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Traveling in Japan - Health and Safety

Module by: Patrick Frantz

Summary: Some useful Travel information on Japan, compiled by NUS for the delegates of the INNOVATE 2005 conference in Singapore and Tokyo. This module contains information about health and safety.

Health and Safety

Hygiene standards are high in Japan, and medical facilities (although expensive) are widely available. Probably the most important preventative measure is to make sure that you are healthy before you start traveling. Dental treatment is expensive as well, so it's a good idea to have a check-up before you leave. Make sure that you bring extra contact lenses or glasses as well as any medications you might need. Getting correct medications may be difficult - and illegal if you don't have your prescription handy (it’s also a good idea to know the generic name of the drug as well as the brand name). However, medical treatment and drugs are of high quality. No immunizations or health certificates are necessary for Japan. Food is almost always safe to eat and you can drink tap water throughout Japan but should avoid drinking directly from streams or rivers. You should also avoid wading barefoot in rice paddies or stagnant water as there could be parasites living in the water.

Health Insurance

It’s a good idea to take out a good travel insurance policy to protect you from theft, property loss or health problems. Due to the high cost of hospital treatment in Japan, you want to make sure that are covered before you arrive. If you're not sure where to look, ask your travel agent. Make sure you read through the policy and find out which one will work best for you. For example, some policies will not cover you if you're during activities such as scuba diving, cycling and even hiking. If your itinerary includes these things than you don't want to sign up for that policy. Other things to check for are: ambulances and emergency flights home, payment method (do they pay upfront or do you get reimbursed), and low or high medical expense options.

Reimbursement

Most insurers will not arrange on-the-spot payments in the event of a major expense or loss. You will usually be reimbursed only after going home. In cases when something has been lost or stolen you will have to get a report from the local police in order to make a claim. For medical problems you’ll also need copies of the bills paid for treatment and medicines.

Medical Kit

A small medical kit can save you the problem of running around a foreign city and looking for items that are a lot easier to find at home. Things you might consider including in your kit are: band-aids/bandages, Aspirin or Advil, Antihistamines, Imodium or Lomotil for stomach problems, an antiseptic, re-hydration medicine in case of severe diarrhea, calamine lotion, a small set of scissors, lip balm, insect repellant and sunscreen.

Medical Assistance and Emergencies

The TIC has a list of English-speaking hospitals and doctors, although they are mainly in the larger cities only. The people at Japan Travel Phone may be able to help as well. If you are in a rural area you may want to contact the city or town hall's international affairs or tourism department for help. Red Cross (Ni-seki) hospitals often have English-speaking doctors available.

In case of an emergency, it's best to have a Japanese-speaking person call the emergency services in Japan. If that's not an option, call the Tokyo English Lifeline (TELL) at (03) 3403-7106 for emergency assistance in English. The Japan Helpline is another option and is available 24 hours a day. Their toll-free number is (0120) 461-997.

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