Emergency care accessibility for undocumented migrants in Japan: why are they not covered?

The article focuses on the challenges undocumented migrants in Japan face in accessing emergency medical treatment due to their exclusion from the national health insurance system. Despite Japan's universal health coverage for legal residents, undocumented migrants are ineligible for enrollment and often face hospital refusals, even in urgent cases, as illustrated by recent fatal incidents. Unlike Japan, countries such as the USA, European nations, and Thailand have policies or programs ensuring healthcare access for undocumented migrants. The article calls for Japan to reform its healthcare policies to provide publicly funded emergency care regardless of residency status, aligning with international humanitarian standards and protecting the health rights of this vulnerable population.