With an average of over 3m tourists visiting the country every month in 2024, Japan has proposed some major changes to entry rules, including mandatory health insurance for all international tourists.
The Japanese government is set to tighten measures against unpaid medical bills left by foreign tourists who received treatment during their stay, reported Kyodo News citing sources close to the matter.
The measure, to be included in a forthcoming annual basic policy on economic and fiscal management to be approved by the Cabinet, is expected to state clearly that the government will “review insurance coverage for foreigners”.
Under the stricter rules, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is expected to share information on foreign visitors with significant unpaid medical bills with the Immigration Services Agency, leading to more stringent entry screenings.
The proposed rules are being considered because of growing concern among hospitals and policymakers over the financial strain on Japan’s healthcare system as these hospitals are increasingly unable to recover costs when mostly uninsured tourists leave without paying.
According to the health ministry, in September 2024 alone, more than 11,000 foreign tourists received medical treatment at around 5,500 hospitals nationwide, with close to 0.8% of those patients, or roughly 90 people, leaving without paying their bills, resulting in more than JPY61m ($425,000) in unpaid charges.
The Japanese health ministry says the goal is to ensure that all visitors can cover unexpected medical expenses. The The mandatory health insurance rule for foreign visitors is implemented in places like the Schengen area, the UAE, Turkey, Morocco and Jordan.