Carbon ion therapy hospitals in Japan are seven facilities: QST Hospital in Chiba plus centers in Gunma, Kanagawa, Osaka, Hyogo, Saga and Yamagata. International patients usually do not contact these hospitals directly; they apply through a medical coordinator designated by the hospital, and the cost of carbon ion cancer treatment is calculated differently from patients with Japanese insurance. For example, QST Hospital lists the carbon ion radiotherapy fee for patients without Japanese public health insurance as 5.786 million yen (tax included, page updated 27 May 2026). Carbon ion therapy is an established treatment in Japan, covered by insurance for some cancers and provided as Advanced Medical Care for others, but not every cancer is eligible, and eligibility is decided by the hospital's physicians after reviewing medical records. To find out which hospital you could approach with your records, please contact us about Japanese carbon ion therapy hospitals.
Where are the carbon ion therapy hospitals in Japan?
Carbon ion therapy (also called heavy ion therapy or carbon ion radiotherapy) accelerates carbon ions in a large accelerator and delivers them to the tumor. The principle is explained in What Is Carbon Ion Therapy?; this article focuses on which hospitals offer it and how international patients can access it.
Seven facilities in Japan currently provide carbon ion therapy. Because the accelerators are large, they are either part of major hospitals or run as standalone centers, spread across the Tokyo area (Chiba, Gunma, Kanagawa), Kansai (Osaka, Hyogo), Kyushu (Saga) and Tohoku (Yamagata). The table below summarizes whether each institution's official website, checked in October 2026, publishes guidance for international patients. "Not found" means we did not find a foreign-language page in this check — not that the facility refuses international patients.
| Facility | Location | Published guidance for international patients (checked 2026-10) |
|---|---|---|
| QST Hospital (National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology) | Chiba City, Chiba | English page available. Inquiries by email through a registered medical coordinator or travel agency |
| Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center | Maebashi, Gunma | Multilingual pages (English, Korean, Vietnamese, etc.). Applications only through 8 designated coordinators |
| Kanagawa Cancer Center i-ROCK | Yokohama, Kanagawa | English page available. Applications through 3 accredited coordinators (clinical operation since December 2015) |
| Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center | Osaka City, Osaka | Fee page lists a separate technical fee for overseas patients |
| Hyogo Ion Beam Medical Center | Tatsuno, Hyogo | Offers both proton and carbon ion therapy. Dedicated international page not found → contact directly |
| SAGA HIMAT (Kyushu International Heavy Ion Beam Cancer Treatment Center) | Tosu, Saga | Dedicated international page not found → contact directly |
| Yamagata University East Japan Heavy Ion Center | Yamagata City, Yamagata | Opening ceremony December 2020. Dedicated international page not found → contact directly |
Addresses and official websites are collected on Japanese Institutions. No public data ranks these institutions against each other, and eligibility criteria and the number of sessions differ slightly between them even for the same cancer.
How do international patients apply to a Japanese carbon ion cancer center?
The three hospitals that publish international guidance (QST Hospital, Gunma University, i-ROCK) share one rule: patients do not contact the hospital directly. A medical coordinator (medical travel assistance company) or travel agency designated by the hospital collects the records and sends them; the hospital reviews eligibility first and then provides the schedule and estimate.
| Item | QST Hospital | Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center | Kanagawa i-ROCK |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point of contact | Through a registered guarantor (medical coordinator or travel agency), international division email | Through 8 designated medical coordinators | Through 3 accredited coordinators (do not contact the center directly) |
| Hospital's first reply | Physicians make the final eligibility decision from the records | Preliminary opinion, required tests, schedule, estimated cost | Procedure explained by the coordinator |
| Response time | Not published | Coordinators respond within 5 days | Not published |
| Stated exclusions | Breast cancer from overseas patients not accepted | Not published | Systemic metastases, leukemia, malignant lymphoma |
| Visa / interpreting | Not published | Support for a Medical-Stay visa if needed | Medical interpreter arranged via the coordinator during treatment |
QST Hospital explains that once a patient is judged eligible, treatment preparation (immobilization devices, planning CT, etc.) starts soon, and there are about 1–2 free weeks between the end of preparation and the start of treatment. Patients may go home in this period but must be back by the day before treatment starts, and the schedule should be confirmed with the physician. In other words, the stay in Japan should cover the first visit, preparation, waiting and treatment — not only the treatment period.
Gunma University states that after formal acceptance the patient signs an informed consent form, and the center confirms suitability with its own tests. Images taken at home alone do not finalize the treatment, which matters when planning the schedule.
How long does treatment take at each hospital?
Carbon ion cancer treatment is delivered in fractions over days to weeks. The treatment periods listed in the international guidance of QST Hospital and Gunma University are combined below. The final schedule is set by the hospital according to stage and tumor location.
| Cancer type | QST Hospital | Gunma University |
|---|---|---|
| Prostate cancer | 3 weeks | 3 weeks, 12 fractions |
| Pancreatic cancer | 3 weeks | 3 weeks, 12 fractions (with chemotherapy) |
| Lung cancer | Stage I: 1 day–3 weeks; locally advanced: 4 weeks | Stage I: 1 week, 4 fractions; stage II–III: 4 weeks, 16 fractions |
| Bone and soft tissue sarcoma | 4 weeks | 4 weeks, 16 fractions |
| Colorectal cancer recurrence after surgery | 4 weeks | Rectal cancer: 4 weeks, 16 fractions |
| Head and neck cancer | 4 weeks | Skull base tumors: 4 weeks, 16 fractions |
| Uterine cancer | 5 weeks | — |
Eligibility by cancer type is covered in Prostate cancer carbon ion therapy, Pancreatic cancer carbon ion therapy and Bone and soft tissue sarcoma carbon ion therapy.
How much does carbon ion cancer treatment cost for international patients?
International patients without Japanese public insurance cannot use insured care or the insured part of Advanced Medical Care, so they pay the full cost. Hospitals set overseas-patient fees differently, so budgeting from the domestic self-pay fee can be far off. The published information is:
| Institution | Published fee for overseas patients | Not included | Reference date |
|---|---|---|---|
| QST Hospital | Carbon ion radiotherapy 5.786 million yen (tax included). Hospitalization, follow-up and tests at 33 yen per medical fee point (tax included) | Medical coordinator service fee | Updated 2026-05-27 |
| Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center | Technical fee for overseas patients 4.8 million yen + consumption tax | Travel, accommodation, medical tourism agency fees | No date shown (checked 2026-10) |
| Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center | Fixed fee regardless of number of sessions (amount shown as an image) | Travel, accommodation, coordinator fees, consultation fees | No date shown |
| Kanagawa i-ROCK | No overseas-patient fee published. Coordination fee paid by the patient | — | — |
Note that QST Hospital's overseas-patient fee (5.786 million yen) is higher than its domestic self-pay technical fee (3.85 million yen, tax included), and the per-point rate for overseas patients is set separately at 33 yen. Domestic fees are compared in Carbon ion therapy cost in Japan. Pre-treatment tests, accommodation, translation and interpreting, and coordinator fees are added on top, so always confirm the total with a written estimate.
Overseas-patient fees and application routes differ by hospital. If you have a diagnosis report and imaging, contact us about cost and eligibility and we will help you decide which hospital to approach first.
What to check before choosing a hospital, and documents to prepare
When researching carbon ion therapy in Japan, check these five points before asking which hospital is "best":
- Whether your cancer is eligible at that hospital: QST Hospital does not accept breast cancer from overseas patients; i-ROCK excludes systemic metastases, leukemia and lymphoma.
- Application route: many hospitals accept only designated coordinators, so check the hospital's published list.
- Length of stay: treatment of 1 day to 5 weeks plus the first visit, preparation and waiting (1–2 weeks after preparation at QST).
- Total cost and payment terms: a written estimate covering the technical fee, tests and hospitalization, coordinator and interpreting fees, accommodation, and refund conditions.
- Follow-up after returning home: where follow-up tests will be done and how results will be sent.
Preparing these documents speeds up the eligibility review:
- Recent diagnosis report or referral letter (diagnosis, stage, treatment so far)
- CT, MRI and PET images on CD with reports (ideally within the last 1–2 months)
- Biopsy (pathology) report and operative notes if you had surgery
- Previous radiotherapy history (site and dose) and current medications
- Passport copy (the coordinator will advise if a visa is needed)
Frequently asked questions
Can I email a Japanese carbon ion therapy hospital directly?
QST Hospital, Gunma University and i-ROCK all ask international patients to inquire through a designated medical coordinator or travel agency. i-ROCK explicitly asks patients to contact the coordinator rather than the center.
Is the cost of carbon ion cancer treatment the same for foreigners as for Japanese patients?
No. Without insurance, international patients pay the full cost. QST Hospital lists 5.786 million yen (tax included, updated 2026-05-27) and Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center 4.8 million yen + consumption tax for overseas patients. Coordinator, accommodation and travel costs are extra.
How long from application to the start of treatment?
No hospital publishes a waiting time. Gunma University says coordinators respond within 5 days, and QST Hospital notes about 1–2 free weeks between the end of preparation and the start of treatment. The overall schedule depends on the record review.
Which carbon ion cancer center in Japan is the best?
There is no public data comparing the institutions. Eligibility criteria and the number of sessions differ by institution even for the same cancer, so the practical approach is to compare eligible hospitals, costs and length of stay based on your own records.
Related articles
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- QST Hospital — Information for patients from overseas (updated 2026-05-27)
- Gunma University Heavy Ion Medical Center — Overseas Patients
- Kanagawa Cancer Center i-ROCK — Information on accepting international patients from overseas
- Osaka Heavy Ion Therapy Center — Treatment fees (Japanese, checked 2026-10)
- Yamagata University — Opening ceremony of the East Japan Heavy Ion Center (2020-12-14)
General information based on public sources; not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Eligibility is decided by the treating physicians. Written by the FTH editorial team.