Health and Fitness
Keep yourself fit, healthy and properly insured.
Hospitals/Clinics in Japan
In a huge cities like Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya general hospitals and clinics are easy to find; and whilst in smaller towns and cities large hospitals might not be as visible it certainly does not mean that clinics and hospitals are unavailable.
Below are the list of hospitals and clinics of several areas with English speaking staffs, just to make your search easier. Please bear in mind that our lists would need your help to expand even more. Click here for full list.
Top Hospitals/Clinics in Tokyo
- Primary Care Tokyo
- International Medical Center of Japan
- Tokyo Midtown Medical Center
- Keio University Hospital
- Sanno Hospital
Top Hospitals/Clinics in Osaka
- Japan Red Cross Hospital
- Kosei Nenkin Hospital
- Osaka Central Hospital
- Sumitomo Hospital
- Yodogawa Christian Hospital
Health Insurance and Pension system
Living in a foreign country, having an insurance when visiting your local clinic or hospitals is obviously both helpful and practical; leaving you with no unnecessary worries and letting you focus on recovering completely from your illness.
In Japan, Health Insurance is mandatory for those who are entitled to live in Japan for a year or more; the Japanese government provides two main types of insurance for their citizens – National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkou hoken/ kokuho) and Employees’ Health Insurance (shakai kenkou hoken/ shakai hoken).
Employees’ Health Insurance/ Social Insurance (shakai kenkou hoken/ shakai hoken)
- Not everyone is eligible to join.
- Application is made via the company of work.
- Monthly premiums are salary linked and deducted directly from employee’s paycheck.
- Employers pay an equal contribution each month.
- Must also join the Employees’ Pension Insurance scheme.
- Members of this scheme pay 30% of their medical costs, covering sickness, injury and necessary dental work.
National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkou hoken/ kokuho)
- All foreign residents with a valid visa, allowing them to stay in Japan for a year or more, can join.
- The scheme is open to people who are not employed (expectant mothers, students, retirees, etc.)
- Premium are calculated on a yearly basis (April – March) based on the insured person’s resident tax, property owned and number of dependents.
- Premiums can be paid by bank transfer or at the local ward or city office.
- Primary members and their dependents pay 30% for inpatient or outpatient costs.
Employees’ Pension Insurance (kosei nenkin)
For those signed up to Shakai Hoken via their company will also be enrolled to Employees’ Pension Insurance; premiums being automatically deducted from employees salary.
Like all pension plans it is designed to provide an income for contributors once they have retired, with payments being able to be made even if you’re not in Japan.
In case of sudden unemployment, a holder of Employees’ Pension Insurance should report immediately to the city office where they reside; also if a holder of Employees’ Pension Insurance is leaving Japan and has paid the premiums for a certain period, they could be eligible to claim back the contributions they had made.
Sports/Fitness clubs
As the saying goes ‘Prevention is better than cure’; keeping fit at your local Sport Club is a necessary part of staying healthy for an increasing number of people – but where is the nearest center to you?
Click here to see list of sport/fitness clubs in Tokyo.
Nursing homes for the elderly
The population of Japan is getting older and older, and to cope with the needs of a graying society the numbers of Nursing Home facilities has grown very quickly in recent years.
Entering a Nursing home
To enter a nursing home, the individual needs a guarantor; to counter-sign the contract with the chosen nursing home.
Typically, there are two options to consider when enter a nursing home – renting on a monthly basis or taking ownership for the rest of his/ her life by buying the service for a lifetime.
Cosmetic Surgery
In Japan, just as in Asia and the rest of the world the popularity of Cosmetic Surgery procedures has grown quickly in recent years.
Giving birth/ Maternity class
Japan is famously a country with a very low baby mortality rate and expecting mothers should have no worries as to the level of medical support available to them.
However, for mothers-to-be who want more than just a routine medical check-up, here is some information on special classes available either individually or with a spouse that can be fun, relaxing and very rewarding.
In Tokyo, Childbirth Education Center (CEC), an information and support center for new parents has all about giving birth in Japan from consultation to seminars.
CEC Contact Person Brett Iimura
Tel/Fax: 03-3414-7458
email: brett@free-zone.com
Meditation
Meditation takes many forms and whilst often linked to some form of religious belief; most people tend to associate meditation with Yoga. Many Yoga classes include meditation sessions and if you’re interested in joining a meditation class, probably the easiest way to do so is by registering with the nearest Yoga class available.
For more information please see here.
Aromatherapy stores
The history of aromatherapy in Japan is as old as the use of incense in temples, however the popularity of aromatherapy really took off after the Aromatherapy Association of Japan was established in 1996.
Nowadays, it is very easy to find aromatherapy products in Japan; as well as large stores like Lush or The Body Shop that has their branches here, aromatherapy products can be found available in drug stores and home centers throughout the country.
Traditional healing
Looking for traditional healing services in Japan, shouldn’t be too difficult; indeed shiatsu (literally means finger pressure in Japanese) even originated in Japan
Shiatsu
Shiatsu refers to the use of fingers and the palm of the hand to apply pressure to particular parts of the body to correct physical imbalances and maintain and promote good health.
Shiatsu was created in 1912 by Tokujiro Namikoshi; who developed the technique whilst trying to alleviate his mother’s rheumatism by pressing certain parts of her body with his thumb; subsequently the first shiatsu clinics were opened in Sapporo in 1925 and Tokyo in 1933.
Acupuncture
Acupuncture comes from latin word acus, “needle”, and pungere, “to prick”; widely practiced in China it is said to have been originally developed in that country.
Modern acupuncture uses fine stainless steel needles to make painless insertions in the skin; the type of needle and depth of insertion varying according to the ailment being treated.
Reiki
Reiki is another healing technique that originates from Japan; based on the laying on of hands in the to transfer the healing energy that flows through the body from practitioner to patient.
For those wishing to learn more about Reiki, Chika Forbess Rado offers Reiki training in English in Yokohama, Japan; for more information please email – countinglife@aol.com
Chinese Medicine
Chinese Medicine has been practiced for over 2000 years; in Japan it is better known by the generic term Kampo – according to recent figures 70% of physicians in Japan prescribe Kampo cures to their patients and 80 medical schools teach Kampo to their students.
Health Spas
A popular health treatment chosen by many seeking to be pampered is a health spa; perhaps the best option for visiting a spa would be to take advantage of the services available at many five star hotels where many staff will be able to communicate in English.
Customer Awareness Bulletin
Due to the growing concern of the Expat community regarding the legitimacy of some Expatriate Healthcare products we highly recommend if you are considering any of these products to check the following:
- Underwriter of the product.
- Standard and Poor’s rating.
- Emergency Assistance Company.
- Representative company of the product.
All of the above information should be available on the company’s website. If not request to receive in writing documentation stating the above information.