Daily Life Lessons · Hospitals
Know the types of health checkups offered through your workplace and health insurance, prepare and attend following the guidance, and see a doctor depending on your results.
In Japan, there is a system for receiving health checkups (健康診断 / 健診) through your workplace or your health insurance. Under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, people regularly employed by a company or similar receive a health checkup when they are hired and then once within every year after that. These checkups are carried out by the employer, and the company pays for them.
People aged 40 to 74 are eligible for the "specific health checkup" (特定健診) provided by their health insurance (National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) or workplace health insurance). Eligible people receive a checkup voucher or guidance from their health insurance (the workplace checkup may also include the specific health checkup items). Costs and how to get the checkup differ by insurer and municipality.
Before the checkup, follow the restrictions on eating and drinking written in the guidance, and check what to bring, such as sample containers. Your results will be sent to you. If they say something like "detailed examination required" (要精密検査), see a doctor soon.
健康診断（けんこうしんだん）で、体の 調子を 調べます。
・会社で 働く 人は、入った とき と、1年に 1回 受けます。お金は 会社が 払います。 ・40歳〜74歳の 人は 「特定健診（とくていけんしん）」が あります。保険から 案内（あんない）が 来ます。 ・お金や 受け方は、保険や 市区町村で ちがいます。
受ける 前に、案内を 読みます。食べては いけない 時間を 守ります。 結果に 「要精密検査（ようせいみつけんさ）」と あったら、早く 病院に 行きましょう。
How often do people regularly employed by a company or similar receive a regular health checkup?
Under the Industrial Safety and Health Act, employers must give a regular health checkup to the workers they regularly employ once within every year.
Who is eligible for the specific health checkup?
The specific health checkup is for people aged 40 to 74 who have health insurance.
Who pays for the health checkup a company carries out under the Industrial Safety and Health Act?
Because the law requires the employer to carry out the checkup, the employer pays for it.
What is important before a health checkup?
Follow the eating and drinking restrictions in the guidance so that your test results are accurate.
What should you do if your results say "detailed examination required"?
It means you need a more detailed test. See a doctor soon.
Q. Is the health checkup only in Japanese?
A. Medical questionnaires are often in Japanese, but some medical institutions provide questionnaires in foreign languages or interpreters. When you make a reservation, ask which languages are available.
Q. I am not a company employee and I am under 40. Is there a checkup for me?
A. Your city, ward, town, or village may offer its own health checkups or cancer screenings. Who is eligible, what is included, and the cost differ by municipality, so check your municipality's website or ask at the counter.
Q. What is a ningen dock (人間ドック)?
A. It is a checkup with more test items than the checkups required by law, which you apply for yourself. You generally pay the cost yourself (out of pocket). Your health insurance or municipality may cover part of the cost, so check.
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Systems and procedures may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live and on the time of year. Please check the latest information from your local government or the relevant organizations.
Content checked on: 2026-10-03
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. If the translation and the original differ, the Japanese version takes precedence. View the Japanese original