Which Korean Hospital Offers Japanese Interpretation? (2026 Guide)

Published materials cannot name specific hospitals or physicians. Under Korean medical law, patient referral agencies are prohibited from advertising specific medical institutions. Instead, a remote review (pre-arrival review) process is available to compare three hospitals matched to your cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs.

Key Takeaways

• Korean medical law restricts referral agencies from advertising specific medical professionals or institutions, so hospital names are not listed on public pages.
• Language support, including Japanese, is confirmed during consultation; English, Chinese, and Russian interpretation are provided as standard.
• Once you apply for remote review (pre-arrival review), three hospitals matching your cancer type, stage, budget, and language needs are compared within the written opinion, and the patient makes the final choice.
• A medical interpreter accompanies consultations, tests, and explanation of consent forms, explaining content sentence by sentence before you sign.
• The remote review (pre-arrival review) fee is KRW 1,000,000 (about US$730); if you proceed with treatment under contract, this amount is deducted from your medical bill.

Why Can't Hospital Names Be Disclosed?

• Korean medical law includes provisions restricting referral agencies from advertising specific medical professionals or institutions. For this reason, public pages do not list hospital names or hospital-by-hospital performance data.
• Instead, physician names and hospital names are revealed after you apply for remote review (pre-arrival review), through the written opinion and video consultation you receive. Reviews are cross-checked by medical staff specializing in the relevant cancer type, and assignment criteria are described in the site's medical staff information.
• No ranking of "which hospital is best" is provided. Instead, three hospitals matching your cancer type, stage, budget, and language are compared within the written opinion.

How Is Japanese Language Support Confirmed?

• Language support availability is confirmed directly during the consultation stage. English, Chinese, and Russian are confirmed as standard; availability of other languages, including Japanese, is communicated during consultation.
• A medical interpreter accompanies consultations, tests, and explanation of consent forms, and a coordinator who speaks the same language manages inpatient and outpatient scheduling. The written opinion is also translated and delivered in the language you use.
• Regardless of what language your records are submitted in, they are translated into Korean before being passed to medical staff, and the resulting written opinion is translated back into your language.

What Is the Process for Comparing Hospitals?

• Step 1. Upload imaging (CT, MRI, PET-CT — original DICOM files preferred if possible), pathology reports, diagnostic certificates, and medication history.
• Step 2. Submitted records are organized, translated into Korean, and forwarded to medical staff at a tertiary hospital.
• Step 3. Medical staff specializing in the relevant cancer type cross-review the case and prepare a written summary of staging, treatment eligibility, and recommended treatment approach.
• Step 4. Within 5 business days from the date all records are complete, you receive a written opinion in your own language containing a comparison of three hospitals matched to your cancer type, stage, budget, and language, along with a package estimate.
• Step 5. After receiving the written opinion, you can join a 30-minute video consultation with medical staff and a coordinator, accompanied by an interpreter, to go through the written opinion and estimate together.

FAQ — Can I Receive Only the Review and Get Treatment in Another Country?

Yes, this is possible. The written opinion is a complete, standalone document that can be used as reference material when consulting with medical staff elsewhere. The KRW 1,000,000 remote review (pre-arrival review) fee covers the service up through delivery of the written opinion and is non-refundable, but there is no penalty if you choose not to proceed with treatment.

FAQ — Will I Have to Sign Consent Forms in Japanese Without Understanding Them?

No. All consent forms, including those for surgery, anesthesia, and blood transfusion, are explained sentence by sentence by an interpreter before you sign. If anything is unclear, you may postpone signing, and you can request a copy of the signed document for your own records.

Sources and Notes

• This article references notes on insurance and documentation, remote review (pre-arrival review), frequently asked questions, and stay/accommodation (based on materials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Medical Korea, National Cancer Center Korea, and HiKorea).
• This content is provided for general medical information purposes only. Diagnosis, treatment methods, and outcomes may vary depending on individual circumstances. Accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions should always be made in consultation with medical staff.