Non-Japanese Speakers

Communication in the hospital

We put a high priority on a patient’s understanding and agreement on treatment. It is important that you accurately understand information given by your physician and also receive all information that you need to give informed consent for proposed procedure and treatment.

If you do not speak Japanese or English, we ask for you to be accompanied by an interpreter 24 hours a day during your hospitalization. For this reason, as a general rule, we ask you to stay in a private room with your interpreter.
➡Interpreters and Agents

If we consider that communication between a patient and a physician cannot be done properly, we cannot offer treatment for the sake of the patient safety.

If you speak English:

You are not required to be accompanied by an interpreter. International Services staffs can provide language assistance in English during regular office hours (Weekdays 9 am to 5 pm).

If you are worried about communication with hospital staffs in the nighttime and weekends during your hospital stay, you are advised to be accompanied by someone who can speak Japanese.

If you speak a language other than Japanese or English:

We ask you to arrange for an interpreter before your visit the hospital. International Services has native Chinese staffs, but we still ask you to bring an interpreter while you are in the hospital for inpatient and outpatient treatment.

Your family members or friends can support you as an interpreter. However, we ask that your interpreter possesses professional skills, knowledge and experiences in order to relay accurate information between patients and healthcare providers in the hospital. We expect your interpreter to fully comprehend and properly interpret medical terminology and information (e.g., descriptions of diseases, treatment options, surgical procedures).

International Patient Services can give you information of agencies that provide interpreter services. Please contact us for more information.

Support from International Services staff

International Services provides comprehensive support to you, starting from when your first contact us, guiding you through the application process for receiving a treatment, scheduling your appointment, providing necessary support during treatment, etc. (Office hours: Weekdays 9 am to 5 pm)

• Providing language assistance to English speaking patients during treatment.
• Helping patients fill out a questionnaire and explaining instructions for exams in English or Chinese.
• Providing English documents, such as referral letters, certificates and exam reports at a patient's request.

Please note that when our medical staffs feel they need assistance in communicating with you, International Services staff will be called in for help, even though you are accompanied by an interpreter.

Documentation services (Japanese and English)

We can provide a document for family members who need to take a leave of absence from work to accompany the patient. A document can be issued in Japanese or English.