Healthcare Access

For English-speaking doctors in Nagasaki, try the following resources:

1. AMDA International Medical Information Center: Helps find medical providers in Japan who can speak English (or several other languages if needed) and offers free medical telephone interpretation.

( https://www.amdamedicalcenter.com/activities )

2. Japan Healthcare Info: For help finding English-speaking doctors, try using Japan Healthcare Info. If you tell them specifics in an email, they will try to find a doctor in whatever price range, area of expertise, etc. that you need. They can even make an appointment for you (for about 1100 yen). This is a great and (mostly) free resource to find healthcare of all kinds. Just be aware that there might not be any English-speaking doctors who meet your criteria in your area, so you may have to compromise on something like prices/rates or travel out of your area.

( http://japanhealthinfo.com/ or contact@japanhealthinfo.com )

3. Japan National Tourism Organization: Consult this page for a complete guide on what to do and where to go if you are sick. Don’t be fooled by the name, you don’t need to be a tourist to use their resources.

( https://www.jnto.go.jp/emergency/eng/mi_guide.html )

4. Byonin Navi: On this website, you can find an exhaustive repertoire of hospitals and clinics from all across Japan. Unfortunately, the website is entirely in Japanese, but thankfully the Google Translate browser add-on works extremely well on this site. You can select the location and specialty from the translated scroll-down menus. Just make sure to select “English support” ( 英語対応 ) before hitting the search button and you’re good to go.
*** Please note that if you choose to put in a keyword to narrow your research, you will have to type it in Japanese as it is the only thing that the Google Translate add-on won’t change automatically.***

( https://byoinnavi.jp/ ) 

5.Gender-Affirming Care: Most gender affirming care requires a diagnosis of gender incongruence (Japan uses the term Gender Identity Disorder or GID). Depending on the clinic, they may require psychiatric testing to provide a diagnosis. Services are limited in Nagasaki Prefecture, however there is access to care in nearby Fukuoka city.

Tenjinshinryo Clinic is a psychiatrist’s office who can diagnose GID (after a psychiatric evaluation) and administer Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) in office. They offer limited options for HRT however and can provide a referral to another clinic should you request one. You can find the link to the office here, however this link is to their google page because the office does not currently have a website, so you may call ahead at this number (+81 092-737-7373). The psychiatrist speaks English and can conduct the appointments and psychological evaluations in English.

( https://g.co/kgs/b5Vz8x )

For Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) and reassignment surgeries there is Nagumo Clinic in Fukuoka, you can click on the link below. However, this clinic can only provide HRT to people who have a diagnosed prescription and/or have already started HRT treatment. This clinic cannot diagnose or prescribe gender-affirming care, so if you need one check the Tenjinshinryo Clinic.

( https://www.nagumo.or.jp/fukuoka