Japan is considering a major change to rules for foreign visitors
Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.
The new rules for tourists in Japan’s crackdown on unpaid medical bills
- Japan is planning to tighten immigration rules to address the issue of foreign tourists leaving without paying their medical bills.
- The new policy may require tourists to obtain private medical insurance and allow immigration authorities to screen visitors for a history of unpaid bills.
- The government’s upcoming annual economic and fiscal policy review will address insurance coverage for foreign visitors.
- A survey of 5,500 medical institutions in Japan found that 0.8 per cent of foreign visitors did not pay their medical bills in September 2024, resulting in approximately 61.35m Yen (£316,000) in unpaid costs.
- A survey by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2024 found that nearly 30 per cent of visitors did not have insurance while in Japan.