Know Your Japanese Prescription Drugs

For those of you who like to know the side-effects, ingredients and other details of your medications, there is an English-language site designed just for you.

Here's the link.

The page has alphabetical lists as well as a search function. There's also a Japanese version if your medication doesn't have a romanji name.

You can search by disease symptom, too, if you're into self-diagnosis.

Going to the Doctor in Japan

As you frequent AccessJ readers may have noticed, we have just covered the various medical specialities in Japan as well as the Japanese health insurance system. Following up on our medical theme, today we will look at the important points of getting fixed up at the local clinic.

Going to the Doctor's Office
While some specialists such as psychiatrists require advanced reservations, for the most part appointments are not needed - all you need do is walk in, present your insurance card and wait for the doctor to see you. For most small clinics, the wait is generally less than an hour but for big hospitals it can be longer. Also, some hospitals require reservations for certain specialists or services depending on the time and day of the week. For a detailed list of medical specialities avaliable in Japan, check out our post here.

Finding a clinic is relatively easy. Chances are there is at least one in your neighborhood. If not, Yahoo Japan, My Clinic, and Doctor.ne.jp all offer nation-wide doctor searches to help locate your nearest health care provider. You can also search by speciality and geographic location.

These sites also show times when the clinic is open. Most doctors divide their day into morning and afternoon blocks. Generally speaking, morning hours end around 11:00 or 12:00 followed by a two hour break wherein evening hours begin (generally until 5:00 or 6:00). Since most doctors still make house calls in Japan, its not unusual for a doctor to be late returning for his evening appointments. Some clinics may offer priority to returning patients or those with reservations. Referrals are generally not necessary except of certain appointment hours at large hospitals (usually late afternoon).

If you are not a Japanese speaker or reader, it is probably a good idea to bring a friend along so you can explain what ails you as well as fill out forms regarding allergies, medication history, etc. 

Dealing With Doctors
In Japan, like many other countries, a doctor is a position of particularly high esteem. Doctors are always addressed as sensei (先生) much like teachers and lawyers to reference their prestigious position. Despite being a lucrative business, many doctors practice well into their 60s and even 70s so except the average age of your practitioner to be on the older side.

Here are some points to keep in mind:

• For older doctors, asking directly for a second opinion is akin to calling him or her a liar. The good news is that this is changing as younger doctors take the reigns and medicals schools make their curriculum more patient-sensitive. More and more big hospitals are posting signs telling their patients not to fear asking for a second opinion.
• Due to the "doctor knows best" school of thought, doctors usually don't ask your opion regarding treatment, instead preferring to go right ahead with whatever treatment they deem necessary. Again, this tends to be more true for older doctors.
• Finally, doctors in Japan sometimes often come off as curt and down right dismissive. Keep in mind, doctors get paid per patient. Therefore, there isn't a lot of chit-chat involved and usually the doctor isn't interested in hearing anything but your immediate symptoms. 

As to the question of quality, Japan is internationally of high-regard medically, and this author's experience has been a largely positive one. If one particular clinic doesn't do it for you, then just take your business to another, more reputable doctor. 


What to Bring
If you are just going for a routine check-up, then all you need is an insurance card/booklet. If you don't have one yet (i.e. you are waiting for it to come in the mail), you can often submit a claim for reimbursement so long as you are current on your premiums and your insurance has officially kicked in. If you find yourself going to the doctor multiple times, most medical providers will check your insurance card once a month to make sure your insurance is current.

If you check into the hospital overnight or longer, most facilities ask that you bring your own towels, slippers, tooth brush, tissues, and other sundries. This may sound strange to many but hospitals love to bill you for anything that you don't bring yourself so if you find yourself hospitalized, it doesn't hurt to ask a friend to bring some goods to you. Also, if you want a nicer room, private quarters, and other goodies, then be prepared to pay a lot more out of pocket.


More

• According to the OECD's 2003 health data, the average Japanese person visits a doctor 14.4 times a year, far out pacing the second place USA (8.9 visits per person). Not surprisingly, even a small city will likely have many doctors offices and specialists just waiting to take your insurance money.
• Unlike many other countries, doctors are almost always in private practice, although in bigger cities some doctors have multiple branches or cooperative clinics. For basic treatment, there are two main types of doctor's offices: "clinics" (クリニック kurinikku) and i-in (医院). The two are essentially the same except i-in are almost always private practices, while clinics can have multiple branches. 
• Furthermore, some cities like Tokyo have special "foreigner clinics" geared toward short term business travelers and temporary residents. These clinics don't accept Japanese health insurance and are usually more expensive although they provide English speaking staff.
• One thing that gets particularly confusing is the the exact definition of "hospital" (病院 byoin). In Japan, it is not unusual for a single doctor or a group of doctors to run small, private hospitals with a few beds and over night staff. These small hospitals also double as clinics. However, not all hospitals accept ambulances. Emergency intake is generally limited to big private hospitals, city run hospitals (市立病院 shiritsu byoin), prefectural hospitals (県立病院 kenritsu byoin), national hospitals (国立病院 kokuritsu byoin), and university hospitals (大学病院 daigaku byoin). 
• Almost all large hospitals have an extensive array of out-patient (外来 gairai) doctors that specialize in a variety of non-emergency medicine much like a regular clinic. Most hospitals and many clinics are part of a area-wide doctor practice group (denoted by 会 -kai).
• Clinics and hopitals will often give you a card with a patient number in case you come back. Hang on to this as it will make finding your medical records that much easier.

Well, loyal readers, that about covers our doctor visit guide. For our next post we will look at dentistry in Japan. With any luck you won't need to use any of this info on a regular basis, but in the event that you get ill just remember that AccessJ has your back!

Dialects in Japan (map)

Japanese learners beware: Japan has some vastly different dialects. This post features a map of where the most prominent variations apply. Yay!



This image came from an interesting thread on Reddit Japan. They didn't mention where they found it, so all credit to them for posting. Check out the thread for a discussion of some of the specific language differences.

Click to enlarge.

Suicide Helplines in Japan

If living in Japan, or other things, are causing abnormal amounts of unhappy feelings, here are some numbers of people who can help.

These three sets of details are taken from suicide.org - a website with databases for many international countries' helplines and counselling services.

Befrienders International, Tokyo
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +81 (0) 3 5286 9090
Website: www1.odn.ne.jp/~ceq16010
Hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 20:00 - 06:00

BI Suicide Prevention Centre, Osaka
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone - Letter:
Hotline: +81 (0) 6 4395 4343
Website: spc-osaka.org
Hours:
Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun: 00:00 - 23:00

Tokyo English Lifeline
5-4 22 rm 302, Minami Aoyama
Minao Ku
107-0062
TOKYO
Contact by: Face to Face - Phone
Hotline: Counselling: 03 5774 0992
Hotline: Face to Face: 03 3498 0231
Website: telljp.com

WS: "The computer is on the desk" Game 1st G JHS

This is a fun game using prepositions. It exists in various forms for various grammar points from various sources online. Here is how we at AccessJ play it, which is by far the smoothest way we've found.




In groups, students need to work together to find and record the hints around the classroom.

Here's the sheet.

• First, cut out all the clues and stick them around the classroom. Make it a bit of a challenge to find them.
• Put students in their lunchtime groups. 4 students is ideal, but 3-6 is also fine, so if they have lunchtime groups just stick with those.
• Give them the three pages on the handout which do not contain the clues (so the room, blank hint sheet and items).
• One student is nominated to be the detective, one to be the scribe, one to cut out the item and one to stick it on the sheet. This changes each turn (rotate roles around the group).
• Detective stands up and goes to find a clue. He/she must remember the number of the clue and it's contents, then go back to the group and tell them his discovery.
• Everyone does their job, then the roles change. 
• Repeat.
• At the end, you can ask "where is ____", or blow up a sheet with the correct locations etc for them to compare.

Sorry for the dull explanation - it's a fun game, try it!

Fills about 30 minutes.

Medical Specialties in Japan

Since we have recently been covering the topic of health insurance, it seems logical to follow up with information about the various types of services you can get for your hard earned insurance money. Today, we will look at the medical specialities in Japan.


Unlike the UK and US, Japan lacks anything like a general practitioner (GP) or family doctor. People simply go to whatever specialist suits them. The most basic type of doctor is internal medicine (内科 naika) which is the closest thing to a GP. Almost every doctor has at least this one qualification and many doctors in private practice have several specialities, although they usually advertise one in particular. The various specialties are listed (for the first time in English) below:

内科 naika Internal Medicine
小児科 shonika Pediatrics
神経内科 shinkeinaika Neurological Internal Medicine
リウマチ科 riumachika Rheumatology
消化器科 shoukika Gastroenterology
臨床検査科 rinshokensaka Laboratory Medicine/Clinical Pathology
耳鼻咽喉科 jibiinkoka Otorhinolaryngology/Ears-Nose-Throat
性病科 seibyoka Sexual Transmitted Disease Specialist
歯科 shika Dentistry
東洋医学科 toyoigakuka Eastern Medicine
乳腺外科 nyusengeka Mammary Surgery
胃腸科 ichoka Gastro-intestinal Medicine
腎臓内科 jinzonaika Nephrology
心療内科 shinryonaika Psychosomatic Medicine
小児外科 shonigeka Pediatric Surgery
放射線科 hoshasenka Radiology
気管食道科 kikanshokudoka Broncho-Esophology
肛門科 komonka Proctology
矯正歯科 kyoseishika Corrective Dentistry
予防医学科 yoboigakuka Preventative Medicine
不妊治療 funinchiryo Infertility Treatment
血液内科 ketsueki naika Haematology
外科 geka Surgery
呼吸器外科 kokyuki geka Chest and Respiratory Surgery
形成外科 keisei geka Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
麻酔科 masuika Anaesthesiology
アレルギー科 arerugika Allergist
産科 sanka Obstetrics
小児歯科 shoni shika Pediatric Dentistry
審美歯科 shinbi shika Aesthetic Dentistry
呼吸器科 kokyukika Pulmonology
神経科 shinkeika Neurology
整形外科 seikei geka Orthopedic Surgery
心臓血管外科 shinzo kekkan geka Cardiovascular Surgery
美容外科 biyo geka Cosmetic Surgery
内分泌科 naibunbika Endocrinology
皮膚科 hifuka Dematology
婦人科 fujinka Gynecology
歯科口腔外科 shikakoku geka Oral Surgery
インプラント inpuranto Medical Implants
循環器科 junkankika Cardiology
リハビリ科 rihabirika Rehabilitation
胸部外科 kyobu geka Thoracic Surgery
病理科 byorika Pathology
内視鏡科 naishikyoka Endoscopy
泌尿器科 hinyokika Urology
眼科 ganka Ophthmology
スポーツ科 supootsuka Sports Medicine
予防歯科 yobo shika Preventative Dentistry

Note: Obstetrician and Gynecology (婦人産科 fujin sanka) are often practiced by the same doctor much like a Western OBGYN, although in bigger clinics they may be divided into separate sections.

Typically, a doctor's main field of specialization will be in the name of the clinic (i.e. Taka Internal Medicine Clinic) or the specialities of a given practice will be listed after the clinic name. In the case of large hospitals, various out patient specialities will be divided by section, floor, and sometimes even by building.


That about does it. But what good is a list without an explanation of how to handle going to the Japanese doctor? No worries, next week: "Going to the Doctor's Office in Japan"!

Live International TV in Japan

Missing your favorite rugby matches, Wimbledon or wheelchair athletics? Need your fix of Neighbours on BBC1? Desperately need to watch your social and mental inferiors kick a ball and fall over deliberately?

Here's how you can keep up to date.


VIPBox is a website residing in the grey area of streamed audiovisual content. The site itself is legal because, in it's own words:

VIPBox is an Internet Service Provider offering a platform which merely displays links to audiovisual content located on servers of third parties and provided and/or transmitted by third parties. VIPBox does not host nor transmit any audiovisual content itself and does not control nor influence such content.

Put another way, watching the streamed content on there may not be considered legal, depending on your region and other factors. If you think that some sports giant is going to come crashing down on you, you may want to skip this one.

Anyway, there you can watch all your favourite sports, and also TV from the US/UK.

Buying Scuba Diving Equipment in Japan

As with several other things and previous posts (vitamins, clothes etc), the cheapest way to buy scuba gear in Japan is to not actually buy it here at all. Rather, import it.

I have just bought loads of equipment, and hunted out the cheapest international deal to do so. Here are my findings.

The cheapest site on the internet appears to be www.leisurepro.com

Postage is incredibly expensive to Japan, mainly because they use FedEx Express which only takes 48 hours. I ordered 2 full sets of gear and paid 177USD postage. If you contact them privately, you may be able to negotiate a cheaper shipping option. You will also be charged an import tax if the value of the items is marked on the box and the content is not (water sports equipment should technically not be taxed). Again, you might be able to get around that if you email privately, but I was only charged 3,200yen on a 140,000yen order.

Regardless, even with postage and customs the prices can't be beaten in Japan.

One tip, though - if you are ordering several items, then your best bet could be to use their "Create Your Own Package" feature. The set packages can be very cheap, but prices fluctuate almost daily. One day the Mares #2 package will be 671USD, the next day 911USD. The jumps are that big. So, either make your own or keep an eye on your favourite package over time.


More

• Although you can take air tanks on aircraft, they need to be prepped for inspection (not sure how that would work in this scenario, but it's probably not an issue if they're new), and you may find it easier just to rent or buy in Japan.
• It's also worth checking LeisurePro's "used" section, which seems to mostly consist of ex-display models with big discounts.

WS: Past Passive "Were drawn by" 3rd G JHS

This is a third graders' version of the first grade sheet I posted last week.


One side of the paper is the drawing areas, the other the lines for text.

Instruct students to listen carefully to your key words. They have 30 seconds to draw your key word as many times as possible in the appropriate box.

I chose simple things like socks, bananas etc to start with, then threw it some hard ones like Kappa Sushi Hello Kitty Grape Juice, 2005 Nissan Cube etc. near the end.

After drawing, get them to flip over the sheets, make pairs, and ask each other "How many _______ did you draw?" Armed with that information, they write two sentences. One in the past as "I drew six buses", and one as the past passive "Seven buses were drawn by Tomoya."

Here's the sheet.

Expect to fill around 15 minutes.

Health Insurance Guide #5: Do I Need Insurance At All?

Now for the final installment of our health insurance series, where we will address the monetary and moral dilemma of whether or not you really need insurance.

The Dilemma

First and foremost, not everyone has the luxury of choosing whether or not they enroll in a health insurance scheme. However, for students, self-employed, or those working for small English schools or dispatch firms, the choice to go down to the city office and enroll in NHI is all yours.

The main pain of NHI is that payments will be deceptively cheap only to jump drastically after your first year of paid salary. Depending on your income and number of dependents, this can be a significant expense, generally more so than those who are enrolled in EHI. Moreover, you have the added chagrin of knowing that a large portion of your premiums go to covering the cost of low-cost insurance for the elderly. Therefore, it is tempting to just keep that 15,000-30,000 or so yen a month that would go to health care and save it for a rainy day.

Lets look at the pros and cons health insurance

Pros

• Living (relatively) worry free-- This is probably an obvious point but being insured can assure you a great deal of freedom by providing a social safety net. You don't have to fret about one dehabilitating and potentially costly injury ruining your life savings. Obviously, there are out of pocket costs associated with health care but when you have to get that super expensive operation it will seem like a bargain

• Planning for the Future-- As a young, virile individual, its easy to dismiss health care as a service for old fogies. However, we are all doomed to become geezers sooner or later and, more importantly, you never know what the future holds. Many people come to Japan with the intention of only staying a year or two and then end up settling down and making a family. When you have neglected to pay insurance premiums for all those year, singing up will cost a bundle in back payments which cash strapped municipalities are unlikely to forgive.

• Being a Good Citizen-- Public health insurance is, by its very nature, a cooperative effort where in neighbors pool together to help those who have fallen on hard times. More than just not sorting your garbage or refusing to pay neighborhood association fees, not having health insurance is not only a violation of the law (albeit an unenforced law with no punishments), but you are also failing to support your fellow citizens. That said, there are more than a few Japanese who don't pay into the system but nuts to them.

Cons

• Cost-- While Japanese health insurance may seem like a steal for Americans who are accustomed to being ripped off for health care, Japan is unique amongst many other countries insofar as health insurance is not paid through general wage taxation. NHI in particular can be extraordinary expensive for those on a limited budget and who have multiple dependents. Although the cost of EHI is rising as well, NHI tends to be a bit more expensive for those who don't qualify for exemptions.

• The Old Folks Factor-- The truth of the matter is that, as an NHI insurance, the lion's share of your tax and "elderly support fee" go to support Japan's massive geriatric community who are by far the biggest users of public health care. Those 75 and over entitled to extremely cheap insurance wherein they only pay 10 percent out of pocket and pay a very low monthly premium as well as low limits on high medical care. The fact that the septuagenarian crowd eats up so much of your insurance fees while paying so little is enough to make people opt to not join the system.

• Administrative Hassle-- Since NHI fees are based on the previous years earnings, you have to make sure you properly file taxes resulting from non-full time and/or part time work. If you are student, you have to make sure to file for a student reduction every year at the town hall as well as submit all your withholding slips to town hall. If you are self employed or work multiple jobs then this can be an extra hassle.

While not everyone has the option to avoid the system, the choice to join public health insurance is ultimately your own. In this author's own opinion, joining the NHI is not only the socially responsible thing to do, it is a great boon in the odd event that your Iron Man body fails you. Having insurance is precisely for those times that you can never possibly predict. Yeah, the cost sucks but in the end you have peace of mind and you are one step closer to being a productive member or Japanese society.

Well, that about does it folks! Thanks for taking a look at our Japanese health insurance super feature.

Other posts in this series

• The Fundamentals [part 1] [part 2]
• National Health Insurance
• Employee Health Insurance
• Optional Insurance
• Do I need Insurance at all?

Being an ALT #17: What To Wear?

Do you need a suit? Can you wear sandals in the summer? Is it Okay to not wear a bra?

All this and more answered within.


This information is for Junior High and Elementary. I don't yet know the details for High School. Please leave us a comment if you do.

First of all, yes you do need a suit. You will be expected to wear it for the big ceremonies and enkais. TIP: Don't wear a black tie, because it symbolises death.


I would recommend keeping a suit at school if you can, as you never know when someone will forget to tell you about a teachers' photo etc.

For general, everyday wear, a pair of smart trousers (skirts reserved for special occasions) will do. They don't need to be suit trousers at all. Many teachers wear tracksuits, which is perfectly acceptable. I wear black coloured sports trousers. No denim.

Your top half wants to be at least short-sleeved, covering any cleavage you may have (men or women) and not showing your lower back at all (in any position). Generally, print T-shirts are not acceptable (expect in elementary school), but polo-necks are. Sports "dry" T-shirts seem to be fine. And you should probably wear a bra.

In cold weather you may want to wear a jacket at school. You can do so if it's not huge. A sensible, thin jacket may be worn.

Footwear
It seems that you can wear sandals, but flip-flops are a little too casual. And most people wear socks, too...

You will need indoor shoes for school, which can be pretty much any style you want. I'd steer away from luminous coloured trainers, but even that may not be a problem.

If in doubt, ask.

Being an ALT series: 

Part #1: Teaching English in Japan 

Part #2: Your Role

Part #3: A Typical Day

Part #4: Planning Classes 

Part #5: Getting Drunk on Duty (the Enkai) 

Part #6: 4 Japanese Teachers You May Have to Work With

Part #7: Physical Resources

Part #8: Making Activities

Part #9: Hopping Between Schools

Part #10: More School Hopping

Part #11: Getting Molested At School

Part #12: It Is Really This Easy?
Part #13: Brushing Your Teeth At School
Part #14: Demo Lessons
Part #15: Elementary Lesson Plan Example
Part #16: School Lunch
Part #17: What to Wear

International Supermarkets and Other Home Comforts

I have written before about getting your Japan fix in the UK. But what about getting your home comforts whilst in Japan?

I have learned to live with (and sometimes love) the Japanese alternative of most things: teabags, chocolate, shampoo etc.

But there are certain English (and presumably other nationality) products which are just better than the Japanese counterpart! Mainly toothpaste, deodorant, HobNobs and face-wash. I know there are some sites out there bent on convincing would-be ex-pats into thinking that the toothpaste and deodorant problem is just a rumour... well it's not! I have not found a single brand of toothpaste which doesn't make me gag (my students use a toothpaste in a fetching gray shade...yuck), and the deodorant is like sprinkling flavoured water on yourself.

To get these home comforts, and a few other luxuries (e.g. a good, spicy curry paste) we have mainly been relying on few and far between home visits, friends and family on holiday or other ex-pats willing to bring back things when they are on a trip back.

There are however many international supermarkets in Japan; stocking everything from English biscuits to American root beer, a range of international liquor, not to mention the hundreds of things you didn't even know you missed!

Beware: Japanese toothpaste

This informative website, exploring all the delicious things Japan has to offer also features a list of international supermarkets in the Tokyo area and beyond.

Another way to get these home comforts is by ordering online.

However this can prove difficult, if not impossible for some food items. The meat guy stocks some of the things you might be craving, such as couscous and specialities like pumpkin pie to meet your thanksgiving needs (and proper size and shape steaks).

The flying pig, and yoyomarket, also stock imported food including frozen and chilled goods,  as well as electrical items, books, and personal items, as does The Deli, which will also order in an extensive selection of American produce.

Finally, you can find shops outside of Japan who deliver here. This is slightly more difficult as there are, of course, customs regulations preventing the import of certain items (cheese for example, and certain medications). I have used Direct chemist in the past to purchase toiletries and vitamins (which can be incredibly expensive in Japan), and as noted in a previous article, Health Span UK and Nature's Best also ship vitamins and minerals.

If you can recommend anywhere else to buy food and toiletries online (and which deliver to Japan) please let us know in the comment box below.

Peach out.

WS: "How Many?" Drawing Game 1st G JHS

This is a simple activity I found on Englishpedia. It's good, but like virtually everything on there needs updating for the 21st century. I've done that, and play it slightly differently.


One side of the paper is the drawing areas, the other the lines for text.

Instruct students to listen carefully to your key words. They have 30 seconds to draw your key word as many times as possible in the appropriate box.

I chose simple things like socks, bananas etc to start with, then threw it some hard ones like Kappa Sushi Hello Kitty Grape Juice, a bike, or a teacher etc. near the end.

After drawing, get them to flip over the sheets, make pairs, and ask each other "How many _______ do you have?" Armed with that information, they write two sentences. One for "I have...." and one for "You have...." (they don't know "has" at this point).

Here's the sheet.

Expect to fill around 15 minutes.

I've also converted this for the third grade grammar point of "Were drawn by". Check back next week for that.

September Roundup

Forgot all about this this month. Sorry for the delay.

What did you miss in the last four (well, five) weeks?

Well, first of all you missed the August blog roundup - wouldn't want to fall behind there. Missing an AJ blog is like missing a train, except for the vital difference that with a train, an almost identical copy turns up shortly after. And, trains kill people; never forget that. AccessJ never killed anyone (in fact, as you will find out next month, we actively help out those with suicidal tendencies.) In short, next time you miss a train, thank your lucky stars it wasn't one of our entries.

Anyway, not content just with the roundup, we then went on to post some other stuff:



Dan finished his Credit Cards series and then started anew with his Health Insurance Mega-Guide (which finishes next week).

Laura filled you in on how to get tickets to the Studio Ghibli museum in Tokyo. She also told us all about clothing sizes in Japan, and how to find things that will look normal on your massive foreign body. She then showcased some beautiful works of art actually growing in rice fields across Japan.

LP dropped by to deposit a few excellent articles on Renting a Car in Japan, the crazy varieties of potatoes over here, and an example of an Elementary School Plan for new JETs and such who are drowning in the flood of unfamiliar responsibility.

In September I went nuts and wrote 20 or 30 blogs, most of which you won't see for the next 月 or two, but some which were:

• Japanese online radio stations
• Turn Your Books into eBooks for 100yen!
• How the New Kindle Affects Your Japanese eBooks and Manga
• Being an ALT #16: School Lunch
• Buying ZMA in Japan
• And a documentary my friend Rob put together about teaching English in Japan

And let's not forget it was our bloody birthday in September! AccessJ is more than one year old now. Thanks for the cards and chocolates you bastards!

Health Insurance Guide #4: Optional Insurance

Today's topic is optional health insurance, which covers hospital fees and doctor fees that are not covered by your regular insurance.

The Basics
Supplemental insurance is usually known as "medical treatment insurance" (医療保険 iryo hoken) and is sold by numerous different agencies including Japan Post, Aflac, Metlife, and so on.

Unlike the one-size-fits-all insurance schemes, supplemental insurance comes in a variety of flavors. Since most doctors visits will only drain you of a bit of pocket money, optional insurance is usually aimed at prolonged hospitalization (入院 nyuin), cancer treatments (がん gan), surgery (手術 shujutsu), or "advanced medical treatment" (先進医療 senshin iryo)--which is usually defined as cutting edge recently approved treatment methods that might not be fully covered by the public insurance system.

Coverage
Most companies divide their insurance products into two main categories which include the aforementioned treatment insurance, and cancer insurance (がん保険 gan hoken). Many companies offer a comprehensive package that covers both cancer and medical treatment with various yearly and monthly payout limits.

When shopping for cancer insurance, make sure you look at the fine print. Many companies have multi-tiered plans and lower cost options often do not include treatments for certain types of common and/or invasive cancers. One of the big restrictions is for cancers of the digestional tract (消化器がん shoka-ki gan) due to the fact that there is significantly high occurrence of this form of cancer in the Japanese population. If you want "full coverage" you will have to pay a higher monthly rate.

Furthermore, there are two basic types of coverage: fixed term (定期 teiki) and life-time (終身 shushin). Fixed term is set for a given time (usually measured in years) and life-time, as the name implies, is good until you kick the bucket. Many life-time plans include survivor benefits in the result that you die of medical complications or non-natural factors over the course of treatment

Eligibility and Shopping Around
Since medical treatment insurance is a private concern, companies reserve the right to turn down your application based on factors such as health problems and having an overly hazardous line of work. Many companies do not require a doctors exam before signing up, although this can vary based on age and other factors. In addition, insurers reserve the right to request a check-up and any necessary information from your doctor if they have any doubts about your insurability. Pre-existing conditions generally are not covered by optional insurance.

Luckily, due to Japan's bountiful supply of medical insurance providers, you can shop around for plans of all shapes and sizes. Many insurers have monthly premium calculators on their website and major shopping sites like Kakaku and Yahoo Japan have insurance comparison websites where you can look at a variety of quotes all at once.

Cost and Reimbursement
Cost for optional insurance is almost entirely based on age. Therefore, a healthy 20 or 30 year old can get insurance for as little as 1000-something yen a month while an individual in their 50s or 60s can expect to pay double or triple the price depending on the benefits offered.

Once you start paying for your plan (usually in monthly or yearly installments), your insurance company will send you an insurance certificate (保険証券 hoken shoken).


Your insurance will not kick in until after your first payment. Payouts are generally made in the form of reimbursements where in you send the insurance company your receipts and paperwork and, after an employee reviews your eligibility, the company will transfer you the money to either your bank account or the account of your medical provider. Make sure to check with your provider about what sort of forms are required before you submit a claim.

Some hospitals may allow you to defer out of pocket payments for treatment so long as you designate the hospital as the recipient of the insurance money. However, this is by no means universal so make sure you check with your medical provider. The hospital or doctor may require proof that you are current on your insurance payments and that your plan covers your treatment.

If you plan on getting your own plan and you don't know much Japanese, it is advisable to bring along someone who does, as most forms are not available in English.



Pop by again next Friday for our feature on the moral and monetary quandary of enrolling in Japanese Health Insurance.

Other posts in this series

• The Fundamentals [part 1] [part 2]
• National Health Insurance
• Employee Health Insurance
• Optional Insurance
• Do I need Insurance at all?

Being an ALT #16: School Lunch

We've posted before about school lunch, several times. But to be more comprehensive we've decided to update our old entries and incorporate them into the Being an ALT series.

So, let's explore the wonders of school lunch time in Japan.

In my school (and most other elementary and junior high schools in the region), the children of my weekly host class come and collect me and my food from the teacher's room. Then we go to their class and I wait until the children have finished serving each other (food is served from large vats at the from of the class by those students whose turn it is to do so).

If you don't have one, I suggest buying a lunch mat (see the images later in this post). All students have them, and will be excited that you have one too.

Then we say the customary いただきます (itadakimasu) and eat. This usually ends well before the "end of lunch" chime, and we must wait for that before washing and returning our dishes. In this time, you can talk with the students or sit in total silence. Often the kids are either scared still of communicating with you, or just don't want to.

Don't get me wrong, I love my kids. But if they ever work up the courage to speak to me it's just to ask what my favourite colour is, how tall I am and if I have a girlfriend. I've taught them for years, they know this stuff already.

Talking Japanese to them just makes them laugh... :(

When the bell rings we say our いただきました (itadakimashita) or ごちそうさまでした (gochisousamadeshita), "wash" our plates and bowls with 100ml of water and a pair of chopsticks and then go our separate ways. Then the students and teachers brush their teeth.

The food
If you're vegetarian, either forget it, or bring your own lunch. Japan isn't welcoming to your kind. Generally lunch always consists of milk and rice (replaced once a week with bread or noodles depending on the time of year), and will come with some kind of soup (usually containing small piece of meat), a piece of meat or other source of protein, and a salad (often very, very pickled). Here's a sample from my 5 Random School Lunches post from last year:


Wednesday

• Rice with yukari. Not sure what that is but it turned it purple and tasted similar to umeboshi (pickled plums),
• Tomato omelette,
• Fried sweet potato slithers, cucumber and lettuce,
• Sumashi soup with wakame, mushrooms, reformed fish and indeterminate bits of vegetable.
• Calories: 734
• Review: Cold and miserable. 2/5

The combinations of food are often quite strange. In fact, so strange that a book was written on it. You can check out all the odd combinations with glossy, full-color photos in the book on Amazon; a smattering of the funny ones are listed here:

• White Bread + Rice Cakes
• Brown Sugar Bread and Miso Soup
• Toast with Jam and Vinegared Pork
• Steamed Strawberry Bread and Kitsune Udon
• Curry Tofu Stirfry and Chocolate Deep-Fried Bread
• Curry Udon and an American Hotdog
• Yakisoba and a Donut

To be fair, when interviewed, the nutrition experts at offending school districts defended their position, saying they are required by the national government to provide a certain number of calories and amount of vitamins and minerals in each lunch. But, Japanese kids are (in my opinion) some of the pickiest eaters in the world. So, the nutrition experts continued, its necessary to choose high calorie foods kids are willing to eat and pair them with a smattering of other stuff to meet the vitamin requirements. 

Being an ALT series: 

Part #1: Teaching English in Japan 

Part #2: Your Role

Part #3: A Typical Day

Part #4: Planning Classes 

Part #5: Getting Drunk on Duty (the Enkai) 

Part #6: 4 Japanese Teachers You May Have to Work With

Part #7: Physical Resources

Part #8: Making Activities

Part #9: Hopping Between Schools

Part #10: More School Hopping

Part #11: Getting Molested At School

Part #12: It Is Really This Easy?
Part #13: Brushing Your Teeth At School
Part #14: Demo Lessons
Part #15: Elementary Lesson Plan Example
Part #16: School Lunch

Turn Your Books into eBooks for 100yen!

If you have a physical book you would prefer to have as a digital book, then we have the perfect service for you.

Read on for more details and the link!


ScaNow.jp will scan your 350 page or less book for 100 yen. Not only that, but their website is in English (sort of).

You will have to pay (a little) extra if you would like the .pdf on a disc instead of downloaded, want the cover scanned too, etc. but most people will be happy with the 100yen option.

Process

• Fill out the online form and pay (they accept PayPal, amongst other methods).
• Send the company your book, or get an online shop to deliver directly to ScaNow.
• They scan it and send you the file within 1-3 working days.

More

• If you want your book back again, you'll need to pay postage and may find that it just isn't worth it.
• Files are watermarked, presumably to prevent piracy. So watch your back if you share with friends.
• Most of the other pay-option are things you can do yourself for free, such as changing the file name, or scanning the front and back covers.