Japan has high standards of health and hygiene, and there are no significant diseases worth worrying about. No compulsory immunizations or health certificates are needed to enter the country.

Medical treatment and drugs are of a high quality, but can be expensive, so (if possible) you should bring any medicines you might need with you, especially prescription drugs. Also bring a copy of your prescription and make sure you know what the generic name of the drug is, rather than its brand name. Some common drugs widely available throughout the US and Europe are generally not available in Japan. The contraceptive pill is available, but only on prescription.

Although mosquitoes buzz across Japan in the warmer months, malaria is not endemic, so there's no need to take any tablets. It's a good idea to pack mosquito repellent, however, and to burn coils in your room at night, or to use a plug-in repellent.

Tap water is safe to drink throughout Japan, but you should avoid drinking directly from streams or rivers. It's also not a good idea to walk barefoot through flooded paddy fields, due to the danger of water-borne parasites. Food-wise, you should have no fears about eating raw seafood or seafish, including the notorious fugu (globe fish). However, raw meat and river fish are best avoided.

Getting medical help in Japan
In the case of an emergency , the first port of call should be to ask your hotel to phone for a doctor or ambulance. You could also head for, or call, the nearest tourist information office or international centre (in major cities only), which should be able to provide a list of local doctors and hospitals with English-speaking staff. Alternatively, you could call the toll-free 24-hour Jhelp.com (tel 0120-461997) or, in a last resort, contact the Prefecture's Foreign Advisory Service (see "Emergencies" in individual city listings).

If you need to call an ambulance on your own, dial 119 and speak slowly when you're asked to give an address. Ambulance staff are not trained paramedics, but will take you to the nearest appropriate hospital. Unless you're dangerously ill when you go to hospital, you'll have to wait your turn in a clinic before you see a doctor, and you'll need to be persistent if you want to get full details of your condition: some doctors are notorious for withholding information from patients.

For minor ailments and advice, you can go to a pharmacy , which you'll find in most shopping areas. There are also numerous smaller private clinics , where you'll pay in the region of Ľ10,000 to see a doctor. You could also try Asian medical remedies , such as acupuncture ( hari ) and pressure point massage ( shiatsu ), though it's worth trying to get a personal recommendation to find a reputable practitioner.