Ridilover Journal Investigates Healthcare Access for Foreign Residents in Japan—Featuring Challenges in Connecting to Medical Care Despite Insurance Coverage

Ridilover Inc. (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo; Representative: Toshiki Abe) will sequentially release a structured special feature titled "Foreigners' Health – A Society Where Connecting to Medical Care is Difficult Even with Insurance," comprising seven parts, starting from June 11th, on its web media platform "Ridilover Journal," which specializes in social issues. This feature targets foreign residents and their families living, working, and studying in Japan, excluding tourists and those visiting for medical purposes. Through interviews with doctors, medical interpreters, and foreign support practitioners, as well as analysis of public statistics and prior research, the series reveals the background challenges in accessing necessary medical care despite insurance coverage, and the issues faced by the receiving side. Backgrounds and Challenges Revealed Through Interviews and Research 1. Residents from Abroad: From "Temporary Visitors" to Neighbors in the Community According to data from the Immigration Services Agency of Japan, the number of foreign residents is expected to reach a record high of approximately 4.12 million by the end of 2025. The number of foreign workers also surpassed 2.57 million as of the end of October of the same year, marking another record. Furthermore, an analysis by Kyodo News indicates that foreigners account for about 9.5% of the population in their 20s, signifying that foreign nationals are no longer "temporary presences" but are becoming residents who work, study, and live in local communities. 2. Cases Where Accessing Necessary Medical Care is Difficult Even with Insurance Coverage Even when the system theoretically allows for medical treatment, factors such as language barriers, unfamiliarity with the system, lack of multilingual information, financial burdens, and cultural differences can lead to delayed consultations. Some individuals resort to self-treatment without connecting to medical institutions, leading to advanced symptoms by the time they seek care. Problems also arise from obtaining medication without going through a medical institution or experiencing isolation related to pregnancy and childbirth. 3. Barriers Exist Even "Before" Going to the Hospital For foreign workers and international students, workplaces and schools are often the first places they can easily consult about physical discomfort or problems. However, the role of connecting them to medical care from these settings is not clearly defined within the system. Follow-up for health issues and the establishment of health support systems are left to the judgment and efforts of each institution, potentially making it difficult to accommodate foreign nationals due to resource limitations. 4. Burdens Concentrate Even "After" Connecting to Medical Institutions When treating foreign patients, additional coordination tasks often arise beyond regular consultations, such as explaining symptoms and systems, arranging interpreters, and referring to specialists. However, the mechanisms to support such対応 are not adequately established. The more diligently medical institutions try to accommodate foreign patients, the more the burden concentrates on a few institutions, creating a structure where the capacity to accept them struggles to expand. 5. Who Bears the Cost of Medical Interpretation? "Medical interpreters" accurately convey symptoms, doctor's explanations, and treatment plans, supporting communication between foreign patients and medical professionals. However, the provision of medical interpretation services for foreign residents is not clearly defined in the system. Who bears the cost – the patient, the hospital, or the municipality? In which situations can it be used? The situation varies by region and medical institution. Structure of the Special Feature Chapter 1: The Reality of Health Issues Among Foreign Residents Part 1: Facing Life-Threatening Situations Without Access to Hospitals – Problems Arising from Difficulties in Healthcare Access for Foreign Residents Part 2: Hesitation to Visit Hospitals – The Walls of Language, Money, and Culture That Deter Foreign Residents Part 3: Systems Exist, But Don't Reach Them – Information Deficiencies and Systemic Barriers Hindering Foreign Residents Chapter 2: Challenges for Institutions Accepting Foreign Residents Part 4: Wanting to Help, But Unable to Support – Reasons Why Medical Sites Struggle with Foreign Patient Care Part 5: Why is it Difficult to Connect to Medical Care from Workplaces and Schools? – The Limits of Support Left to Individual Sites (Tentative) Part 6: Who Bears the Cost and How? – Challenges of Medical Interpretation (Tentative) Chapter 3: The Difficulty of Creating Support Systems Part 7: Towards Smooth Connection to Medical Care. The Difficulty of Building Systems as a Society (Tentative) Special Feature Top Page https://journal.ridilover.jp/topics/c64b228ef7c6 *Click here to view the list of articles. About Ridilover Journal Ridilover Journal is a subscription-based web media platform specializing in social issues. Based on Ridilover's expertise gained from visiting the frontlines of social problems, it aims to convey the underlying structures behind the news. About Structured Features Social issues arise from a complex interplay of multiple factors and perspectives. Ridilover Journal's "Structured Features" delve into a single social issue through multiple articles, organizing and conveying the problem's background, involved parties, and the difficulties and possibilities of resolution. About Ridilover Inc. Ridilover was founded in 2009 with the philosophy of "Breaking Down Social Apathy" and was later incorporated. Currently, in addition to its educational travel business, corporate training business, and media/community business, it also engages in business development and policy planning to invest resources in solving social issues. Over the past 16 years since its establishment, it has addressed over 400 types of social issues across its various businesses. Company Name: Ridilover Inc. Established: 2013 Location: Iguchi Building 2F, 3-9-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo URL: https://ridilover.jp/ Contact for Inquiries Regarding This Matter Ridilover Inc. | Ridilover Journal Editorial Department E-mail: info.com@ridilover.jp