GUIDE Vaccines for Japan A vaccinated journey, a joyful stay in Japan

Having unexpected health problems while traveling abroad may cause trouble, such as delayed consultation and treatment due to language and financial issues. Some infectious diseases can be prevented by vaccines. Therefore, it is important to check your vaccination record before traveling and consider which vaccines you need to protect yourself from such infectious diseases and prevent the spread to others. Some vaccines require multiple doses, so please consult with your doctor about the type of vaccines and vaccination schedule as soon as possible before traveling.

Diseases introduced on this page

(1) Measles (2) Rubella (3) Mumps (4) Chickenpox (5) Tetanus (6) Pertussis (7) Polio (8) COVID-19 (9) Influenza (10) Meningococcal infection

*For the live vaccines used for (1) to (4), you should avoid getting pregnant for 1 to 2 months after vaccination. Please schedule your vaccinations accordingly.

*For more information, please refer to the National Institute of Infectious Diseases and the Vaccination Research Center.

・Infectious Diseases Weekly Report (IDWR) (niid.go.jp)

・Foreign Language/Public Foundation of Vaccination Research Center (yoboseshu-rc.com)

Measles is a disease caused by the measles virus and is said to be highly contagious. The main symptoms of measles are fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and bloodshot eyes (catarrhal symptoms).

Measles is an airborne disease, so hand washing and medical masks alone are not sufficient prevention. Vaccination is effective. Two doses of vaccine are required to ensure effective prevention. Please consider getting vaccinated if you may have insufficient immunity to measles due to never having measles, never having been vaccinated against measles, only having been vaccinated once, or not being sure whether you have been vaccinated.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Fact Sheets，Measles

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC Yellow Book 2024，Rubeola/Measles

Rubella is a disease caused by infection with the rubella virus. It is transmitted by touching a patient or by inhaling the virus dispersed when a patient coughs or sneezes. Rubella is characterized by fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes. About 15% to 30% of infected people do not show symptoms.

Vaccination is effective. If a pregnant woman becomes infected with the rubella virus in the early stages of pregnancy, the baby may be born with hearing loss, cataracts, heart disease, etc.

Please consider getting vaccinated if you may have insufficient immunity to rubella due to never having rubella, never having been vaccinated against rubella, only having been vaccinated once, or not being sure whether you have been vaccinated.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Fact Sheets，Rubella

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC Yellow Book 2024，Rubella

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Rubella (German Measles, Three-Day Measles)

Mumps is a disease caused by infection with the mumps virus. Symptoms include swelling and pain in the cheeks (parotid glands), pain when swallowing, and fever. It is known to have complications such as aseptic meningitis and hearing loss. Mumps is transmitted by touching a patient or by inhaling the virus dispersed when a patient coughs or sneezes.

Vaccination is effective. Two doses of vaccine are required to ensure effective prevention. Please consider getting vaccinated if you may have insufficient immunity to mumps due to never having mumps, never having been vaccinated against mumps, only having been vaccinated once, or not being sure whether you have been vaccinated.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Mumps

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): About Mumps | Mumps | CDC

Chickenpox is an infectious disease caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It is transmitted from person to person through the air, droplets, and contact. The main symptoms of chickenpox are a rash all over the body, fever, and fatigue. The disease is contagious from 1 to 2 days before the rash appears until all the rash has scabbed over. Chickenpox can be severe in adults and is particularly likely to be severe in immunocompromised individuals. Caution is required.

Two doses of the chickenpox vaccine are recommended. It is believed that two doses can prevent the onset of chickenpox, even mild cases. Please consider getting vaccinated if you may have insufficient immunity to chickenpox due to never having chickenpox, never having been vaccinated against chickenpox, or not being sure whether you have been vaccinated.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Varicella

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Chickenpox (Varicella) (English)

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): CDC Yellow Book 2024, Varicella/Chickenpox (English)

Tetanus is contracted when Clostridium tetani enter the body through a wound when injured. Symptoms include difficulty opening the mouth and convulsions. If treatment is delayed, death may occur.

Vaccination is the most effective method. If the vaccine is administered correctly, immunity will last for 10 years. A booster vaccination is recommended for people who have been vaccinated more than 10 years ago. This vaccine is recommended for people who are likely to get injured in activities such as outdoor work, etc.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Tetanus

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Yellow Book Tetanus

Pertussis is an acute respiratory tract infection that is transmitted by inhaling Bordetella pertussis when a patient coughs or sneezes. As the name suggests, pertussis is a disease accompanied by severe coughing. It can be severe in infants (especially newborns and early infants), leading to complications such as pneumonia and encephalopathy. In rare cases, it can be fatal.

It has been reported that vaccination can reduce the risk of contracting pertussis by 80% to 85%.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Pertussis (who.int)

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Pertussis / Whooping Cough | CDC Yellow Book 2024

Polio is transmitted when the poliovirus enters a person's mouth and multiplies in the intestines. The poliovirus is then excreted in feces and spreads to other people through feces. The symptoms of polio are similar to those of a cold, including fever, headache, sore throat, nausea, and vomiting. As symptoms progress, paralysis occurs in the hands and feet, and the patient may die from respiratory failure.

There are currently no cases of polio in Japan. However, for your own health and to prevent a polio epidemic, please consider getting vaccinated before traveling if you have not yet received the required number of polio vaccinations.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Poliomyelitis (who.int)

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Polio | Polio | CDC

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). It is transmitted by inhaling droplets or even smaller particles called aerosols that are expelled from the mouth or nose of an infected person when they cough, sneeze, talk, etc., or by direct contact with the eyes, nose, or mouth. COVID-19 can also be transmitted by touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with an object or finger contaminated with the virus.

As the virus mutates, it is spreading repeatedly. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, fatigue, headache, joint pain, muscle pain, abnormal sense of smell or taste, and diarrhea.

COVID-19 vaccines have been reported to be effective to a certain extent in preventing severe illness (hospitalization, etc.) and death due to COVID-19. Other preventive measures include wearing a medical mask, performing hand hygiene, and proper ventilation of spaces.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) | COVID-19 | CDC

Seasonal influenza is a disease caused by infection with the influenza virus. It is transmitted by inhaling droplets dispersed when a patient coughs or sneezes, or when eating food or rubbing your eyes with your hands after they have touched something contaminated with droplets from a patient. In Japan, the influenza season is usually from December to March.

Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, headache, fatigue, cough, sneeze, and rhinitis. Influenza can be severe in the elderly, children, and people with chronic diseases and can develop into pneumonia. Furthermore, children may develop influenza encephalitis, which can cause convulsions and disturbance of consciousness.

Influenza vaccines are said to be effective to a certain extent in preventing the onset of influenza and preventing severe illness or death after onset. It is important to wash your hands carefully. When going to places where you cannot wash your hands, using an alcohol-based sanitizer, such as a disinfectant gel, is a good idea.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Influenza (Seasonal) (who.int)

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Yellow Book Influenza

Meningococcal infection is an infectious disease that spreads through droplets caused by sneezing, etc. It can cause sepsis or meningitis by invading the blood or cerebrospinal fluid. Meningococcal infection can cause symptoms such as headaches, fever, convulsions, disturbance of consciousness, red rash, and shock. It can rapidly lead to death. It is important to be careful of infection in group living and mass gathering events.

There are several meningococcal vaccines available depending on the serotype of Neisseria meningitidis. Effectiveness is approximately 80-95%. Therefore, vaccination is actively recommended for people who live in groups or participate in mass gathering events, as well as people who are immunocompromised.

・World Health Organization (WHO): Meningococcal Meningitis

・United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Meningococcal Disease | Meningococcal | CDC