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🇯🇵 From Japan · Sleep medicine · ENT

Sleep apnoea treatment in China for Japan patients

End-to-end pathway: visa, flight, hospital match, cost and length of stay — tailored for patients travelling from Japan for sleep apnoea care.

← Full Sleep apnoea guide

Pathway at a glance

Visa
M-Visa (医療ビザ) — fingerprinting NOT required
Processing
4 business days standard
Flight
3–4 hours direct (HND/NRT–PEK/PVG)
Time zone
1 hour ahead (Tokyo → Beijing)
Language
Japanese-speaking International Patient Departments at PUMC, Ruijin, Zhongshan, Shanghai United Family, and HKU-Shenzhen

About sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects approximately 1 in 5 adults but the majority remain undiagnosed and untreated. The bottleneck is rarely clinical recognition — it is access to the gateway diagnostic, polysomnography, and the cost / wait time before reaching it. Class A sleep medicine centres in China deliver in-lab PSG at substantially lower cost than US, UK, or Australian private rates.

Why Japan patients travel to China

Japanese patients commonly come for: stem cell and regenerative medicine, cardiac surgery, orthopedic procedures (cost advantage), and TCM integrative oncology. Many cross-shop with Korean and Singaporean centres.

Recommended cities for Japan patients

Shanghai (cardiology, oncology, integrative care) is most popular among Japanese patients due to direct flights from major Japanese airports and strong Japanese-language services. Beijing (PUMC) for complex / academic cases.

Diagnostic workup at Class A centres

  • STOP-Bang or Epworth Sleepiness Scale screen
  • Home sleep apnoea test (HSAT) for screening
  • In-lab polysomnography (gold standard)
  • ENT evaluation in surgical candidates

Workup cost band: $260–$420 USD.

Treatment options

CPAP therapy

first-line

First-line for moderate-to-severe OSA. Auto-CPAP machines USD 600–1,200 at Class A centres vs USD 1,200–2,400 US.

Mandibular advancement device (MAD)

selected cases

Custom-fitted oral appliances. USD 600–1,400 at Class A dental sleep programmes.

Positional therapy

selected cases

For supine-predominant OSA.

Weight loss

first-line

Highly effective in BMI-driven OSA — 10% weight loss can reduce AHI 25–50%.

Learn more →

Maxillomandibular advancement

selected cases

Surgical option for refractory cases at academic ENT / oral surgery centres.

UPPP and other airway surgery

selected cases

Selected anatomical cases. Outcomes patient-specific.

Visa pathway for Japan patients

Short flight times and 1-hour timezone offset make Japan one of the easiest Asian source countries. Fingerprinting NOT required for Japanese citizens.

  1. 1

    Receive invitation letter

    Panda Touring Care issues hospital invitation letter in Japanese and Chinese within 3–5 business days.

  2. 2

    Complete COVA online

    Fill at cova.cs.mfa.gov.cn (Japanese interface). Print and sign.

  3. 3

    Submit at CVASC

    Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, Nagoya, Niigata, or Fukuoka visa centre. No biometrics required.

  4. 4

    Collect visa

    Standard 4 business days. Express 2–3 days.

Full Japan → China visa guide →

Frequently asked

Do Japan patients need a visa for sleep apnoea treatment in China?
Yes — Japan citizens require M-Visa for medical treatment in China. Processing: 4 business days standard. Fee: ¥3,000–¥6,000 (single/multi entry). Validity: Up to 5 years multi-entry possible.
How long is the flight from Japan to China?
3–4 hours direct (HND/NRT–PEK/PVG)
Which Chinese cities are best for Japan patients seeking sleep apnoea care?
Shanghai (cardiology, oncology, integrative care) is most popular among Japanese patients due to direct flights from major Japanese airports and strong Japanese-language services. Beijing (PUMC) for complex / academic cases.
What's the diagnostic workup for sleep apnoea at Class A international departments?
STOP-Bang or Epworth Sleepiness Scale screen; Home sleep apnoea test (HSAT) for screening; In-lab polysomnography (gold standard); ENT evaluation in surgical candidates.

Plan your sleep apnoea treatment from Japan

We arrange visa support, hospital match, written quote and door-to-door logistics from Japan. No obligation.

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