Health Tourists in Japan can access telemedicine services before dialling 119

[thomas]

Tourists in Japan now have greater access to telemedicine services, allowing foreign visitors who are injured or feeling unwell to consult with a doctor and receive basic medical care more easily. Makoto Iwai, head of business development at M3 Career, which provides one such service for travellers, explained that interviews with hotel staff revealed instances where medical professionals advised against calling an ambulance for minor symptoms after evaluating the guest's condition. She added that assisting unwell guests can significantly add to the burden on hotel staff, who may need to spend several hours helping visitors, a challenge made more difficult by ongoing labour shortages in the hospitality sector.

These services, however, do not come cheap.

A survey released by the Japan Tourism Agency last year found that about 4% of foreign visitors felt sick or got injured while in Japan. Of the 37 million non-Japanese tourists who came to the country in 2024, about 1.5 million of them had a medical event during their stay.

In the past, visitors in Japan had few choices when seeking urgent medical attention—typically either dialling 119 for an ambulance or going directly to an emergency room. However, the growth of telemedicine and the emergence of new services now offer alternatives that are quicker and more straightforward. In cases of serious illness or injury, tourists are still encouraged to call 119 without delay, as emergency responders are trained to handle calls involving language difficulties.

The service from M3 Career, which is a subsidiary of Tokyo Stock Exchange-listed M3, is called Hotel de Doctor 24 and is designed for foreign visitors staying at hotels and inns. Hotel de Doctor 24 can be used 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The visitor logs in to its website and makes an appointment, and then a consultation is conducted via Zoom, with a nurse first, and then a doctor. It takes at least an hour to connect to doctors. Interpreters are available, with support for 22 languages. The service charges a fee of ¥55,000 ($375). Direct insurance billing isn't available, but credit cards are accepted and a receipt will be provided for insurance reimbursement for individuals with policies that cover treatment in Japan.

Telemedicine service companies include M3 Career's "Hotel de Doctor 24" and "SOMPO Light Vortex."

Tourists in Japan have telemedicine options before calling 119

More than 1 million foreign visitors a year experience a medical event during their stay.

www.japantimes.co.jp