Mental-health counseling services
The Health Insurance Society contracts with a mental health counseling center to provide counseling, by telephone or in person, with counselors qualified as certified public psychologists or clinical psychologists. We encourage you to use these services if you have any concerns or worries.
Consultation center
| Exclusive telephone number for members of the Society | 0120-921-057 (toll-free)
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- ** If you are not using a touchtone telephone, dial the number, press the star (*) key when you hear the voice guidance, then press the number of the service you want to use.
- ** If you are using a telephone with no push buttons, wait until the end of the voice guidance to hear the telephone number required to dial an operator directly.
Who can use this service?
Insured persons and dependents.
What are the qualifications of the people providing these services?
Services are provided by psychology counselors who are qualified certified public psychologists or clinical psychologists.
What about privacy?
When you make an appointment for counseling, you will be asked to provide your name and contact information. User privacy is rigorously protected. Under no circumstances will your name be reported to your company or the Health Insurance Society.
Mental health counseling in person
Services are provided by psychology counselors who are qualified certified public psychologists or clinical psychologists at the Tokyo Counseling Center or at about 180 counseling facilities in major cities across Japan.
**Services are available only in the Japanese language.
How do I make an appointment?
- STEP1Call the exclusive toll-free telephone number above. Listen to the automated voice guidance and press the number of the service you want to use (press “2” to make an appointment for mental health counseling in person).
- STEP2Appointment staff will ask your name, age, gender, organization, whether you are an insured person or dependent, and contact information, such as your telephone number. If you want an appointment at the Tokyo Counseling Center (in Ginza, Chuo-ku, Tokyo), you can finalize your appointment at this time. If you want an appointment at another facility, the appointment staff will call you back after checking appointment availability with that facility. (If you would rather not have appointment staff call you back, you can call again later to finalize the appointment.)
- STEP3Please come to the counseling facility on the appointed date and time.
When can I make an appointment?
10:00 am to 8:00 pm (excluding Sundays, public holidays, and New Year holidays)
During what hours are appointments available?
- Tokyo Counseling Center:
Noon to 8:00 pm (excluding Sundays, public holidays, and New Year holidays)
** The last appointment for each day starts at 7:00 pm - Other facilities:
Varies by facility
How long is each appointment?
- Tokyo Counseling Center:
50 minutes - Other facilities:
50 minutes in principle, although actual times may vary somewhat from facility to facility
How much does it cost?
Each insured person and dependent may use in-person counseling services up to five times/contract year per person. Charges will apply beginning with the sixth appointment during the contract year (charges vary by facility).
Mental health counseling by telephone
Services are provided by psychology counselors who are qualified certified public psychologists or clinical psychologists.
**Services are available only in the Japanese language.
How do I use this service?
- STEP1Call the exclusive toll-free telephone number above. Listen to the automated voice guidance and press the number of the service you want to use (press “3” for mental health counseling by telephone).
- STEP2Counseling staff will ask whether you are an insured person or dependent, your age, gender, prefecture of your address, and other information.
- STEP3You can discuss your concerns immediately. The person answering the phone will be a counselor.
During what hours is telephone counseling available?
10:00 am to 10:00 pm (excluding Sundays, public holidays, and New Year holidays)
How long can I use telephone counseling?
The target length of time is roughly 20 minutes per call. In addition, each person is asked to use telephone counseling no more than once a day.
How much does it cost?
Telephone counseling is provided free of charge.
Can I switch from telephone counseling to in-person mental health counseling?
Yes. To do so, end the telephone counseling call, then call the exclusive toll-free line above.
Appointments for mental health counseling by telephone
You can make an appointment for mental health counseling by telephone one or more days in advance.
**Services are available only in the Japanese language.
How do I use this service?
- STEP1Call the exclusive toll-free telephone number above. Listen to the automated voice guidance and press the number of the service you want to use (press “4” to make an appointment for mental health counseling by telephone).
- STEP2Appointment staff will ask for your organization, name, insurance number, whether you are an insured person or dependent, age, gender, desired date and time of appointment, and other information, then finalize your appointment.
- STEP3At the date and time of your appointment, call the telephone number given by the appointment staff.
When can I make an appointment?
10:00 am to 6:00 pm (excluding Sundays, public holidays, and New Year holidays)
- ** Other matters related to appointments for mental health counseling by telephone are the same as those described under “Mental health counseling by telephone” above.