Childhood Vaccinations in Japan: A Guide for Foreign Families in Fukuoka (2026)

Japan’s childhood vaccination schedule overlaps with most foreign schedules, but the gaps matter.

Some shots come earlier, some later, and a few — Hepatitis A among them — sit off the routine list entirely.

If you’re moving to Fukuoka with kids, this guide covers records, clinics, what is free versus paid, and which gaps to fill.

It pairs well with our complete expat guide to living in Fukuoka with kids, which covers the wider settling-in process.

Quick answer: is Hepatitis A routine or voluntary in Japan (2026)?

Hepatitis A is a voluntary (nin’i) vaccine in Japan in 2026, not a routine (teiki) one. No ward voucher is issued, so families pay about ¥6,000–8,000 per dose, two doses roughly six months apart, licensed from age 1. It is routine on the US schedule, so American kids usually arrive already covered.

Japan’s two-tier vaccination system

• Teiki (定期, routine): government-funded, free at participating clinics — required by Japan’s policy
• Nin’i (任意, voluntary): not in routine schedule but recommended; family pays — includes some shots that are routine in other countries

Routine (free) Japanese schedule highlights

0–12 months

• BCG (tuberculosis)
• Hib (Haemophilus influenzae type b) × 4 doses
• PCV (pneumococcal) × 4 doses
• Hepatitis B × 3 doses
• Rotavirus × 2 or 3 doses
• 4-in-1 (DPT-IPV: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio) × 4 doses

1–3 years

• MR (measles + rubella) — first dose
• Varicella (chickenpox) × 2 doses
• Japanese encephalitis × 3 doses

School age

• MR second dose (age 5–7)
• DT (diphtheria + tetanus) booster age 11–12
• HPV — for girls age 12–16 (boys also in some wards now)

Voluntary (paid) shots commonly added

• Influenza: ¥3,000–5,000/dose; 2 doses for under-13; recommended annually
• Mumps: ¥5,000–7,000/dose; 2 doses; not in routine schedule (causes some controversy)
• Hepatitis A: ¥6,000–8,000/dose; 2 doses; not routine in Japan; routine on the US schedule
• Meningococcal: ~¥10,000/dose; for travel-prone families or college-bound teens
• Travel-specific: typhoid, yellow fever, etc — at travel clinics

Voluntary shots add up over the years, so budget for them alongside your other first-year setup costs.

Most families book the paid shots around school holidays, when trips home and regional travel are already on the calendar — check Klook’s Fukuoka family passes and day trips as you map out the year.

Hepatitis A: why Japan keeps it voluntary

Domestic Hepatitis A infection is rare in Japan, which is the main reason the shot never entered the routine schedule.

Most Japanese children never receive it, so smaller clinics often need to order the vaccine about a week ahead.

Item	Detail (2026)
Status in Japan	Voluntary (nin’i) — family pays, no ward voucher
Schedule	2 doses about 6 months apart, licensed from age 1
Typical Fukuoka cost	¥6,000–8,000 per dose
Where	Pediatric clinic (pre-order) or hospital travel clinic

Who should still pay for it

• Yes — families who travel to South or Southeast Asia, Africa or Latin America
• Yes — US-schedule kids whose 2-dose series was left unfinished
• Optional — families staying inside Japan and other low-incidence countries

Hospital travel clinics handle the pre-trip series most smoothly; see our guide to pediatric hospitals in Fukuoka for those options.

Booking the trip that triggered the shot? Leave six months between doses, and sort a travel eSIM or pocket Wi-Fi while the dates are still flexible.

Aligning foreign vaccination records

Step 1: Bring records translated

• Your home country’s immunization record + ideally Japanese translation
• Most pediatric clinics will accept English-language records but translation reduces confusion
• Provincial health offices in some countries provide Japanese-form translation services

Step 2: Visit pediatric clinic for assessment

• Pediatrician reviews record vs Japan’s schedule
• Identifies gaps and over-coverage
• Recommends catch-up plan
• Hours: Most clinics Mon-Sat 9:00-17:00; vaccination times often dedicated

If language is a concern for that first assessment, our list of English-speaking doctors and pediatricians in Fukuoka can help you find a clinic where you can discuss the catch-up plan clearly.

Step 3: Get the boshi techo (Mother-Child Health Handbook)

• Obtain at ward office after registering address
• Pediatrician records all shots here — becomes your primary record going forward
• Required to access free routine vaccinations in Japan

Common alignment scenarios

From US schedule

• US has MMR (measles+mumps+rubella); Japan splits into MR + voluntary mumps
• US gives Hepatitis A routinely from age 1; in Japan it is voluntary — bring proof of both doses, or finish the series here as a paid shot
• US polio is IPV; Japan combined into 4-in-1 — usually compatible
• US has yearly flu — Japan voluntary; continue in Fukuoka via paid shots
• US chickenpox at 12mo + 4-6yr; Japan similar — likely no gap

From UK/EU schedule

• UK MenB vaccine — Japan doesn’t routinely give; voluntary if needed
• Hepatitis A is travel-only in the UK and most of the EU, exactly as in Japan — no new gap
• UK rotavirus given orally; Japan also oral — compatible
• UK 6-in-1 vs Japan 4-in-1 — slight differences in coverage

From Australia schedule

• Australia gives mumps as part of MMR; Japan voluntary — pay separately or skip
• Australia funds Hepatitis A only for some children in NT, QLD, SA and WA; otherwise travel-only, as in Japan
• Otherwise close alignment

Where to get vaccinated in Fukuoka

• Routine shots: any participating pediatric clinic in your ward — list at ward office
• Voluntary shots: same clinic typically; may need to pre-order vaccines
• International travel shots: travel clinics at major hospitals (Kyushu Univ, Saiseikai)
• Most clinics accept walk-ins for routine; appointments preferred for voluntary

For larger clinics and after-hours options, see our guide to pediatric hospitals in Fukuoka.

Travelling in from elsewhere in Kyushu for a travel-clinic series? Morning slots are easiest from a Hakata or Tenjin base — compare family rooms in central Fukuoka.

What to bring

• Boshi techo
• Health insurance card
• Child medical card (kodomo iryou-sho)
• Voucher (yoshin) for routine shots — mailed by ward office at correct ages
• Pre-vaccination questionnaire (yoshin-hyo) — fill out at home if you have voucher
• Cash or card for voluntary shots

After-vaccination care

• Stay at clinic 30 min for observation post-shot
• Mild fever 24–48 hours after is normal; tylenol/acetaminophen if needed
• Severe reaction (high fever, hives, difficulty breathing): call clinic or 119
• Note any reactions in boshi techo for future reference

If a reaction escalates and you’re unsure whether to wait or go in, our guide on emergency care for kids in Fukuoka — when to go where walks through the decision.

Vaccination culture in Japan

• Compliance with routine schedule is high — ~95%+ for most shots
• Some controversy around HPV (recently re-added to routine after temporary pause)
• Mumps voluntary — historical reasons; many families do get it but rate lower than peer countries
• School-entry vaccination check is informal but expected

Costs summary

Category	Type	Cost
Routine schedule (full)	Teiki (routine)	Free for residents (covered fully)
Voluntary additions	Nin’i (voluntary)	¥30,000–80,000 over childhood, depending on choices
Hepatitis A (2-dose series)	Nin’i (voluntary)	¥12,000–16,000 per child
Travel vaccines (per pre-trip series)	Voluntary / travel	¥10,000–30,000
Annual flu (per kid)	Voluntary	¥3,000–5,000 / year

FAQ: Childhood vaccinations in Japan for foreign families

Is the Hepatitis A vaccine routine or voluntary in Japan?

Voluntary (nin’i). Japan does not fund it, so families pay roughly ¥6,000–8,000 per dose for a 2-dose series at a clinic that pre-orders the vaccine.

Are routine childhood vaccinations free in Fukuoka?

Yes. Once you register your address and receive the boshi techo and age-based vouchers, routine (teiki) shots are fully covered for residents at participating ward clinics.

Will a clinic accept my child’s foreign vaccination record?

Most pediatric clinics accept English-language records, but a Japanese translation reduces confusion and speeds up the catch-up assessment.

What shots does Japan not give routinely?

Mumps, Hepatitis A, meningococcal, and most travel-specific vaccines are voluntary (nin’i) in Japan, meaning the family pays out of pocket.

Related family-life guides

• Emergency Care for Kids in Fukuoka: When to Go Where
• Pediatric Hospitals in Fukuoka: Family Guide
• List of English-Speaking Doctors and Pediatricians in Fukuoka
• Living in Fukuoka with Kids: Complete Expat Guide