Osaka is ramping up awareness efforts for foreign visitors to purchase travel insurance when entering the city, amid 70 million yen in unpaid tourist medical bills.
The prefecture in western Japan welcomed a record 17.6 million foreign visitors in 2025, boosted in part by the World Expo which took place between April and October, said the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau.
However, the bureau noted an uptick in cases of foreign tourists seeking medical treatment in Japan and leaving without footing their bills.
According to an Osaka prefectural government survey across 285 medical institutions, this has resulted in unpaid bills of over 71.9 million yen (US$454,000) in fiscal 2024.
Osaka’s medical institutions have cited an inefficient payment system as the biggest factor, followed by lack of communications of costs prior to emergency treatments.
The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has emphasised the need to clearly indicate an estimate of medical costings during reception – a standard practice which it said is still relatively uncommon in Japan.
Since May, the Osaka Convention & Tourism Bureau has started distributing some 90,000 flyers to deepen awareness on Japan Travel Insurance, a policy partnership offered by Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. meant for overseas visitors.
Printed in English, Korean, and Chinese, these flyers can be found at Kansai International Airport, tourist information centers and hotels, among other locations in Osaka.
Travellers can purchase the insurance even after landing in Japan, with coverage starting from 800 yen for a day, covering medical and repatriation costs of up to 10 million yen.
Those who purchase via the QR code on the flyers can additionally receive a discount on the Osaka e-Pass, which offers free entry to select city attractions.
Notably, this issue isn’t limited to just one Japanese city.
In a nationwide survey across 5,500 medical institutions, data pulled from September 2024 found 16% of surveyed institutions had unpaid medical bills from foreign visitors, exceeding 60 million yen.
Japan’s health ministry has shared details of overseas visitors with outstanding medical bills with the Immigration Services Agency, which will in turn enforce stricter entry screenings for these travellers.