Public comment until 29 Oct 2026 — MHLW posts draft notice and revised diagnostic criteria
On 28 September 2026 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published two draft revisions for public comment: an amendment to the ministerial notice that lists designated intractable diseases and the degree of illness required for support, and an amendment to the notification "Diagnostic Criteria and Severity Classifications for Designated Intractable Diseases." Comments are accepted from 19:00 on 28 September 2026 until 23:59 on 29 October 2026. Under Article 5(1) of the Intractable Disease Act (Act No. 50 of 2014), the Minister designates which diseases count as intractable; Article 7(1)(i) sets the severity threshold for medical fee subsidies. Both points are fixed in MHLW Notice No. 393 of 2014, which this draft partially rewrites. The companion notification, used by doctors in the clinic, is revised as well and comes with attachments 1 through 10. Because testing methods and disease classifications change as medicine advances, the list and the criteria are reviewed periodically. The current criteria stay in force until the revision is finalised, so existing certificates are not affected during the comment period. As a procedure under the Administrative Procedure Act, the submitted opinions and the ministry's response will be published later.
The subsidy for designated intractable diseases is open regardless of nationality as long as you are enrolled in Japan's public health insurance (National Health Insurance or employees' health insurance). What matters for foreign residents is that a change to the disease list or to the severity threshold can change both whether you qualify and your monthly out-of-pocket cap. If a disease is newly designated, treatment you have been paying for in full may become eligible for support. When diagnostic criteria are reorganised, the tests required at application and the way the clinical survey form is filled in can also change. Applications are filed at your prefecture or designated city, and you need a clinical survey form written by a certified intractable disease doctor plus documents such as your residence record, insurance card and proof of income. Almost everything is handled in Japanese, so contacting your local intractable disease consultation centre or a hospital social worker early makes the process much easier.
Japan begins pre-entry tuberculosis screening (JPETS) in Indonesia on Nov 2, 2026. From Jan 4, 2027, a TB-free certificate must be submitted with a Certificate of Eligibility or visa application.
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare opened a public comment period on 7 September 2026 for a draft cabinet order arranging related orders for the partial enforcement of the Act amending the Social Welfare Act and others. Comments are accepted via e-Gov from 20:00 on 7 September until 20:00 on 7 October 2026, and anyone may submit regardless of nationality.
Japan's MHLW opened public comment on Sept 5, 2026 for a draft ordinance amending the National Health Insurance enforcement rules and related rules covering elderly medical care and nursing care insurance. Comments close Oct 4, 2026 at 23:59. Here is what is confirmed so far.
Source:
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website (e-Gov Public Comment: draft partial revision of designated intractable diseases and diagnostic criteria)This article was edited and written by freegent Inc. based on the source above.