Do you need the Japanese Encephalitis (JE) shot / vaccine before traveling to Japan?
Who does need a JE vaccine shot according to the CDC?
★ Visiting rural areas for an expended period of time
★ Staying on a farm in a rural area with known outbreaks of JE
★ Hiking or Trekking in the wilderness in lower elevations
★ Traveling to any area known for having JE infections
Who does not need a JE shot?
★ Traveling only to urban and suburban areas
★ Travel off season such as the end of fall, winter of early spring
★ People who take precautions such as wearing protective clothing and repellent in known areas of JE.
Again, mosquitoes can bite at anytime but there has not been a case of JE in Tokyo that has been recorded in modern time.
URL:
From Japan’s CDC called NIID, National Institute of Infectious Diseases)
https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/survei/2085-idwr/ydata/5343-report-eb2013-4.html
No reported cases of Acute encephalitis since 2004.
NIID on JE from 2006 to 2017:
https://www.niid.go.jp/niid/en/research-e/865-iasr/7483-450te.html
CDC site on JE
https://www.cdc.gov/japaneseencephalitis/
Background on JE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_encephalitis
If getting the shot makes you feel safer, then get it.
If you are not sure, ask your doctor AND do your research – because some doctors have been selling travel shots to people who don’t need them. The shots are 3 to 5 times more in the USA (maybe even higher) so that cost makes people question if it’s needed.
Consider the alternative – JE is not curable so it must be considered as part of your decision.
The JE shot’s length of effectiveness is unknown so I have gotten the shot twice over 25 years.
Once again, I am not a doctor and this information comes from the sources referred to above and my experience as a resident of Japan for 20 years and a backpacker to much of Asia.
I have been vaccinated for JE twice.
45 Comments
Great and interesting information. We just had our vaccinations last week in Sydney, Australia. For the live vaccine (one shot plus a booster at 5 years), the cost was $335 each!!!!
Will you be moving before 2020 to avoid the crazy? Any thoughts on where you'll move to? Very good video, encephalitis can occur anywhere given the right conditions. It a shame a particular strand gets the 'Japanese' slapped on it.
Thank you for this video! Informative as always!
is that rain or snow?
Great vid! I love crows in Japan, they are so big and funny. Also they sound different too.
It's not only important if you are visiting Japan but the prevalence rate is higher in South Korea. I will get vaccinated before traveling. I do not want to be scared after every mosquito bite.
Thanks for the video, I ll be here in April or may, staying in Kyoto but visiting Fushimi Inari, Nara, the bamboo forest near Kyoto, do you consider that as rural ? Thanks
I did choose to be vaccinated – I was cycling and camping between Fukuoka and Tokyo (including up to Lake Biwa and over to Gifu) over three weeks in September. I feel it was sensible for me in those particular circumstances. I do recall it was expensive (somewhere between a hundred and two hundred Australian). Thanks for the info (and everything on your channel – love it).
Those Crows are huge in Japan, Ive seen them last time And. Dam there big! We called them Crowzillas!
Do you know if the public schools have a required list of vaccinations before the children can attend school? Hawaii specifically is very strict. They even require shots that are rarely given in mainland USA.
Herd immunity is not a good reason to not get vaccinated.
Unless it is a Flu Shot, which doesn't always work, take your shot for those pesky diseases!
If you are not living in some area, for a long time you are not immune.
In my humble opinion.
Respect any birds, or you be attacked by one 😂 (haven't benn attacked by Magpie yet)
Wow, some people shots are very expensive considering some flights can be US$250 return to Japan from Australia it makes them more expensive than the flights.
We live in northern Japan. We have mosquitoes that draw blood here. The whole family got it and I’m glad we did. Family member got bit last year contracted staph. We are surrounded by pig farms. My children are too important.
Hiya a quick question for you as I am really thinking about visiting Japan do I need a Visa as I am from the UK.
Traveling there very soon. Had me scared for awhile! Thanks for the info!
Vaccinating isn't about the individual, its about everybody.
Thanks for the info! I’m gonna get it!
What are there vaccine requirements for public school students compared to students in the USA?
Also can you do a earthquake, tsunami, and cyclone specials please. I want to move to Japan and I want to be prepared please.
I sure hope people do get vaccinated as well as wearing surgical mask for protection.
I want Japan to gain as much profit from the Olympics as much as possible, but people should be required to visit with caution. I plan on moving to the country around the time, so stay safe visitors 🙂
So now that I've gotten my two cents out of the way, I have a suggestion for you Jon (I know the suggestions can get tiring to hear but hear me out Daubs)
I was doing a research project on major auto motor companies and I was shocked when I found out Kawasaki is a full time weapons manufacturer. Perhaps you can make a mini-series on the main channel where you cover the lesser known aspects of the major Japanese motor-companies everyone knows and loves.
Wait jon, someone mentioned you moving? Are you moving out of Japan?
I'm going to Japan for a month in july, so I think I should get the shot ^^
Crows in a pair… Huginn and Muninn, the eyes and ears of Odin
Did you or have you gotten the Japanese Encephalitis Vaccine ? What about the flue shots that are in the US every year would you get it or have you? I got every shot from my earlier years to present.
there was a Japanese tv show where they said if you look directly at a crow and point at it, it will be scared and fly away. wanna give that experiment a try?
Really informative video , I’ll look at what the uk say about visiting japan 🇯🇵
But vaccine causes autism!! Lmao
I got the Sanofi shot in India for US$10. I understand that not liking things in your body and getting it for the heck of it are valid reasons; but when you get it for so cheap, its better to just get it over with I guess.
So, TLDR: YES, but not very necessary if going to the city in Winter.
Why I don't see any street dogs like Thailand ??
I'm going to Tokyo and kyoto in July. Should i get the shot? I've seen some bad sideeffects so i wonder if its worth it.
Great video, really informative. Like you said you don't need to get the vaccine if you stick around the urban areas. Insect repell is a good precaution if you go hiking. If you go to the rural areas where mosquitos are common maybe consider to get the shot. Otherwise Japan is a safe travelling country when it comes to infection outbrakes. The shot should be more considered in countries like the Phillipines, India or Indonesia.
Hi. Me and my husband are planning to stay in tokyo in march 2019. I've been doing my homework on what I would need to be vaccinated for but since we are not leaving tokyo I'm not really sure. Some of the vaccines were JE, rabies, Hepatitis A/B, and influenza. Should I worry about getting any of these? The vaccines are really expensive and if I don't need it I don't wanna pay for it lol.
Is this injection same in like akb48’s injection documentary that jpop idol scared?
I am getting the Japanese Encephalitis (J.E.) Vaccine. It is two (2) shots, and I am getting both.
50% of my unit was court martial-ed for erratic behavior ..doing things they have never ever done before after receiving a number of experimental Japanese encephalitis shots…hearing voices, criminal acts, even suicide
What about a trip to Nara park or the Rabit island? Do I need vaccination for that?
I'm going to Tokyo and kamakura japan in late October. I did take the shot before my trip. is I'm safe right getting japanese encephalitis?
I'm watching for info cause we're going in April 22 to tokoyo
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That shot messed me up so bad for so long that the navy kicked me out of japan.
Hi, my brother is suffering from last 4 year encephalitis. Can he can get now vaccine.?
Thanks for your information about Japanese Encephalitis. Yeah it can be very expensive to get Japanese Encephalitis
Just went to get a third COVID vaccine not to have to self isolate and taking a leaflet about PCR tests found out about this… Another vaccine I guess. I'm starting to feel like some guinea pig :s