Travel Insurance for Japan: Costs, Coverage & Expert Guide (2026)

Japan is one of the safest countries in the world — but it is also one of the most expensive in case of medical or travel problems.

There is no automatic foreign public healthcare coverage in Japan. If you are hospitalized or affected by a typhoon, cancellation, or transport disruption, you will pay 100% of the costs without proper insurance. Even a short hospital stay can cost several thousand euros.

Travel insurance for Japan is therefore not optional — it must provide strong medical coverage, direct payment of expenses, 24/7 assistance, and protection against weather-related disruptions.

Why travel insurance is essential for Japan

Japan is often perceived as one of the safest countries in the world. Low crime, modern infrastructure, reputable hospitals… Yet it is also a destination where unexpected events can be extremely costly for foreign travelers.

Contrary to common belief, the main risk in Japan is not insecurity, but the financial cost of a medical or logistical problem, combined with the absence of automatic public healthcare coverage for non-residents.

No automatic reimbursement from your home public healthcare system

In Japan:

• ❌ Most foreign public health insurance systems do not apply
• ❌ Regional healthcare agreements (where they exist) generally exclude Japan
• ❌ Non-residents are billed at full rates

👉 100% of medical expenses are typically your responsibility from the first yen if you are not insured.

An excellent healthcare system… but very expensive for foreigners

Japan has one of the best healthcare systems in the world, but:

• care is billed at full price for non-residents,
• hospitalization can reach €2,000 to €3,000 per day,
• surgery or advanced imaging (CT scan, MRI) can quickly drive costs up.

A simple emergency room visit can exceed €1,000, and a common procedure (appendicitis, fracture) can cost tens of thousands of euros.

Weather, typhoons and transport: a real financial risk

Japan is an archipelago, and many trips include:

• domestic flights (Tokyo ↔ Okinawa, Hokkaido, southern islands),
• ferries,
• long-distance trains (Shinkansen, rail passes).

The country is exposed to typhoons, maritime storms, earthquakes, heatwaves.

These events regularly lead to:

• flight cancellations,
• missed connections,
• non-refundable hotels,
• lost excursions,
• unused transport passes.

At HelloSafe, we compare the best travel insurance policies for Japan, selecting only those with coverage truly adapted to the country’s medical costs, climate risks, and logistical realities.

Compare the best travel insurance plans for Japan.

🩺 Medical coverage up to €2.5M🆘 24/7 assistance💰 Hospital fee advance

Compare Japan plans

What must a travel insurance policy for Japan cover?

For Japan, the right policy is not necessarily the cheapest one. The policies truly suitable for Japan are those that:

• offer at least €500,000 in medical coverage (ideally €1M),
• include direct upfront hospital payment,
• cover delays, missed connections and weather disruptions,
• provide strong personal liability coverage.

👉 Basic policies (or standard credit card insurance) are generally poorly suited to the Japanese context.

Best travel insurance policies for Japan

Based on the criteria outlined above, here is our selection of the best travel insurance offers for Japan.

Secure Gold

Insured by IMA Assurances

Medical expenses€1,500,000

Repatriation assistance 24/7Actual costs

Trip cancellationOptional

Luggage€4,000

Priority 24/7 assistance

Search & rescue coverage: €6,000

Rental car excess coverage included

Enhanced delay coverage

More benefits

Secure Silver

Insured by IMA Assurances

Medical expenses€1,000,000

Repatriation assistance 24/7Actual costs

Trip cancellationOptional

Luggage€3,000

Enhanced 24/7 assistance via the app

No upfront payments, even in emergencies

Better coverage for trip extensions

Full assistance in case of lost documents, keys or cards

More benefits

Safe Care

Insured by AIG

Medical expenses€500,000

Repatriation assistance 24/7Actual costs

Trip cancellationNot included

LuggageNot included

Ideal for short tourist stays

Worldwide coverage up to 60 days

Sports and leisure covered (excluding professional practice)

Mountain search and rescue costs included

More benefits

How much does travel insurance for Japan cost?

On average, travel insurance for Japan costs €1 to €4 per day per person — or roughly 3% to 7% of your total trip budget.

The price mainly depends on:

• length of stay
• age of traveler(s)
• medical coverage level
• whether cancellation is included

👉 Our expert insight

Analysis of real, anonymized, multi-profile quotes highlights a clear pattern: the Japan travel insurance market is coherent and price-driven by structure — not marketing.

• €20–€35 (Lite plans) - Targeted, minimalist contracts: lower medical limits, limited cancellation, basic assistance. Suitable only for short, fixed itineraries with low uncertainty — a relatively rare scenario in Japan.
• €40–€60 (core market segment) - The real sweet spot. Typically includes ≥ €500,000 medical coverage, 24/7 assistance, repatriation at actual cost and solid liability. For most 10–21 day trips, this is the optimal balance between protection and cost.t
• €60–€100 (enhanced logic) - Higher pricing reflects extended stays, cancellation/interruption, and complex itineraries — not a “Japan surcharge.” Once weather or logistics become variables, upgrading becomes rational risk management.
• Long stays (>3 weeks) : dedicated contracts are structurally more stable than stacking short-term plans. Beyond one month, policy architecture matters more than headline price.

What does travel insurance for Japan NOT cover?

Even the best Japan travel insurance policies include important exclusions you must know before departure. This is often where unpleasant surprises arise.

🚫 1. Non-urgent or comfort care

• routine check-ups,
• scheduled or cosmetic treatments,
• comfort consultations,
• non-prescribed alternative medicine.

👉 A non-urgent medical visit will be at your expense, even if it takes place in a hospital.

🚫 2. Undeclared pre-existing conditions

• excluded by default,
• or covered only after declaration and written acceptance.

This includes chronic illnesses, serious treatments, heart conditions, diabetes, etc.
Stable ≠ covered without contractual validation.

🚫 3. Accidents related to alcohol or drugs

• accidents under the influence of alcohol,
• drug use (zero tolerance in Japan),
• serious violations of local law.

Financial consequences can be severe without coverage.

🚫 4. Undeclared risky sports or activities

• off-piste skiing,
• hiking in unmarked areas,
• diving, mountaineering, extreme sports,
• sometimes even cycling depending on the policy.

Always verify the exact contractual definition of the activity — it is often more restrictive than expected.

🚫 5. “Personal convenience” cancellations

• change of mind,
• fatigue,
• fear of traveling,
• simple personal postponement.

Only reasons explicitly listed in the contract are covered.

🚫 6. Coverage limits exceeded (the classic trap)

• medical limit too low,
• daily sub-limits,
• limited upfront payment.

In Japan, hospitalization can exceed several thousand euros in just a few days. An inadequate limit = immediate out-of-pocket expenses.

Credit card insurance (Visa, Mastercard, Amex): is it enough for Japan?

In most cases, no.

• medical limits that are too low,
• little or no upfront payment,
• frequent exclusions,
• limited coverage duration,
• activation conditional on paying for the trip with the card.

A few days of hospitalization can exceed €20,000 — well above typical credit card limits.

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