to the riskier side of the sport are in Can you ski off-piste in Japan without a guide? and Backcountry in Japan.
What happens if a bill goes unpaid?
The ministry and JNTO say unpaid medical bills may lead to stricter immigration procedures or a refused entry on a later visit.
Does national health insurance cover tourists?
Unconfirmed. Neither the ministry’s page nor JNTO’s medical guide says whether short-stay visitors are covered by national health insurance or excluded from it.
The Immigration Services Agency’s Q&A on the Digital Nomad status says holders of that status are not eligible for public health insurance, and that is why it requires private cover. It is a rule for that status, not a statement about tourists. Until an official page says otherwise, treat travel insurance as the way to cover medical costs.
What does the Digital Nomad status require?
The Digital Nomad status requires private medical insurance covering death, injury and illness, with medical cover of at least $64,520 (¥10 million). The death cover must include repatriation of remains or a payout, and no amount is set. The visa itself is covered in Can you work remotely in Japan on a tourist visa?
What should you do if you need care?
In an emergency, call 119 for an ambulance; the call is free. If it is not an emergency, find a facility in JNTO’s medical facility finder or call the JNTO Visitor Hotline. Expect to pay cash at a clinic and by card only at a major hospital, unless your insurer provides cashless service, and keep the receipts and any documents the facility gives you for your insurer.
Who do you call in an emergency?
Call 119 for an ambulance or fire and 110 for the police, and save the numbers before you land with your insurer’s emergency number and policy details.
| Service | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Ambulance and fire | 119 | Free, 24 hours |
| Police | 110 | Free, 24 hours |
| JNTO Visitor Hotline | 050-3816-2787 | 24 hours, English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese |
JNTO’s website has a medical facility finder, and its Safety Tips app sends quake and tsunami alerts in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean.
Where next?
Other planning pages are in the Plan hub. Carrying prescription medicine is covered in Can you bring medication into Japan?, and cash at clinics is covered in Cash, IC cards and eSIM.
Questions
No. JNTO's FAQ says it is not compulsory but strongly recommended. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also strongly recommends private health insurance with sufficient coverage for visitors.
JNTO's medical guide quotes $48,390 (¥7.5 million) for a 19-day bicycle collision case that included a business-class flight home, and $64,520 (¥10 million) for a 45-day heart attack case. The figures are old, from an insurer's assistance company.
Usually not. JNTO says clinics are usually cash only, and cards are accepted only at major hospitals. Without an insurer's cashless service you may have to pay the full amount.
Unconfirmed. Neither the ministry's page nor JNTO's medical guide says whether short-stay visitors are covered or excluded. Only the nomad visa Q&A states that holders of that status are not eligible.
Call 119 for an ambulance and 110 for the police, both free and open 24 hours. The JNTO Visitor Hotline, 050-3816-2787, runs 24 hours in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.