Overview

Japan’s public health insurance system ensures that everyone has access to affordable healthcare. There are two categories of public health insurance systems.

1.  Employee’s Health Insurance （Social Insurance） （健康保険（社会保険）, kenkou hoken / shakai hoken）: This is for employees and is arranged by their employers. This is operated by the Japan Health Insurance Association, National Federation of Health Insurance Societies, and other bodies. It is often called "Social Insurance" or shakai hoken.
   （Those over the age of 75 will be entered under the Latter-stage Elderly Healthcare System within NHI, 後期高齢者医療制度, kouki koureisha iryou seido）.
2.  National Health Insurance （国民健康保険, kokumin kenkou hoken）: The other system is for people who do not fall under the 1^st system and are under the age of 75. This is operated by individual municipalities.
   （Those over the age of 75 will be entered under the Latter-stage Elderly Healthcare System within NHI, 後期高齢者医療制度, kouki koureisha iryou seido）.

If you are staying longer than three months in Japan, you must be enrolled in either one of these two systems or under a private insurance company. If you enroll in public health insurance, you will receive a health insurance card which you present at the doctor’s office or hospital where you receive treatment. You will then only be responsible for a portion of the costs associated with the visit.