International health insurance in Japan
Health insurance for expats & foreigners
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Why get private health insurance in Japan?
If you're staying in Japan for three months or more, you have to enroll in public health insurance within 14 days of registering your address. Miss the deadline, and you can be back-billed for up to two years of premiums. And until you're covered, the bills are steep. A private GP visit costs ¥12,500+ (€67), and a day at an international clinic can run to ¥100,000+ (€540).
One exception to know: the Digital Nomad Visa can't use the public system at all. It requires private cover of at least ¥10 million (€53,900).
How does the healthcare system work in Japan?
The public system: NHI & Shakai Hoken
Japan's public health insurance comes in two forms: national health insurance (NHI), for the self-employed and students, and employee health insurance (Shakai Hoken), where your employer splits the cost with you. Both cover GPs, specialists (you can self-refer), hospital stays, prescriptions, and basic dental care, and you pay 30% of the cost yourself. English-speaking care is concentrated in central Tokyo and Osaka.
Japanese pharmacies & medication
The big chains (Welcia, Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Sundrug) are everywhere in cities, though rare in the countryside, and most pharmacists speak only Japanese. Watch out: foreign prescriptions aren't accepted (you'll need a Japanese one), and some medicines common elsewhere are banned outright (like Adderall, codeine, and Sudafed). Some need an import certificate from the Ministry of Health before you bring them in.
In an emergency
Dial 119 for an ambulance or the fire service, 110 for police, or 118 for the coast guard. There's no single 112-style number. Most cities offer English interpretation, and the national average ambulance response is about 10 minutes. Emergency rooms can't turn you away. But if you're uninsured, you'll be billed the full 100%.
What expats need health insurance?
Digital nomads
On the Digital Nomad Visa, you can't join the public system. You're required to hold private cover of at least ¥10 million (€53,900) per incident. Most travel policies fall short of that.
Retirees
Japan has no retirement visa. Most enter as Long-Term Residents, spouses, or permanent residents (all require public cover). Private plans cover the 30% co-pay and care back home.
Families
Birth isn't covered by public insurance. You're given ¥500,000 (€2,700) to help cover the costs, but that can still leave a gap of ¥100,000 (€540) or more.
Get global health insurance that works in Japan
Plans from €70/month. Sign up online in minutes.
How much is health insurance in Japan?
Without cover, the bills add up fast. A private GP visit runs about ¥12,500 (€67), a specialist at an international clinic around ¥30,000 (€160), and a hospital day about ¥100,000 (€540).
Public healthcare costs
Employee insurance costs ≈10% of your salary, split between you and your employer. National insurance is ≈7.7% of your income plus a flat amount (≈¥47,300 / €255), capped at roughly ¥1.06 million (€5,720) a year. Either way, you pay 30% of your care costs, capped at ¥80,100 (€430).
Private medical insurance
Our plans start at €70/month for Essential and €105/month for Plus. You'll get outpatient and inpatient care, plus extras like maternity, dental, and mental health.
Visa & health insurance requirements for Japan
Most Japanese visas require you to enroll in public insurance within 14 days of registering your address. The Digital Nomad Visa is the exception: it can't use the public system and needs private cover of at least ¥10 million (€53,900) per incident.
Accepted for the Digital Nomad Visa
Both Feather plans qualify for the Digital Nomad Visa (the ¥10 million minimum).
Documents ready when you sign up
All your documents (policy certificate, English coverage proof) instantly in your account. Accepted by Japanese embassies.
How does Feather's international health insurance work?
Choose your plan
Compare Essential and Plus, pick your deductible, and sign up in under 5 minutes. No paperwork, no medical exams.
Get your documents instantly
Your confirmation and visa-ready proof-of-coverage documents land in your account straight away.
Visit any doctor
See any licensed doctor, specialist, or hospital in Japan. No referrals, no network restrictions, no pre-approval.
Upload your bill in the app
Already paid? Open the Feather app, snap a photo of your invoice, and submit your claim in under a minute.
Get reimbursed to your account
We review your claim and reimburse you directly to your bank account. Most claims are processed within two weeks.
Cancel anytime after year one
There's a one-year minimum term. After that, cancel whenever you want. No penalties.
Join 200,000+ expats covered with Feather
Get global medical coverage in under 5 minutes.
Why choose Feather?
200,000+ happy customers
Experience insurance crafted by expats, for expats.
100,000+ claims processed
Paid out in three weeks on average.
4.8 Star rating
On over 2,500 reviews.
English-speaking support
Our team speaks your language.
All digital
Sign up, file claims, and manage your policy in our app.
Privacy first
Your data is stored securely in Europe.
Don't take our word for it
Dajana was amazing
“She answered all our questions and provided clear and detailed responses to ensure we select the proper coverage. The whole experience was perfect! I am confident I made the right choice going with Feather!”
Mascia
I trust them. No BS.
“They don't sugar coat the insurances, if they don't provide the best option, they would help you understand what's the best one.”
Michal
Super helpful
“The representative answered my questions clearly and helped me make sure I was aware of my options! This was the perfect fit for my situation as an expat looking for a job in Spain and needing temporary coverage.”
Erin
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