Contact: Robyn Penedo 
Organization: Japan Civilian Medical Advocacy (JCMA)
Email: info@JCMAdvocacy.org
Phone: +1 202-936-5370

JCMA Applauds Congressional Support for Improved Medical Access for U.S. Personnel in Japan

The joint letter sent to Honorable Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), expresses deep concern over the lack of access to medical care at military treatment facilities (MTFs) in Japan.

Tokyo, Japan - April 21, 2023 - Japan Civilian Medical Advocacy (JCMA), a grassroots advocacy coalition championing Total Force health protections for U.S. personnel stationed in Japan, welcomes the recent letter addressed to Honorable Lloyd Austin, Secretary of Defense at the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), expressing deep concern over the lack of access to medical care at military treatment facilities (MTFs) in Japan.

The congressional letter, signed by 11 members of the Senate and House of Representatives, highlights the urgent need for immediate action to ensure access to standard primary and emergency care for all active duty servicemembers, their dependents, civilians, and contractors stationed in the country. Signers include Congressman Pallone, Jr., Senator Warren, Senator Kaine, Congresswoman Gluesenkamp-Perez, Congressman Case, Congressman Kilmer, Congresswoman Tokuda, Congresswoman Brownley, Congressman DeSaulnier, Congressman Mfume, and Congressman Trone.

The members of Congress recognize the vital contributions of civilians and contractors in supporting the United States' mission to protect national security and interests overseas. It is imperative that these individuals and their families have access to adequate medical care that corresponds to the level of care they deserve, provided by the DoD. Unfortunately, the current situation reveals limited access to emergency care or standard specialty care for the more than 100,000 Americans serving on military bases in Japan. The challenges faced by the 10,000 civilians stationed in the country are particularly concerning, as several preventable deaths have occurred due to the absence of trauma care centers at many MTFs in the INDO-PACOM region. This has compelled both civilians and active duty servicemembers to seek emergency treatment elsewhere.

Legislators state that failure by the DoD to provide quality medical care to all U.S. personnel in Japan poses a serious threat to the successful execution of the United States' mission. While a memorandum issued by the Defense Health Agency (DHA) on March 3, 2023 stated that civilians with chronic conditions must be treated at MTFs on a space-available basis, it is evident that more must be done to address the systemic issues impacting the civilian workforce in Japan. The current DHA policy still requires thousands of non-military patients to compete for a limited number of “space-available” appointments. This issue cannot be resolved solely by providing translation services and additional insurance options for non-active-duty military patients in Japan.

The congressional letter further notes that failure to provide guaranteed access to primary and emergency care for all Total Force patients will result in the potential departure of civilian personnel from Japan. A mass exodus of civilians would severely weaken military operations in a strategically important region, especially at a time when tensions are rising. The significant contributions made by civilian employees, including nuclear engineers, teachers, law enforcement personnel, logistics specialists, medical staff, and numerous others, are critical to the functioning of military bases in Japan. To rectify this situation, JCMA agrees with the congressional letter's call for DHA or an adjacent agency to receive proper funding and a mandated responsibility to ensure that non-active-duty U.S. personnel have access to healthcare aligned with U.S. standards.

The coalition appreciates the commitment demonstrated by these members of Congress and eagerly awaits a timely response from Secretary Austin.

About Japan Civilian Medical Advocacy (JCMA):

Japan Civilian Medical Advocacy is a grassroots coalition dedicated to advocating for quality healthcare for U.S. personnel stationed in Japan.
###