General Guidelines when Visiting Medical Facilities
- If you are worried about language barriers, visit the medical facility with someone who can speak Japanese.
- Although some medical facilities say they can help in foreign languages, the foreign language speaking doctor or receptionist may not be on duty. Confirm beforehand so that they are available to offer support during your visit.
- Please bring your health insurance card, cash, resident card (passport), medications you are currently taking, etc. when visiting the medical facility.
- Payment at medical facilities is done in cash. (Credit cards are generally not accepted.)
- Please let the office know beforehand of any special conditions such as religious beliefs that limit types of daily life or medical treatment or food and/or drug allergies.
Useful Links
- Yamaguchi Medical Information Net (Medical Policy Division, Yamaguchi Prefectural Government)
You can search for medical facilities in Yamaguchi that provide services in foreign languages. - Multilingual Medical Questionnaire (NPO International Community Hearty Konandai, Kanagawa International Foundation)
You can download a medical questionnaire in 18 languages that you can bring with you when you visit the hospital. - AMDA International Medical Information Center（NPO AMDA International Medical Information Center）
The center offers introductions to hospitals with medical services available in foreign languages, guidance of Japan’s medical welfare system, and free medical interpretation through the phone (English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Thai).
TEL：03-5285-8088（Tokyo Center）、050-3598-7574（Osaka Center） - Multilingual Living Information (Council of Local Authorities for International Relations)
Information is available in 15 languages about daily life necessary for foreigners living in Japan. - List of multilingual explanation materials for foreigners［Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare］
It is a multilingual tool for the smooth acceptance of foreign patients and is provided to medical institutions in Japan.
Please use it according to the corresponding scene. - Tokyo English Lifeline (NPO Tokyo English Lifeline)
Free telephone counseling services are available in English.
TEL：03-5774-0992
Useful Links to Pregnancy / Childbirth for Foreign Mothers
- For Your Well-being During Pregnancy and Delivery [Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare]
You can view the leaflet in 13 languages that describes what to do after pregnancy and the symptoms you want to be aware of. - Parenting in Japan -Steps from Delivery to School Enrollment- [Kanagawa International Foundation]
You can see information on pregnancy to child care for foreign residents on the “Parenting chart for foreign residents” as well as information on related parties such as child care support organizations - Maternal and Child Health Handbook [Mothers’ and Chidlres’s Health Organication co., Ltd.]
The maternal and child health handbook record page based on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is written in two languages, a foreign language and Japanese. It is available in 8 different languages. - Vaccine Screening Questionnaire [Public Foundation of the Vaccination Research Center]
You can download the foreign language version of the “Vaccination and Children’s Health 2019” and the Vaccine Screening Questionnaire, which is available in 16 languages.
Medical support project (dispatch interpretation supporter)
We dispatch community interpreting volunteers that are translation and interpreting supporters to medical institutions when foreigners living in the prefecture need linguistic support in the medical / maternal and child health field. For details, please contact the Yamaguchi International Association. * Depending on the conditions, dispatch may not be possible.