OSAKA - As Japan sees a record surge in foreign residents and tourists, hospitals across the country are facing a growing challenge: how to communicate effectively with patients who do not speak Japanese.
At the heart of this issue are medical interpreters, whose role is becoming increasingly essential in ensuring that foreign patients receive proper care and understand complex medical explanations.
Medical interpreters are trained to bridge the communication gap between foreign patients and Japanese medical professionals, particularly in high-stress, high-stakes environments such as hospitals. Their job goes far beyond basic translation—they must accurately convey technical medical terms, symptoms, and treatment plans, often in situations where miscommunication can have serious consequences.
At Rinku General Medical Center in Izumisano, Osaka Prefecture, located near Kansai International Airport, the demand for medical interpreters is especially high. On a recent day, a Filipina woman living in Japan visited the hospital ahead of a scheduled throat surgery, concerned about a persistent cough. While she speaks some Japanese, she explained that medical terminology is too complex to grasp on her own. "Even translation apps can be wrong. Having a human interpreter really helps," she said, expressing her appreciation for the service.
The hospital currently employs 17 interpreters covering five languages—English, Chinese, Spanish, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. Many interpreters have personal reasons for entering the field. Some are retirees who want to use their language skills for good; others, like Miyu Ishibashi, are long-time residents of Japan with overseas experience. Ishibashi, a veteran English interpreter, lived in the United States for ten years. She emphasized the emotional aspect of her work, noting that hospitals can be intimidating places even for native speakers, and that interpreters also provide psychological support.
During one consultation, Ishibashi assisted an Australian patient who was experiencing irregular heartbeats. She interpreted detailed medical terminology, such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, and explained the cardiologist’s recommendation that the patient wear an electrocardiogram monitor for a week. The patient later remarked that without her help, he would not have been able to fully understand the diagnosis or treatment.
With foreign patient numbers rising, the hospital handled nearly 2,000 interpretation cases in fiscal 2023, the highest figure to date. When in-house interpreters are unavailable, remote interpretation services are used, but the overall shortage of qualified personnel remains a serious issue. One of the underlying problems is that medical interpretation is still not widely recognized as a formal profession in Japan. Most interpreters work part-time or volunteer, and few earn enough to make a living solely from the role.
Among the most in-demand languages is Chinese, due to the increasing number of Chinese-speaking patients. Li Xiangsheng, originally from Taiwan, is the only full-time Chinese interpreter at the hospital. With seven years of experience, he said his goal is to provide not only linguistic support but also emotional reassurance to patients. His ability to establish trust and understanding has earned him heartfelt gratitude, including letters from patients’ families, especially in cases where he supported them through end-of-life care.
One patient Li supported was Sho Sho, a Chinese woman preparing to give birth in Japan. Nervous about the unfamiliar environment, Sho said that having a Chinese-speaking interpreter by her side made her feel much more confident. A month later, she safely delivered a healthy baby girl, and thanked the hospital staff and Li for their support. "I’m so happy. I’m grateful from the bottom of my heart," she said.
For many interpreters, such moments are deeply fulfilling. Whether it is helping a patient understand a serious diagnosis or celebrating the birth of a child, medical interpreters play a crucial yet often overlooked role in Japan’s healthcare system. As the country becomes more diverse, their importance will only continue to grow.
Source: ABCTVnews
