Introduction to Healthcare for Japanese-speaking Interpreters and Translators

This book is based on the very popular international publication (Crezee, 2013) and has been supplemented with Japanese glossaries. Just like the 2013 textbook, this practical resource will allow interpreters and translators to quickly read up on healthcare settings, familiarizing themselves with anatomy, physiology, medical terminology and frequently encountered conditions, diagnostic tests and treatment options.

This is an exceptionally useful and easily accessible handbook, in particular for English-speaking patients, Japanese-speaking doctors, first-language Japanese-speaking students in healthcare related programs.

This book includes a special chapter on Japan’s shifting social structure and the hierarchies which exist within its medical system and gives concrete examples of patient expectations for hospital stays and physician visits. A further special chapter describes the Japanese insurance system and related regulations in a comprehensive fashion, also discussing standards of third party accreditation. Also included is information regarding the establishment of the Aichi Medical Interpretation System, the first of its kind in Japan, which was launched thanks to the combined efforts of local municipal communities, healthcare organizations and universities in the Aichi Prefecture.