Medical Help in Tokyo

Himawari - A Useful Helpline for Foreign Residents

Living in Tokyo as a foreigner can sometimes make even relatively simple healthcare questions complicated – particularly if you do not speak Japanese fluently and are unsure which hospital or clinic to contact.

A useful resource is the Medical Information Service for Foreign Patients provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government: https://www.hokeniryo.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/iryo/iryo_hoken/medical_info_eng/himawari

Multilingual Medical Help in Tokyo

The service provides telephone assistance in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Spanish and is available every day from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM, 365 days a year.

Telephone: 03-5285-8181

The service can help foreign residents and visitors find hospitals and clinics where their language is spoken and provide information about the Japanese healthcare system, medical treatment, and related practical questions.

This can be particularly useful when you have recently moved to Japan. However, even after living in Tokyo for many years, finding the right medical service can sometimes be difficult – especially when you are already feeling unwell.

Please note that this is an information service rather than an emergency medical service. In a serious or life-threatening emergency in Japan, call 119 for an ambulance.

Useful Resources for Foreigners Living in Tokyo

At REFUGIUM Tokyo, we have collected this and several other external resources that may be helpful for international residents living in Japan.

You can find the Medical Information Service for Foreign Patients, together with further resources, on our Useful Links page: https://refugiumtokyo.com/links

You may also be interested in: https://refugiumtokyo.com/mental-health/expanding-mental-health-support-for-tokyos-international-community