Japan's mandatory vaccination schedule and health checkups for children.
Japan's free vaccination schedule for children — from BCG at 5 months to HPV at age 12. What vaccines are required, what to bring, and how to book.
June 9, 2020 · Updated: June 8, 2026
RecommendedJapan's flu vaccine is voluntary for healthy children but strongly recommended. Children under 13 need two doses each season. Here's the full schedule by age, recommended timing, cost, the new nasal spray option, and what international families need to know.
June 11, 2026
MandatoryJapan's DT booster is a single free injection given at age 11, refreshing protection against diphtheria and tetanus about a decade after the primary series. Here's what international families need to know about the schedule, cost, and how it fits into Japan's vaccination program.
June 11, 2026
RecommendedJapan's mumps vaccine is voluntary — not part of the government-funded routine schedule. Two doses are recommended by the Japan Pediatric Society: one at age 1, one before school entry. Here's the full schedule, cost, municipal subsidies, complications, and what international families (including MMR recipients) need to know.
June 11, 2026
MandatoryJapan's HPV vaccine is free for girls from grade 6 to high school year 1. It covers 80–90% of cervical cancer causes. Here's the full schedule, dose count by age, side effects, history of the 2013 suspension, and what international families need to know.
June 11, 2026
MandatoryFour free doses spread from age 3 to age 9 — an unusually long course that is easy to lose track of. The schedule, the reason for the gaps, and the side effects to expect.
June 11, 2026
MandatoryJapan's varicella (chickenpox) vaccine is free in two doses for children aged 1–3. The vaccine was developed in Japan and is now the WHO global standard. Here's what international families need to know about the schedule, side effects, and keeping the window open.
June 11, 2026
MandatoryTwo free doses with strict age windows — one around the first birthday, one in the final preschool year. Miss a window and you pay yourself. Both windows, and how to catch up.
June 10, 2026 · Updated: June 11, 2026
MandatoryFour free doses from two months, using the PCV20 vaccine adopted in late 2024. The schedule, what changed from PCV13, and how catch-up works if your child started late.
June 10, 2026
MandatoryThree free doses, all before your baby's first birthday, starting at the busy two-month appointment. The schedule, the deadline that matters, and what happens if you start late.
June 10, 2026
MandatoryAn oral vaccine with the tightest deadline in the schedule: the first dose must be given by 14 weeks and 6 days. The timing, the two brands, and the warning signs of intussusception.
June 10, 2026
MandatoryJapan introduced the five-in-one vaccine (五種混合) in April 2024 — covering diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and Hib in a single shot. Free for all registered residents. Here's the full schedule and what to expect.
June 10, 2026
ScheduleThe complete 2026 guide to childhood vaccines in Japan — routine vs optional vaccines, how the free voucher system works, the 2024 five-in-one vaccine update, and practical tips for international families.
June 10, 2026
RecommendedNearly all children catch RSV by age 2 — and there is no treatment. Learn how to protect your newborn with the options now available in Japan.
June 8, 2026
MandatoryBCG vaccine in Japan — given free at 5–8 months using the stamp method, not a needle. When to go, what the skin reaction looks like, and what to bring.
June 9, 2020 · Updated: June 8, 2026
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