Vaccines (Vaccinations) for Those Studying or Traveling in "East Asia"
Target Regions
China, South Korea, Taiwan, Mongolia, Macau, etc.
East Asia has hygiene conditions comparable to Japan, but some areas carry a risk of hepatitis A infection, so considering vaccination provides peace of mind.
In addition, Japanese encephalitis occurs in southern China and parts of South Korea, so we recommend vaccination if you plan a long-term stay or visits to rural areas.
Click any item in the table of contents to jump partway into the article.
Recommended Vaccines
| Vaccine | Level of recommendation | Vaccines available | Number of doses | Price (all tax included) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| measles | ◎ | MMR (Priorix or MMRⅡ) | 1 to 2 doses | 10,000 yen |
| rubella | ||||
| tetanus※1 | ◎ | tetanus toxoid | 1 or 3 doses★ | 4,000 yen |
| hepatitis A※2 | ◎ | Aimmugen | 3 doses | 16,500 yen |
| Havisure | 2 doses | 13,000 yen | ||
| hepatitis B※2 | 〇 recommended for long-term stays | Bimmugen | 3 doses | 7,000 yen |
| rabies | 〇 recommended if you will be in contact with animals | ChiroRab | 3 doses | 13,000 yen |
| typhoid | 〇 | Typbar TCV | 1 dose | 10,000 yen |
| influenza | 〇 recommended during the epidemic season | influenza HA vaccine | 1 dose as a rule | 4,000 yen |
| Japanese encephalitis | 〇 if you will be staying in an area where it occurs | ENCEVAC | 1 or 3 doses★ | 7,500 yen |
★ 1 dose if the primary series was completed in childhood
※1 We also carry Tdap (tetanus, pertussis and diphtheria) at 9,000 yen (tax included) and DPT-IPV (tetanus, pertussis, diphtheria and polio) at 12,000 yen (tax included).
※2 We also carry a hepatitis A and hepatitis B combination vaccine (Twinrix) at 13,000 yen (tax included).
Diseases to watch out for at your destination are explained in detail on the page below.
Precautions During Your Stay
Preventing Infections from Food and Drink
Digestive illnesses such as food poisoning and hepatitis A do occur. Many areas have well-developed water supply systems, but we recommend mineral water for drinking.
Avoid ice, raw vegetables and cut fruit; peeling fruit yourself before eating it is safer.
Care is also needed with food from street stalls. Make sure the ingredients have been thoroughly cooked.
Risk of Contact with Wild Animals, Including Rabies
Cases of rabies infection have reportedly been recorded even within Beijing and Shanghai.
Because there is a risk of rabies transmitted by dogs, bats and other animals, take care not to approach animals even in urban areas, and consider rabies vaccination if necessary.
Preparing for Altitude Sickness
If you are going to high-altitude areas such as Tibet, there is a risk of altitude sickness.
Pace yourself so that you gradually acclimatize to the altitude, and be sure to stay well hydrated.
Appointments
Vaccination is available without an appointment.
Because we give priority to those with appointments, please book below if your schedule is already set.
– Maternal and Child Health Handbook (a copy or a photo is also acceptable)
– Documents (if you would like a medical certificate or vaccination certificate issued in a specified format, please bring the documents)
For vaccines and vaccinations for other regions, please see this page.
＜Dr. Satoshi Kutsuna＞
Specialist in infectious disease internal medicine, PhD in medicine.
For about 10 years he was engaged in travel medicine and imported infectious disease care at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine Hospital (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo), home to Japan's largest travel clinic, and he continues to be involved in activities including clinical practice and research today.
His other areas of specialty are emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases and COVID infection, and he works to raise awareness of infectious diseases through a variety of outlets including the media and the internet.
He also sees patients at our clinic as a part-time physician and supervises our Travel Medicine.
