Finding English-Speaking Doctors and Therapists in Japan

The Challenge

Finding a doctor in Japan is not hard. Finding one who speaks English is. Finding one who speaks English and specializes in developmental disabilities, pediatric neurology, or child psychiatry is harder still. And finding an occupational therapist, speech therapist, or psychologist who can work with your child in English may be the hardest of all.

This is one of the biggest practical challenges foreign families of children with disabilities face in Japan. This article covers the tools and resources available to help you find the right professionals, and offers practical strategies for when a perfect match does not exist.

Government Search Tools

1. Medical Information Net "NAVI" (Iryou Jouhou Netto "Nabii" / 医療情報ネット「ナビイ」)

This is the national medical institution search system operated by MHLW. It allows you to search for hospitals and clinics by location, specialty, and available languages. You can filter specifically for institutions that offer services in English (or other languages). The interface is available in English, Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. It covers hospitals, clinics, dental clinics, and pharmacies nationwide.

Search here: Medical Information Net (NAVI)

2. The Foreign Patient Medical Institution List

MHLW and the Japan Tourism Agency jointly maintain a list of medical institutions that accept foreign patients, organized by prefecture. The list includes two categories: Category 1 for hospitals that can handle emergency admissions with multilingual support, and Category 2 for clinics and hospitals that accept foreign patients for outpatient care. Each prefectural list shows which languages are available.

Access the list through the MHLW International Medical Page.

3. JNTO Medical Guide

The Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO / 日本政府観光局) provides a medical institution search in English, Chinese, and Korean. While it is designed primarily for tourists, the search tool is useful for residents too. You can search by area, language, and specialty.

Search here: JNTO Medical Guide

Free Multilingual Medical Helplines

If you are not sure where to start, these free telephone services can help you find an English-speaking doctor or explain how the Japanese medical system works.

AMDA International Medical Information Center

AMDA (アムダ) is a nonprofit organization that provides free multilingual medical information and referrals to medical institutions where foreign languages are spoken. They can help you find an English-speaking doctor in your area. This is one of the most valuable resources for foreigners in Japan.

Phone: 03-6233-9266 (or toll-free 0120-339-266)
English hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Website: amdamedicalcenter.com

Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center (Himawari / ひまわり)

If you are in Tokyo, the Himawari helpline provides medical information in English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, and Spanish. They can help you find a hospital or clinic and explain how to use the medical system.

Phone: 03-5285-8181
Hours: Daily, 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM
Website: Tokyo Medical Info

JNTO Japan Visitor Hotline

JNTO operates a 24-hour, multilingual call center that can assist with medical emergencies and help locate medical facilities.

Phone: 050-3816-2787
Hours: 24 hours, 365 days

Finding Specialists for Your Child

For families of children with disabilities, the challenge goes beyond finding a general English-speaking doctor. You need specialists: developmental pediatricians, child psychiatrists, neurologists, and therapists. Here are strategies that can help.

Developmental Disability Support Centers

Your nearest hattatsu shougai sha shien sentaa (発達障害者支援センター) may be able to connect you with specialists who have experience working with non-Japanese-speaking families, even if the center itself operates in Japanese. Find your nearest center through hattatsu.go.jp.

University Hospitals

University hospitals (daigaku byouin / 大学病院) are often the best option for finding English-speaking specialists. Doctors at university hospitals are more likely to have trained internationally or to have published in English. Many university hospitals also have international patient departments or coordinators who can assist with language.

International Clinics

In major cities, international clinics (kokusai kurinikku / 国際クリニック) operate with English-speaking staff and doctors. Some have pediatric departments and can provide referrals to specialists. The trade-off is that these clinics are often more expensive and may not be covered by Japanese health insurance for all services.

English-Speaking Clinics for Diagnosis and Assessment

If you need a developmental assessment or diagnosis in English, these clinics are worth knowing about. Most are in Tokyo, which reflects the reality that English-language specialist services are concentrated in major cities.

Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic (TMSC):

One of the longest-established international clinics in Japan, operating since 1951. TMSC has European and US-trained doctors and offers an Autism Diagnostic Service. They also have English-speaking speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and psychotherapists on staff. Located in central Tokyo.

Website: tmsc.jp

Komorebi Psychology:

A clinical psychology practice in Tokyo offering psychological evaluations and diagnostic assessments for ADHD, Autism, Dyslexia, and processing disorders using English-language materials. They also provide therapy and counseling for children, teenagers, and adults in English, Spanish, and Japanese, with a neurodiversity-affirming approach.

Website: komorebi-psychology.com

Akasaka Family Clinic:

A pediatrics, internal medicine, and rehabilitation clinic in Minato-ku, Tokyo that offers the WISC-V intelligence test in English. This is especially useful for families who need an English-language cognitive assessment for school placement, developmental concerns, or referrals.

Website: afc.tokyo

TELL:

In addition to their counseling services, TELL offers psychological assessments for children in English at their Tokyo office, including the WISC-V and WPPSI-IV. Reports are delivered in English. See the counseling section below for more on TELL.

The Therapist Challenge

Finding English-speaking therapists (OT, PT, speech therapists) in Japan is significantly harder than finding English-speaking doctors. The rehabilitation professions in Japan train and operate almost entirely in Japanese, and there are very few therapists who can conduct therapy sessions in English.

Some options to explore:

International clinics with rehabilitation departments may have English-speaking therapists, but these are rare and concentrated in Tokyo and Osaka.
Some jidou hattatsu shien facilities (developmental support centers) in areas with large foreign populations may have staff with some English ability. Ask when you visit.
Online therapy services from English-speaking therapists based outside Japan are an option for some types of therapy, though they cannot replace hands-on work.
Consider working with a Japanese-speaking therapist and bringing a friend or interpreter to the first few sessions to understand the approach, then continuing with less language support once you understand the routine.

English-Speaking Therapy and Counseling Services

While options are still limited compared to what you might find in the US or UK, a growing number of services now offer therapy and counseling in English in Japan. Some focus specifically on children with developmental needs; others provide general mental health support for the international community.

LUCREA:

Based in Tokyo, LUCREA offers clinical and educational services for children with developmental needs in English, Japanese, and French. Their team includes speech therapists, occupational therapists, BCBAs (Board Certified Behavior Analysts), RBTs, and a developmental psychologist. They also work with international schools and provide individualized treatment plans. Established in 2016.

Website: lucrea.co.jp

TELL:

A nonprofit that has been serving Japan’s international community since 1973. TELL offers confidential face-to-face and online counseling for individuals, couples, families, children, and adolescents in English and Japanese. They have offices in Tokyo (Omotesando) and Okinawa, plus teletherapy for anywhere in Japan. TELL also operates a free Lifeline for emotional support (0800-300-8355, toll-free).

Website: telljp.com

ShisaCare:

An English-speaking therapy service with locations near US military bases across Japan, including Okinawa, Yokosuka, Yokota, Atsugi-Zama, Iwakuni, Misawa, and Sasebo. While originally focused on the military community, they offer in-person and online therapy sessions.

Website: shisacare.com

NorthStar Counseling:

An online counseling and life coaching service offering sessions in English and Japanese for anyone in Japan. They are LGBTQA+ and neurodivergent-friendly, and provide individual counseling, child therapy, family counseling, and life coaching.

Website: northstarjp.org

IMHPJ (International Mental Health Professionals Japan):

A professional organization that maintains a searchable directory of verified English-speaking mental health professionals in Japan. All listed clinical members have proven their credentials and signed an ethics pledge. You can search by specialty, location, and language. This is a good starting point if you are looking for a therapist outside of Tokyo.

Website: imhpj.org/find-a-therapist-guide

When You Cannot Find an English Speaker

In many parts of Japan, especially outside major cities, finding an English-speaking specialist simply may not be possible. Here are strategies for making it work:

Medical Interpreters

Some municipalities and hospitals offer free or subsidized medical interpreter services (iryou tsuuyaku / 医療通訳). Ask your ward office or the hospital’s reception desk whether this is available. AMDA also offers telephone-based medical interpretation that can be used during appointments.

Multilingual Medical Materials

MHLW has created a comprehensive set of multilingual medical forms and explanation materials covering everything from intake questionnaires to consent forms, available in over 10 languages. These can be extremely helpful when communicating with a Japanese-speaking doctor. Download them from the MHLW multilingual materials page.

Prepare in Writing

Write down your questions and concerns in both English and Japanese before your appointment. Translation apps can help, but having a prepared written document is more reliable than translating on the spot. Include your child’s symptoms, medical history, and what you are hoping to discuss.

Practical Tips

Call AMDA first. Before you spend hours searching online, call the AMDA helpline. They have a database of medical institutions and can give you a personal recommendation based on your location and needs.
Always call ahead. Even if a hospital is listed as having English-speaking staff, that person may not be available every day. Call before your visit to confirm.
Use the MHLW "NAVI" search tool. Filter by your area, the shinryou ka (specialty) you need, and English as the available language. This is the most comprehensive official database.
Ask your embassy. Many embassies maintain lists of English-speaking doctors and hospitals that their nationals have used. Check your embassy’s website or call them directly.
Build a medical vocabulary list. Even a short list of key medical and developmental terms in Japanese can make a huge difference. Keep it on your phone for appointments.
Bring documentation to specialist appointments. For developmental and disability-related appointments, bring your child’s disability handbook (techou), any previous medical reports, and developmental test results. These documents communicate important information regardless of language.
Do not underestimate Japanese doctors because of the language barrier. Japan has excellent medical professionals. A skilled specialist who speaks limited English may be far better for your child than a general practitioner who speaks fluent English.
Download the MHLW multilingual medical forms and bring them to appointments. They cover intake, consent, prescriptions, and more.

Key Terms

Japanese Term	English
iryou jouhou netto (医療情報ネット)	Medical Information Net (search tool)
shinryou ka (診療科)	medical specialty / department
shouni ka (小児科)	pediatrics
shouni shinkei ka (小児神経科)	pediatric neurology
jidou seishin ka (児童精神科)	child psychiatry
iryou tsuuyaku (医療通訳)	medical interpreter
daigaku byouin (大学病院)	university hospital
kokusai kurinikku (国際クリニック)	international clinic
monshin hyou (問診票)	medical intake questionnaire
kenko hoken (健康保険)	national health insurance