Insurance for entry into Japan: who needs it, application rules for different visa categories, and where to buy it?

Planning a trip to Japan in 2025? Find out who needs health insurance for entry, what requirements apply to tourists, students, refugees, and how to choose and apply for insurance online

Insurance policy - a guarantee of your safety and peace of mind while travelling outside Ukraine

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If you are planning a trip to Japan, be sure to take care of medical insurance before crossing the border. In some cases, an insurance policy is a mandatory document for opening a visa, in others - it protects against unforeseen costs for treatment in a country with a very high cost of medical services. In this material, we tell you who needs insurance to enter Japan, what are the requirements for the policy, how much it costs and where it is profitable to issue it.

Read here about the cost of living in Japan: costs for renting housing, food, transportation and monthly budget.

How Ukrainians can emigrate to Japan in 2025 read in this article.

Apply for travel insurance online in 5 minutes on Visit Ukraine!

Who needs insurance to enter Japan?

Medical insurance is not only a recommendation, but often a requirement when visiting Japan. Depending on the purpose of the visit, an insurance policy may be mandatory or desirable, but in any case - extremely important for your safety.

- Tourists

Health insurance is not a mandatory requirement for entering Japan on a tourist or business visa. However, it is recommended for all foreigners due to the extremely high cost of medical services. For example, for a simple doctor's appointment, foreigners without a policy will have to pay $100-200, and hospitalization or emergency care can cost thousands of dollars.

Japan has relaxed visa requirements for Ukrainians, more details at the link.

Read about the most popular tourist destinations in Japan and the procedure for obtaining a tourist visa in this article.

Japan has launched the JESTA electronic travel authorization system, which will simplify entry for travelers from visa-free countries. More in this article.

- Students, employees

For all foreigners applying for a national visa or temporary residence permit to Japan (permanent residence permit), having health insurance is a mandatory requirement. This applies to:

1. University students,

2. Workers who have received a work permit,

3. Family members who are reuniting with relatives in the country.

The policy must cover the costs of treatment and repatriation in the event of illness or accident.

A detailed guide for foreign students in Japan in this material. We talked about simplifying the procedure for obtaining a student visa earlier.

About the Japanese visa for highly skilled workers in this article.

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General requirements for insurance policies for short-term and long-term trips

An insurance policy for entry into Japan must meet certain standards that depend on the duration and purpose of the stay. Two categories can be conditionally distinguished: short-term (up to 90 days) and long-term trips (more than 90 days, with a visa or residence permit).

1. Short-term trips (tourism, business, transit, visa-free)

If you plan to stay up to 90 days, you need a medical insurance policy that:

- Minimum medical coverage: $30,000–50,000.

- The policy must be valid for the entire period of stay.

- It is advisable to include COVID-19 coverage.

Such a policy may be required both when applying for a visa and at the request of a border guard during visa-free entry. Even if you are not asked to show a document at the border, it can be critically important in the event of a sudden illness or injury.

2. Long-term trips (study, work, residence permit)

When applying for a national visa type D or temporary/permanent residence in Japan, the requirements for the insurance policy are more stringent:

- The policy must be valid for the entire period of stay in the country (from 90 days to several years).

- Must cover all medical services, including outpatient and inpatient treatment.

Procedure for obtaining a residence permit in Japan at the link.

What kind of insurance can I get in Japan?

When planning a trip to Japan, it is important to choose a reliable insurance policy that will meet the goals of the trip and the requirements of the migration authorities. There are two main options: taking out local insurance in Japan or purchasing a policy from a Ukrainian insurance company before the trip.

Local insurance in Japan

Foreigners with long-term visas can register with the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) system. It covers up to 70% of the cost of medical services. But there are important drawbacks:

- It is valid only in Japan, does not cover trips abroad.

- Payment for participation is mandatory - the monthly fee can reach $150-250.

- It does not always include all services, for example, dentistry or psychiatry.

That is, for tourists, students at the stage of submitting documents or for short trips, local insurance is not a convenient option. It is more suitable for those who already have resident status or work in the country.

Online insurance through Ukrainian insurers

The most convenient and fastest way to get a policy is to apply for insurance online before your trip through a proven platform. For example, on the Visit Ukraine portal, you can:

- Apply for insurance that meets the requirements of tourist travel and local residence permit.

- Receive an electronic policy by email in 5 minutes.

- Choose coverage: from 30,000 euros.

- Include the option of COVID-19, injury, repatriation insurance

- Pay with a card from any country

Such policies are accepted by the Japanese migration service when applying for a national visa or residence permit, and are also ideal for tourists.

What is covered by the insurance that can be arranged on Visit Ukraine?

Health insurance on the Visit Ukraine portal

The health insurance policies available on Visit Ukraine provide comprehensive protection during your stay in Japan, including emergency medical care, COVID-19 treatment, and reimbursement for transportation costs in case of emergency.

The ‘Whole World Classic‘ policy provides basic coverage:

- COVID-19: diagnosis and treatment as prescribed by a doctor.

- Emergency outpatient care.

- Emergency inpatient care.

- Emergency dental care.

- Expenses for transportation by vehicle to the nearest medical facility.

- Emergency obstetric care up to the 28th week of pregnancy.

- Accident insurance.

- Expenses for burial abroad.

- Costs of repatriation of the body to the place of burial in Ukraine.

The policy ‘SILVER-VU Whole World’ provides extended coverage, including all the benefits of ‘Classic’, as well as additional services, such as:

- Payment of expenses for consultations, diagnostics, treatment and medicines.

- Expenses for emergency calls.

- Compensation for vaccination costs.

- Coverage of expenses related to the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19.

- Compensation for the cost of telephone communication in the event of an insured event.

- Organisation and payment for emergency medical care.

The policy ‘GOLD-VU Worldwide’ provides even wider coverage, including all the benefits of ‘SILVER-VU’, as well as:

- Coverage for COVID-19 and SARS treatment costs.

- Payment for inpatient treatment for up to 15 days after the end of the insurance period.

- Compensation for the cost of lost luggage.

- Reimbursement of expenses for the preparation of documents for returning to the country of permanent residence.

- Emergency gynaecological care.

The policy ‘All Inclusive PLATINUM-VU’ provides the maximum level of insurance coverage, including all the benefits of ‘GOLD-VU’, as well as:

- Reimbursement of expenses for staying in a high-comfort waiting area in case of flight delay.

- Reimbursement of expenses due to technical malfunctions of water transport.

- Payment of expenses for the early return of children under 14 years of age in case of an emergency.

- Reimbursement of the cost of stay of the insured person's companion in a hotel abroad in case of hospitalisation.

- Coverage of expenses for legal services and an interpreter for medical care.

- Payment of the cost of economy class travel to return to the country of permanent residence.

Travel insurance on the Visit Ukraine portal

If you are planning a short-term trip to Japan, you can take advantage of the ‘All Inclusive Basic’ travel insurance package, which covers:

- COVID-19: diagnosis and treatment as prescribed by a doctor.

- Emergency outpatient care.

- Emergency inpatient care.

- Costs of calling an ambulance in the country of residence.

- Emergency ambulance.

- Emergency obstetric care up to the 28th week of pregnancy.

- Expenses for emergency and urgent outpatient and inpatient care, including consultations, diagnostics, treatment and payment for medicines.

- Expenses for emergency surgeries, including medicines, bandages and fixation devices.

- Repatriation of the body.

- Medical transport.

How much does insurance cost on the Visit Ukraine portal?

Medical insurance

Travel insurance

Why is it worth taking out insurance for a trip to Japan on Visit Ukraine?

- A wide range of insurance programmes adapted to the different needs of travellers - from tourist trips to long-term stays.

- Instant online registration.

- Affordable tariff plans with transparent pricing conditions and no hidden fees.

- Round-the-clock customer support to help you solve any situation during your stay in Germany.

- Guaranteed quality of insurance services from trusted companies.

Planning a trip to Japan?

Get a policy quickly and conveniently on the Visit Ukraine portal! The insurance meets all the requirements for entry into the EU and provides reliable protection during your stay abroad.

Get insurance online in a few minutes and travel without worries!

We remind you! Taking out medical insurance for a child before traveling abroad is an important step that guarantees the safety and peace of mind of parents during the trip. Even a short trip abroad requires a responsible approach to the health of a little traveler. We have already talked about which insurance to choose, who can take it out, and how to do it online.

Want to know more? Read the latest news and useful materials about Ukraine and the world in the News section.

Our recommendation for a safe and comfortable trip: 

Visit Ukraine Insurance - insurance for a safe stay abroad without unnecessary expenses;

Green Card - compulsory car insurance for traveling abroad;

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Private Lawyer service - professional legal support on visa and migration issues;

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