Maximum Alerts / Japan
JapanLevel 1/4
Level published by the State Department on 14.05.2025 · read 13 October 2026 · source checked daily
Japan — official level as of 13 October 2026: Level 1/4 ("Exercise Normal Precautions"), from the U.S. Department of State. Maximum Insurance covers this country: hospital settled directly, unlimited repatriation, USD 1.5M, certificate on payment.
How we read these four advisories
Every country has its own scale, so we ask them all the same question: is the whole country advised against?
An advisory covering only areas of the country does not raise the answer: it stays “No”, and the area is shown in the relevant column.
The level shown on this page — and across this site — is the one published by the U.S. State Department, from 1 (normal precautions) to 4 (do not travel). France and the United Kingdom publish their own advisories, with their own rules: they add to that level, they do not replace it.
In a life-threatening emergency, call local emergency services first, then Maximum: +41 22 ••• •• •• — 24/7 support number, an adviser stays with you to the end.
What Maximum knows
The 207 country pages — hospitals, pharmacies, police, embassies, emergency numbers, official advice from four governments, health, safety in figures, events in progress — read around the city you name. Your policy — benefits, the six steps, claims, articles. The site — prices, certificate, subscription. Nothing else: what it does not know, it says so and hands you to an adviser.
What I say on the phone
- I am insured with Maximum, here is my policy number. Where should I go? Send me to a hospital in the Maximum network.
- Send the payment guarantee to the hospital: I do not want to pay anything up front.
- For non-urgent transport or repatriation, tell me what you authorise and arrange. In a life-threatening emergency, I call local emergency services immediately.
What to do, in this order
1Contact assistance without delay›
In immediate danger, call local emergency services first. Then contact assistance without delay; before engaging a service, seek approval under your policy. Cover is confirmed by the insurer.
2Ask where to get care›
Ask assistance where to get care and whether direct cover can be arranged. It confirms the facility and seeks the insurer's approval under your policy. In immediate danger, call local emergency services first.
3See a doctor the same day›
Even for a pain you meant to shrug off. Without a medical certificate written on the spot, the same day, the insurer cannot cover the event — a certificate written after you return does not count.
4Admitted? Have the hospital front desk call Maximum›
The hospital desk sends the request to assistance. Direct payment depends on the insurer's approval and the policy; the call alone does not guarantee it. Have the response confirmed before relying on no up-front payment.
5For non-urgent transport, seek assistance approval›
In a life-threatening emergency, call local emergency services immediately. For an arranged transfer or repatriation, contact assistance: the insurer's medical team decides on measures under the policy. A medical flight booked without approval may not be reimbursed.
6Once home, report the claim within 30 days›
Even if everything went well on the ground. Send your invoices and the medical report within 30 days; after that, compensation may be reduced or refused.
Places read from OpenStreetMap, within a circle of about 12 km: phone, email, address, website and hours when the source publishes them. No customer reviews, that source has none. Straight-line distances.
What is your current insurance?
Notices vary by bank and vintage — yours prevails. On the right: the Maximum contract (public documents).
What is happening in Japan right now
Live alerts and level changes, each with its official source. Continuously updated.
What governments have just written
La saison des typhons en Asie s’étend de juin à novembre. Il convient de s’assurer que son lieu de séjour est adapté en matière de protection contre les vents tempétueux et les fortes pluies. A défaut, il est recommandé de rejoindre un lieu sécurisé et d’éviter de rester isolé. Il est fortement conseillé de suivre les consignes diffusées par les autorités locales, en particulier avant de planifier un déplacement par la route, et de se tenir informé de l’actualité des vols…
France Diplomatie (in French) · posted 2 September 2026diplomatie.gouv.fr ↗updated 24.09.2026 · read 13.10.2026Natural disasters and climate section – added information on El Niño
October 13, 2026 14:27 EDTtravel.gc.ca ↗updated 13.10.2026 · read 13.10.2026No level change recorded for this country since the log opened. The live alerts above are updated continuously.
Frequently asked questions — travel insurance Japan
What is the official risk level in Japan today?
Level 1/4 — Exercise Normal Precautions, U.S. Department of State, retrieved on 13 October 2026.
- Is the whole country advised against? United States: no · France: no · United Kingdom: no · Switzerland: no (reading of 27 September 2026).
- Contractually, only an FDFA, FOPH or WHO advisory against the trip opens Module A (art. 18.1) — that is not the case today.
- Travel with international medical cover and the 24/7 number (+41 22 ••• •• ••) saved: here the risk is not the advisory, it is the hospital bill.
- We check these sources every morning and e-mail you the day one changes (Alerts button).
Sourcestravel.state.gov · updated 14.05 · read 13.10France Diplomatie · updated 24.09 · read 13.10DFAE · updated 30.06 · read 13.10207-country comparison
Is the whole of Japan advised against, or only some areas?
An area advised against does not rule out the country.
- Official answers: United States: no · France: no · United Kingdom: no · Switzerland: no.
- Foreign Office, regional risks: “This section has safety advice for regions of Japan. It only covers regions where FCDO has specific advice. You should also read FCDO ’s overall travel advice and safety and security advice . Fukushima There is a restricted area around the Fukushima Daiichi…”
- Keep your country of residence's advisory on booking day and on departure day: that is what your policy's clauses cite.
SourcesFrance Diplomatie · updated 24.09 · read 13.10Foreign Office · updated 28.08 · read 13.10State Department · updated 14.05 · read 13.10
What are the entry requirements for Japan with my passport?
The rules depend on the passport, not on the destination alone.
- French passport (France Diplomatie): French nationals may enter Japan for stays under 90 days without a visa. A visa is required for stays exceeding 90 days; apply via the Japanese Embassy in Paris at https://www.fr.emb-japan.go.jp/itpr_fr/visas-demarches.html. Travelers must complete Japan’s online entry form at Visit Japan Web before arrival to expedite immigration and customs checks.
- British passport (Foreign Office): British citizens visiting Japan must have a passport valid for the entire stay with at least one blank page for a visa stamp; entry will be denied if the passport is reported lost or stolen. British citizens can enter Japan visa-free for tourism or business for up to 90 days; no prior application is required unless seeking a multiple-entry visa. To stay longer than 90 days, apply for a 90-day extension at the nearest Japanese immigration office before the initial period expires; your passport must remain valid for the extension duration.
- American passport: the requirements are on the State Department country page (travel.state.gov).
- Swiss passport: the FDFA refers you to the destination's embassy in Switzerland.
- Pick your passport at the top of Before you go › Entry: the official text that concerns you comes first, with its “In brief” summary.
SourcesFrance Diplomatie · updated 24.09 · read 13.10Foreign Office · updated 28.08 · read 13.10State Department · updated 14.05 · read 13.10
Do I need an insurance certificate for a Japan visa?
For a Schengen visa, yes: at least €30,000 of travel medical insurance (Regulation (EC) No 810/2009, art. 15).
- Many other countries ask for it on entry or for a visa, case by case: check Before you go › Entry, with your passport.
- Subscribe: the named certificate arrives by e-mail on payment, with your name, dates and limits (CHF 1.5M medical expenses, unlimited evacuation and repatriation) — the ones consulates check.
- Attach it to the visa file; if in doubt about the format, write to us.
SourcesRegulation (EC) 810/2009, art. 15General conditions, policy 20 00 479
What does Maximum Insurance do in Japan, concretely?
VIP Pack — $990 for twelve months, unlimited trips.
- CHF 1.5M emergency medical expenses, unlimited medical evacuation and repatriation, search and rescue CHF 50,000, cancellation or change CHF 5,000.
- One 24/7 number, +41 22 ••• •• ••: Maximum sends its direct payment guarantee to the hospital (art. 2.12).
- Network of 45,000 providers (art. 6.9); evacuation is decided, organised and paid by Maximum's medical team if the local facility is not enough (art. 6.2.2).
- Named certificate by e-mail on payment, no medical questionnaire.
SourcesGeneral conditions, policy 20 00 479OpenStreetMap · read 08.10
How much does a medical repatriation from Japan cost?
From 26 000 € to 130 000 € depending on severity and distance (Japanode (guide assurance), 2026).
- Without cover: the hospital asks for a deposit before admission, and the medical flight is paid up front.
- With the VIP Pack: the evacuation is decided and settled by Maximum (art. 6.2.2) — no advance, no cap.
SourcesJapanode (guide assurance), 2026General conditions, policy 20 00 479
What should I do if hospitalised in Japan?
Six steps, in this order.
- 1. Call +41 22 ••• •• •• before paying anything, or have the front desk call: it is the condition for full cover (otherwise: reduced or refused benefits).
- 2. Ask for a hospital in the Maximum network (art. 6.9).
- 3. See a doctor the same day and leave with the certificate: without an on-the-spot finding, nothing is covered (art. 33).
- 4. Admitted for more than 24 h? The front desk calls Maximum: direct payment guarantee, no deposit (art. 2.12).
- 5. Book no ambulance or flight yourself (art. 6.2.2).
- 6. Once home, file within 30 days (art. 35.7).
- Local emergency services: police 110 · fire 119.
SourcesSpecial conditions 01.26General conditions, policy 20 00 479
Which emergency numbers in Japan?
Local emergency services: police 110 · fire 119
- Maximum, 24/7, before any payment: +41 22 ••• •• ••.
- France — Ambassade de France (5.6 km) · +81 3 57 98 60 00
- Switzerland — Embassy of Switzerland (4.9 km) · +81 3 5449 8400
- United Kingdom — Ambassade de Grande Bretagne (4.7 km)
- United States — Ambassade des États-Unis d'Amérique (5.2 km) · +81-3-32245000
- Save these numbers before leaving; in immediate danger, call local emergency services first, then Maximum.
SourcesEmergencyNumberAPI · Wikidata · read 08.10OpenStreetMap · read 08.10
Is an Amex, Visa or Mastercard enough in Japan?
At today's level 1/4, card by card:
- Amex Platinum — No area exclusion at this level — but three written limits: deductible and prior approval, 90-day cap, advance under conditions.
- Visa — No express area exclusion — but a €156,000 cap, 90 days, and the war/instability exclusion in the background.
- Mastercard — No exclusion in play at this level — but a €155,000 cap and 90 covered days.
- Three lines to read in your notice: the duration (often 90 days per trip), the settlement (reimbursement afterwards or direct payment of the hospital) and the area exclusion at level 4/4.
SourcesAmex Platinum France T&Cs, 01.2025 — general exclusion n° 11BNP Paribas Visa Infinite notice (policy PT7), 04.2025 — comFortuneo World Elite Mastercard notice, 01.2026 — art. 5.5 '
Are a health plan or a travel policy enough in Japan?
A health plan reimburses at home; here, the hospital asks for a payment guarantee before admission.
- Health plan — A health plan treats you at home. Here the hospital asks for a guarantee before admission — not a later reimbursement.
- Travel policy — No area exclusion at this level — compare cap, deductible and covered duration.
- A travel policy often has a territorial clause at level 4/4 and a 90-day limit per trip.
- Have your IPID number or the PDF of the terms and ask an expert to call you back: the answer is in the document, not in the brochure.
SourcesGeneral conditions, policy 20 00 479
How do I use the medical network on this page?
The page reads hospitals, pharmacies and doctors from OpenStreetMap, around the point you choose.
- Type your city, hotel or beach: the map re-centres, 24/7 emergency rooms come first.
- Each row gives the phone when the source publishes it, the nearest street, directions and the Google Maps listing.
- The PDF briefing repeats the same places, numbered on a printable map.
- No customer reviews: OpenStreetMap has none, and we invent none.
Which vaccines and health precautions for Japan?
The sourced detail is under Medical network › Health: vaccines, diseases present, altitude, outbreaks.
- CDC (Travelers' Health), depending on the trip: Routine vaccines, COVID-19, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Measles, Monkeypox.
- France Diplomatie reports in the country: dengue — mosquito protection day and night.
- See a doctor or a travel clinic 8 weeks before departure (Foreign Office).
- Carry your medicines in their packaging, with a prescription using international non-proprietary names (France Diplomatie).
SourcesCDC Travelers' Health · read 10.10France Diplomatie · updated 24.09 · read 13.10OMS · read 13.10Foreign Office · updated 28.08 · read 13.10
Can I be treated in Japan, or will I be evacuated?
2.6 physicians per 1,000 people (2022) versus 4.5 in Switzerland.
- 12.6 hospital beds per 1,000 people versus 4.4 in Switzerland (World Bank).
- With 2.6 physicians per 1,000 people (42% fewer than Switzerland), the nearest hospital does not always have the capacity for a serious case: evacuation to an adequate centre is the rule, not the exception — that is what unlimited evacuation and repatriation cover. Health spending of 3,638 USD per person (Switzerland: 11,784) goes with private hospitals that bill foreigners in hard currency and ask for a guarantee before admission: the direct payment guarantee is what avoids the deposit.
- When the local facility is not enough, Maximum's medical team decides the evacuation to a suitable centre, and pays for it (art. 6.2.2).
SourcesWorld Bank · read 10.10General conditions, policy 20 00 479
Japan: safety, in figures?
0.2 homicides per 100,000 people (2023) versus 0.6 in Switzerland and 1.3 in France.
- 3.6 road deaths per 100,000 people versus 2.2 in Switzerland (World Bank, WHO).
- The homicide rate is in the same range as Switzerland or France. On the road, a level close to Switzerland's; road crashes are the leading cause of death of healthy travellers (CDC) — seat belt, no night driving, a driver or a taxi from a rank.
Where is my embassy in Japan, and why register?
The nearest representations, by passport (OpenStreetMap):
- France — Ambassade de France (5.6 km) · +81 3 57 98 60 00
- Switzerland — Embassy of Switzerland (4.9 km) · +81 3 5449 8400
- United Kingdom — Ambassade de Grande Bretagne (4.7 km)
- United States — Ambassade des États-Unis d'Amérique (5.2 km) · +81-3-32245000
- Register before leaving: France: Ariane · Switzerland: Travel Admin · United Kingdom: Foreign Office alerts · United States: STEP.
- Two minutes, and in a crisis your country's authorities can reach you and count you in an evacuation.
- Pick your passport at the top of Contacts: your embassy comes first.
SourcesOpenStreetMap · read 08.10DFAE · updated 30.06 · read 13.10
Which regions of Japan should I avoid, precisely?
No region is advised against by the official readings checked (Global Affairs Canada, Foreign Office and France Diplomatie): the national advice applies everywhere.
- Your point (Tokyo): country-wide vigilance.
- Maximum does not exclude these areas: the VIP Pack covers care and repatriation there (sanctions, embargoes and a country already at war at departure remain enforceable).
SourcesGlobal Affairs Canada · updated 13.10 · read 13.10Foreign Office · updated 28.08 · read 13.10France Diplomatie · updated 24.09 · read 13.10
Which laws and customs should I know in Japan?
Local laws apply to every traveller; here is what the official texts say.
- You must carry your passport or residence card at all times, as failure to do so could lead to arrest or detention.
- Penalties for drug offenses are severe, with a zero-tolerance policy for all drugs, including cannabis.
- Certain medications, including Adderall and codeine, are banned; bring only a one-month supply of prescription medication with a doctor's note.
- Joint custody of a child after separation is not legally possible if one parent is Japanese, potentially limiting access rights.
- Driving requires an international driving permit or a Japanese license, and both compulsory and voluntary insurance are recommended.
SourcesGlobal Affairs Canada · updated 13.10 · read 13.10Foreign Office · updated 28.08 · read 13.10
Who can I call at any hour from Japan?
Every foreign ministry runs a 24/7 emergency line for its nationals.
- France — Crisis and Support Centre — French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs: +33 1 53 59 11 00. 24/7 emergency line, standard rate. First contact abroad: the French embassy or consulate.
- Switzerland — FDFA Helpline: +41 58 465 33 33 · +41 800 24 7 365. 24/7, 365 days a year — helpline@eda.admin.ch. Beware of scam calls spoofing these numbers.
- United Kingdom — Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office: +44 20 7008 5000. 24 hours, for British nationals.
- United States — Overseas Citizens Services — U.S. Department of State: +1 202 501 4444 · +1 888 407 4747. From abroad; the second number from the U.S. and Canada.
- On site, Ambassade de France: +81 3 57 98 60 00.
Sourcesdiplomatie.gouv.fr · updated 24.09 · read 13.10eda.admin.ch · updated 30.06 · read 13.10
A few useful phrases in Japanese for Japan?
Emergency phrases, to show if pronunciation fails:
- Help! → 助けて！ (Tasukete!)
- Call an ambulance! → 救急車を呼んでください！ (Kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai!)
- I need a doctor. → 医者が必要です。 (Isha ga hitsuyō desu.)
- Where is the nearest hospital? → 一番近い病院はどこですか？ (Ichiban chikai byōin wa doko desu ka?)
- Call the police! → 警察を呼んでください！ (Keisatsu o yonde kudasai!)
SourcesMaximum Insurance
What should I keep after leaving Japan, and how do I file a claim?
Keep the entry stamp, the invoices, the prescriptions and the medical report.
- File within 30 days (art. 35.7) from your client area, with the documents; the official forms are pre-filled.
- Costs advanced on site are reimbursed against receipts.
- Fever, persistent diarrhoea or a rash in the following weeks? See a doctor and say where you have been — dengue circulate in the country (France Diplomatie).
SourcesGeneral conditions, policy 20 00 479
What does the Pack VIP Extreme add?
Cancellation or change up to CHF 20,000, special risk CHF 5,000 per person, crisis management and security, optional Kidnap & Ransom.
- Special risk (Module A): political event, attack, epidemic, natural disaster — opens when the FDFA, the FOPH or WHO advise against the trip (art. 18.1).
- Epidemic: assistance must be requested within 7 days of the WHO or FDFA qualification (art. 36.2).
- Crisis management and security: trip registration, monitoring, extraction, evacuation in case of riot, war, terrorism or disaster; Kidnap & Ransom subject to eligibility (art. 18.4).
- $2,290 a year, unlimited trips.
SourcesGeneral conditions, policy 20 00 479
A question not answered here? Ask Maximum below, or call the support number: every question gets a clear, actionable answer.
In a life-threatening emergency, call local emergency services first, then Maximum: +41 22 ••• •• •• — 24/7 support number, an adviser stays with you to the end.
What Maximum knows
The 207 country pages — hospitals, pharmacies, police, embassies, emergency numbers, official advice from four governments, health, safety in figures, events in progress — read around the city you name. Your policy — benefits, the six steps, claims, articles. The site — prices, certificate, subscription. Nothing else: what it does not know, it says so and hands you to an adviser.
Travelling to Tokyo, Osaka: what changes
The published advisory level is national, but risk is not: business hubs (Tokyo, Osaka) do not share the profile of border areas. The medical network shown on this page is computed around Tokyo — real hospitals, evacuation airport and live alerts. Before a specific trip, always cross-check your country of residence's advisory: that is what your policy cites.
Same advisory level: Andorra · Anguilla · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Aruba · Australia
The displayed level comes from the State Department, checked every morning. Before departure, always cross-check your country of residence's advisory: that is what your policy cites.
The level shown is the official U.S. Department of State level, checked daily. Maximum Insurance is an insurance distributor — general information, not personal advice.