The questions we are asked most often by patients considering treatment or a check-up in Japan. If yours is not here, ask us on WeChat or via the form.
Start by telling us what you are looking for (a comprehensive check-up, pain treatment, regenerative medicine, cancer care, etc.) via WeChat or the contact form, and send us any medical reports or test data you already have. MLI's in-house physicians and partner hospitals review them and explain, in your language, the options available in Japan, the likely process and an approximate cost. Once you decide to come, we handle everything from the appointment to an interpreter at your side on the day. Please book your own accommodation and flights.
Yes. From the first enquiry through the consultation itself and follow-up after you return home, everything is handled in Chinese (English is also available). MLI has a team of physicians who know both the Japanese and Chinese medical settings, and a medical interpreter with clinical knowledge accompanies you to appointments. Unlike a general interpreter, they convey diagnoses, test values and treatment plans accurately. We also translate medical documents such as reports and consent forms.
Costs vary widely with the treatment, so we quote individually after a preliminary review. Japanese hospitals set self-pay prices for foreign patients on the basis of the national insurance point system, typically at 10–30 yen per point, which means up to a three-fold difference between hospitals for the same treatment. MLI selects institutions that keep your cost down. Our quote separates the hospital's actual fees from MLI's service fee (coordination, interpreting, arrangements), with no hidden charges added later. Flights and accommodation are extra.
Payment is made in advance, before you travel, based on the quote. We accept Chinese yuan, Japanese yen or US dollars. Details of remittance and exchange handling are explained with the quote.
Travellers from mainland China generally need a visa. Check-ups, same-day procedures and short treatments can usually be done on a short-stay visa; longer or repeated treatment uses the Medical Stay Visa, which requires documents from a registered guarantor organisation in Japan — MLI works with such an organisation to prepare them. Holders of Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan and many other passports can enter visa-free for short stays. Tell us your expected treatment period when you enquire.
To be candid, treatment in Japan can cost several times — sometimes ten times — what the same procedure costs in China. People still choose Japan not for price but for precision, safety and care. Japanese check-ups are known for high early-cancer detection rates; cardiac catheter procedures routinely use IVUS/OCT imaging for precision; and doctors take time to explain the plan to each patient. MLI will tell you frankly whether that value is worth it in your case.
Yes. Send us the reports, test results and imaging (CT, MRI, angiography, etc.) issued by your hospital. MLI translates them into Japanese and a Japanese physician reviews them in advance, so you avoid repeating the same tests in Japan and can move straight to discussing treatment at the first visit. If you are unsure of the file format, just send what you have.
As a guide: a comprehensive check-up takes 1–2 days; musculoskeletal catheter treatment (TAME) and stem-cell culture supernatant infusions are same-day; cardiac catheter treatment (PCI) means about two nights in hospital plus consultations before and after, roughly a week in total. Cancer treatment and second opinions depend on the case. Please arrange your own accommodation, transport and meals; we are happy to advise on how to plan your stay around your appointments.
Yes, family are welcome. We provide an interpreter at your appointments and an emergency contact throughout your stay (please book your own accommodation and transport). For clients who value privacy, we can arrange visits separated from general patients.
Yes. Our Online Second Opinion service has a Japanese specialist review your reports and test data and provide a written opinion on treatment options. It is delivered translated into your language, with a video call if needed. Use it as the first step in deciding whether travel is really necessary and which treatment suits you.
Yes. You can keep consulting us on WeChat after you return, and we check with your Japanese doctor when needed. For hand-over to your doctor at home we provide a record of the treatment and prescriptions in your language. If ongoing treatment is needed, we advise on timing of a next visit and options locally.
Send us your reports and test data and we will explain the options available to you in Japan.