Real journeys of treatment in Japan, along with the latest news and practical guidance from Japan's medical field
CASES
Patient Cases
Selected, real cases in which MIZUHO PHARMA helped patients receive treatment in Japan; all patient names are pseudonyms
Pediatric Oncology · Remote Second Opinion
High-Risk Neuroblastoma in a Young Child: Remote Consultation with a Japanese Specialist Guides the Treatment Plan
RegionHome Country
PseudonymLittle Ma
Age1+
ConditionHigh-Risk Neuroblastoma (Stage IV)
HospitalNational Center for Global Health and Medicine
While the child was undergoing treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma at home, the family had questions about the next steps and wanted the opinion of a Japanese pediatric oncology specialist. MIZUHO PHARMA arranged a remote second opinion with the National Center for Global Health and Medicine. After a thorough review of the medical records and test results, the Japanese pediatric oncologist advised that the child, having already completed a third round of chemotherapy, had missed the optimal window for harvesting healthy hematopoietic stem cells — so a stem cell transplant in Japan was not recommended at that time. The specialist recommended completing a fifth round of chemotherapy at home first, then reassessing the next stage of treatment based on the results.
Cancer · Medical Escort Service
Colorectal Cancer Discovered Unexpectedly During a Checkup in Japan — Surgery Completed Within a Week
RegionHome Country
PseudonymMr. Tong
Age60
ConditionColorectal Cancer
HospitalNational Center for Global Health and Medicine
Mr. Tong's regular checkups at home every six months had never turned up anything unusual. In 2023, a cancer screening during a visit to Japan revealed a tumor, and he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The health-checkup agency he had originally booked through wasn't equipped to arrange follow-up treatment, so he urgently reached out to MIZUHO PHARMA. We immediately arranged for him to be seen at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine, where cancer specialists determined that surgery was needed right away — the operation was completed successfully within a week. Mr. Tong has since fully recovered and returned to work.
Neurosurgery · Medical Escort Service
High-Risk Acoustic Neuroma Surgery: Precision Technique in Japan Preserves Nerve Function
RegionHome Country
PseudonymMr. Wang
Age46
ConditionAcoustic Neuroma
HospitalSouthern Tohoku Research Institute for Neuroscience (Southern Tohoku General Hospital)
After Mr. Wang was diagnosed with an acoustic neuroma, doctors at home assessed that surgical removal carried a high risk of permanent facial paralysis and hearing loss. To explore his options further, his family arranged a remote second opinion with Southern Tohoku Hospital in Japan through MIZUHO PHARMA. The Japanese specialists determined that a precision surgical technique could fully remove the tumor while preserving facial and auditory nerve function as much as possible. Mr. Wang subsequently traveled to Japan for surgery, recovered well, and returned smoothly to normal life.
Liver Disease · Remote Second Opinion
Conflicting Diagnoses at Home: A Japanese Specialist's Reassessment Resolves Concerns Over Cirrhosis
HospitalNational Center for Global Health and Medicine
Mr. Sun was diagnosed with cirrhosis during a routine checkup at home, but a follow-up exam at a second hospital produced a conflicting result. Seeking clarity, his family arranged a remote second opinion with the National Center for Global Health and Medicine through MIZUHO PHARMA. After a detailed review of his prior test results and imaging, the Japanese liver specialist concluded that he did not in fact have cirrhosis and did not require aggressive treatment, offering personalized recommendations for ongoing liver health management instead. Mr. Sun has since followed the specialist's guidance for regular monitoring and lifestyle adjustments, putting his concerns to rest and regaining confidence in his health.
Oral Medicine · Remote Second Opinion
Oral Mucosal Growth Resolved Without Surgery Through Conservative Treatment
HospitalNational Center for Global Health and Medicine
After a growth appeared in his mouth, the patient was advised by a hospital at home to undergo surgery. To confirm the diagnosis and treatment plan, his family arranged a remote second opinion with a Japanese oral medicine specialist through MIZUHO PHARMA. After a thorough review of his medical records and oral imaging, the Japanese specialist determined that surgery wasn't necessary, and recommended conservative medication with regular monitoring instead. After several days of the prescribed topical treatment, the growth had visibly regressed and the area returned to normal — avoiding an unnecessary operation.
Fertility Treatment · Medical Escort Service
Elevated Sperm Abnormality Rate: A Personalized Fertility Treatment Plan Leads to a Successful Pregnancy
After years of trying to conceive, this couple sought help — the wife's tests were normal, but the husband had a high rate of sperm abnormality, and the couple had experienced multiple miscarriages. MIZUHO PHARMA arranged for the couple to receive fertility treatment at Kato Ladies Clinic in Shibuya. The Japanese specialists developed a personalized plan covering ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, embryo culture, and transfer — ultimately achieving high-quality embryos and completing a successful embryo transfer.
Fertility Treatment · Medical Escort Service
Male Infertility from a Varicocele: A Low-Stimulation Protocol Succeeds on the First Embryo Transfer
RegionHome Country
PseudonymMs. Lin (couple)
Age35 / 39
ConditionMale Infertility (Varicocele)
HospitalKato Ladies Clinic, Shibuya
After more than a year of trying to conceive without success, all of the wife's fertility tests came back normal, while further testing revealed the husband had a varicocele that was reducing his sperm motility and concentration — surgery had not sufficiently improved his semen quality. MIZUHO PHARMA arranged for the couple to be seen at Kato Ladies Clinic in Shibuya, where Japanese specialists used a low-stimulation protocol for egg retrieval, followed by ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), embryo culture, and transfer. This approach reduced the physical burden on the wife while achieving a successful pregnancy on the very first embryo transfer.
Fertility Treatment · Medical Escort Service
Recurrent Pregnancy Loss at an Advanced Maternal Age: Success After Six Rounds of Egg Retrieval
RegionHome Country
PseudonymMs. Xie (couple)
Age39 / 42
ConditionInfertility at Advanced Maternal Age (Recurrent Pregnancy Loss)
HospitalKato Ladies Clinic, Shibuya
Ms. Xie began trying to conceive at 39, experiencing three miscarriages and multiple unsuccessful rounds of fertility treatment along the way. MIZUHO PHARMA arranged for her to receive treatment at Kato Ladies Clinic in Shibuya, where Japanese specialists developed a personalized plan based on her age, ovarian function, and medical history, using a low-stimulation protocol across multiple rounds of egg retrieval, embryo culture, and transfer. After six rounds of egg retrieval, she finally achieved high-quality embryos and a successful pregnancy — welcoming her first child at age 42.
NEWS
Medical Insights
Browse by category: practical guidance on treatment in Japan, medical breakthroughs, and news from MIZUHO PHARMA
The Medical Stay visa is a special visa category Japan created for foreign patients and their companions traveling for treatment, checkups, or recuperation, falling under the "Designated Activities" visa. Depending on the medical need, the authorized stay can range flexibly from 15, 30, or 90 days up to 6 months or a maximum of 1 year; stays beyond 90 days require inpatient care and an application for a Certificate of Eligibility through the hospital or a relative in Japan, filed with the local immigration bureau. Patients who need to return to Japan repeatedly for follow-up care may also apply for a multiple-entry visa valid for up to 3 years, provided they submit a treatment schedule issued by their doctor — though each individual stay may not exceed 90 days.
Source: Public materials from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry
Guide
June 2026
What Documents Are Needed to Apply for a Medical Stay Visa?
Patients must first work with a "Guarantor Organization" registered with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (a medical coordination company, travel agency, etc.) to connect with the intended hospital and obtain a Letter of Medical Acceptance and Guarantee jointly issued by the hospital and the guarantor organization. Building on that, applicants typically also need a passport, visa application form, photo, proof of financial means (such as a bank statement), and identification documents; a stay exceeding 90 days on an inpatient basis additionally requires a Certificate of Eligibility, and patients planning multiple visits should also include a treatment schedule. The exact document requirements are ultimately set by the receiving embassy or consulate.
Source: Public materials from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Guide
June 2026
What Role Does a "Guarantor Organization" Play in Traveling to Japan for Treatment?
A Guarantor Organization is an entity registered with Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs that specializes in coordinating medical visits to Japan for foreign patients, including medical coordination companies and travel agencies. Its core role is to match patient needs with the capacity of Japanese medical institutions, help confirm the receiving hospital and physician, and work with the hospital to prepare the Letter of Medical Acceptance and Guarantee required for the visa application — and, when needed, to help coordinate advance arrangements for medical costs. When choosing a service provider, patients may want to prioritize an organization registered within this system, to help ensure their visa documents are handled correctly and efficiently.
Source: Public materials from Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Guide
June 2026
What to Prepare Before You Depart: A Basic Checklist
Before traveling to Japan for treatment, it's a good idea to gather your recent diagnostic reports, original imaging data or films (such as CT or MRI), pathology slides and reports, and records of prior treatment and medications — ideally in a bilingual format so Japanese doctors can quickly understand your medical history. You'll also need your passport, visa-related documents, and any prior insurance or self-pay receipts. Exact requirements vary by condition and by the specific hospital's policies, so it's best to confirm any additional documents needed once your hospital is confirmed.
Source: Compiled from publicly available guides on medical travel to Japan
Glioma — especially grade IV glioblastoma — is notoriously prone to recurrence and difficult to cure. Japan now offers new options through two world-leading technologies: Delytact, the world's first approved oncolytic virus therapy, which Japanese clinical data shows achieves a 92.3% one-year survival rate; and second-generation photodynamic therapy (PDT), now standardized as part of neurosurgical procedures, which precisely eliminates residual cancer cells while preserving neurological function.
Source: Compiled from public materials from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and affiliated hospitals
Japan's overall 5-year cancer survival rate stands at 68.9%, with detection rates for early-stage gastrointestinal cancers among the highest in the world. This is underpinned by three core technologies: NBI (narrow-band imaging) combined with AI-assisted endoscopy, liquid biopsy methods such as microRNA panels and the N-NOSE nematode-based screening test, and a combined 3D tomosynthesis and ultrasound protocol tailored for the dense breast tissue common among Asian women.
Source: Compiled from public materials from Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare and affiliated research institutions
In March 2026, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved two iPS cell-based regenerative medicine products: Amchepry, a Parkinson's disease therapy that transplants neural precursor cells to replenish dopamine-producing neurons, and ReHeart, a therapy for severe heart failure that uses iPS-derived cardiomyocyte sheets to improve cardiac contractile function. Both products reached market through Japan's conditional approval pathway for regenerative medicine.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare press briefing records (Reiwa 8, March 6)
Japan's National Cancer Center has launched an "Advanced Medical Care B" phase II clinical trial of photodynamic therapy (PDT) for metastatic brain tumors, using the photosensitizer Lasallphine to precisely eliminate residual cancer cells during surgery with minimal damage to healthy brain tissue. The technique is already covered by Japan's national health insurance for treating primary glioma.
Japan is making progress on two fronts: a new drug for IgA nephropathy has completed phase III clinical trials, with an approval application planned within the year, while a gene therapy for glycogen storage disease type Ia has formally entered the review stage. Both benefit from PMDA's dedicated fast-track review pathway for regenerative medicine and gene therapy products.
Source: Compiled from public materials from the companies and research institutions involved
A team at Shinshu University in Japan has completed the world's first clinical trial transplanting iPS cell-derived cardiomyocytes via a vascular catheter — the patient required no open-heart surgery, with the catheter inserted through a vessel in the thigh. This offers an ultra-minimally invasive option for elderly or frail patients with severe cardiomyopathy; the first patient, in his 70s, showed signs of improved heart function within a month of the procedure.
Source: Compiled from public materials from the university and companies involved
A joint team from Nagoya University and RIKEN has developed a new technique that achieves precise, light-based bacterial killing by exploiting bacteria's own nutrient-uptake channels. The method shows significant effectiveness against multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii while leaving human cells and normal microbiota unaffected, offering a new direction for treating infections in an era of rising antibiotic resistance.
A joint team from the University of Tokyo, Meisei University, and RIKEN has, for the first time, resolved the complex structure formed by the key DNA repair proteins Rad26/CSB and the nucleosome — revealing how gene transcription and DNA repair are seamlessly coordinated along the chromosome. The finding provides an important foundation for research into treatment strategies for conditions such as Cockayne syndrome.
A Japanese research team has achieved mass production of intestinal organoids complete with a functioning enteric nervous system — a major advance in organoid research worldwide. The technology holds promise for future research into tissue repair for short bowel syndrome, modeling of enteric neuropathies, and personalized treatment research, advancing the broader push toward the commercialization of regenerative medicine.
Source: International Stem Cell Promotion Organization (国際幹細胞普及機構)
MIZUHO News
Date to be added
[Title Pending] MIZUHO PHARMA's Official Website Goes Live
[Placeholder excerpt] An introduction to the information and consultation channels available to patients now that MIZUHO PHARMA's official website is live…
Content pending
MIZUHO News
Date to be added
[Title Pending] Introducing the MIZUHO PHARMA Team
[Placeholder excerpt] An introduction to the MIZUHO PHARMA team and our service philosophy…
Content pending
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