Japan has some of the best medical care available in the world. However, the health care system may be very different to what you are used to.

Hospital system

There are not many GPs (general practitioners), so people will often go directly to a hospital even if they are only mildly ill. Many hospitals operate on a first-come, first-serve basis, so you may end up waiting several hours to see a doctor.

Privacy

You may encounter very different attitudes to privacy, compared to what you are accustomed to in your home country. Annual health checks are often organized through employers, with the checks often taking place on-site at your place of employment, with the results being made available to your employer.

Medicines

It is not uncommon in Japan to be prescribed several types of medicine, even if you are only mildly ill. Sometimes second and third types of medicine are prescribed to counteract the possible side effects of the primary medicine.