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From Ireland · MRI scan · Japan

MRI scan in Japan from Ireland: what the trip costs against paying at home

Prices checked 27 October 2026 (Taipei time)

Short answer

For Irish patients, an MRI scan in Japan costs €392 at the clinic we checked, or about €1,570 with a rough travel estimate added. That is about €1,260 more than the lowest self-pay price we found in Ireland (€310).

Clinic price
€3921 provider, one body area
With travel
€1,570clinic €392 + about €1,180 travel (rough estimate)
Pay privately in Ireland
€310
Wait in Ireland
No official figure found
Cover in Ireland
Not reviewed yet
Soonest booking there
Not published: ask in writing
Rank from Ireland
5 of 6 countries by total trip cost

Figure 1Where the money goes, in EUR

Trip total €1,570€1,260 over home

Lowest published clinic price and a rough travel estimate from Ireland (return flight and hotel); the amber line is the lowest self-pay price at home. The travel part is an estimate, not a quote.

Figure 2MRI scan: cheapest trip from Ireland, by country

Total trip in EUR: lowest to highest published price plus the same rough travel estimate. The dashed line is the lowest self-pay price at home. Click a country for its page for Irish patients.

Hospitals in Japan that offer an MRI scan

These hospitals run a service for international patients and offer an MRI scan. Open one for how to book and what it publishes.

Published MRI scan prices in Japan

Each row is a price the provider publishes itself, in its own currency, with what it includes. The converted amounts use a fixed European Central Bank rate.

MRI scan prices in Japan
ProviderPublished priceWhat the price is forSource
TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)Osaka¥68,750about £328 · €392 · C$614 · $438Brain MRI/MRA + carotid MRAAs listed; contrast not stated.TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)read 27 October 2026
TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)Osaka¥206,250about £984 · €1,180 · C$1,840 · $1,320Cardiac MRIAs listed.Not comparableTIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)read 27 October 2026
TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)Osaka¥137,500about £656 · €783 · C$1,230 · $877DWIBS (whole-body diffusion MRI)As listed.Not comparableTIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)read 27 October 2026
TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)Osaka¥68,750about £328 · €392 · C$614 · $438MRCPAs listed.TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre)read 27 October 2026

Prices are copied as published, in the provider's currency. Conversions use the European Central Bank reference rates of 23 October 2026 and are rounded. A provider can change a price at any time: ask for a written quote.

Japanese check-up centres price for people living in Japan. NCGM in Tokyo says that people without Japanese health insurance or who do not speak Japanese pay “twice the displayed amount” for its health checks, must book through a registered medical-interpreter agency, and get results in 3 to 4 weeks (NCGM, in Japanese). For other hospital care it bills uninsured patients ¥30 per insurance point (NCGM FAQ). Tokyo Midtown Clinic's price list is silent on visitors, so ask before booking.

Against waiting or paying in Ireland

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for an MRI scan in Ireland.

Paying privately in Ireland: €310, from Affidea Ireland.

Can the HSE pay?

NHS and HSE schemes do not reach Japan. The NHS S2 route covers state treatment in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and the HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland. Treatment in Japan is paid by you or by a private insurer who agrees in advance. NHS S2 route, HSE Treatment Abroad Scheme.

Planning the trip from Ireland

  1. Get a written quoteSend the clinic your referral or reason for an MRI scan and ask for an itemised price in writing, with the date and what happens if the result needs follow-up.
  2. Before you goGet your home doctor's referral letter or the question they want answered; take it with you.
  3. Before you goBook the scan before the flights and ask for the appointment in writing.
  4. Before you goCheck your travel insurance covers medical procedures abroad. Many policies do not.
  5. Entry rulesCheck the official advice before booking: Irish citizens (DFA travel advice, choose the country).
  6. LanguageJapanese; some hospitals require a registered medical interpreter for foreign patients.
  7. After you returnGive your doctor the report and the DICOM images. An English report saves a translation step.
  8. After you returnIf the report finds something, the follow-up (more tests, treatment) normally happens at home.

Compare with your wait and price at home

Compare Japan with every other country for an MRI scan from Ireland: price, how soon, and the hospitals.

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MRI scan in Japan from Ireland: questions

How much is an MRI scan in Japan for Irish patients?

The published prices we found work out at €392 at the clinic, from TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre). Adding a rough travel estimate of €1,180 for a return flight and a hotel, the trip comes to about €1,570. Your own fares and dates will change that part.

Is it cheaper than paying privately in Ireland?

No, not on these example figures: the lowest self-pay price we found at home is €310, about €1,260 less than the cheapest trip. It can make sense if you are already travelling to Japan.

How long is the wait for an MRI scan in Ireland?

We have not found an official waiting-time figure for this in Ireland.

How many days do I need in Japan?

1 day for the scan; add a day if the clinic wants a doctor to see you first. That is our planning estimate, not medical advice; ask the clinic for its schedule in writing.

Will the HSE pay for it?

No. HSE schemes cover the EU, EEA, the UK and Switzerland; Japan is outside them.

Sources

  1. International patients. TIMC Osaka (Tokushukai check-up centre). Read 27 October 2026.
  2. MRI scan. Affidea Ireland. Read 26 October 2026.
  3. Planned treatment: S2 funding route. NHS (nhs.uk). Read 26 October 2026.
  4. Treatment Abroad Scheme. Health Service Executive (HSE). Read 26 October 2026.
  5. 外国籍の方の人間ドック受診について (health checks for foreign nationals). National Center for Global Health and Medicine (JIHS) Hospital, Tokyo. Read 26 October 2026.
  6. International Health Care Center FAQ. National Center for Global Health and Medicine (JIHS) Hospital, Tokyo. Read 26 October 2026.
  7. Euro foreign exchange reference rates. European Central Bank, 23 October 2026. Read 26 October 2026.