Finding the right mental health care in Japan as an English speaker is difficult enough, let alone as an LGBTQ+ English speaker. Getting matched with the right therapist, medication, routine etc. may take months of work. And with your busy schedule, it’s most likely even harder to find help that is tailored to LGBTQ+ and English-speaking individuals.
Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of the best mental health resources for English-speaking LGBTQ+ people in Japan. While this article probably won’t solve all of your problems, we hope that it can begin to guide you in the right direction when it comes to looking for the right care for you.
Mental Health Resources
Unfortunately, there aren’t many English mental health resources in Japan that are made specifically for LGBTQ+ people. However, there are a variety of English-speaking services that are completely LGBTQ+ friendly, and there are a couple of LGBTQ+ specific services available in Japanese.
We’ve included the three English-speaking resources first on our list, while the two Japanese-speaking resources come after.
TELL (Tokyo English Life Line)
Location: Minato, Tokyo, Japan (Services available in Tokyo, Okinawa, Online)
Website: https://telljp.com/
Tokyo English Life Line, or TELL, is one of the best resources out there for English speakers struggling with their mental health in Japan. Since they are a hotline service, they provide free urgent phone counseling for people having a mental health crisis, but of course advise that if your life is in danger, to call the police by dialing 110.
However, if you’re having less of an urgent crisis but still need to talk immediately, TELL will be there for you right away. They are completely LGBTQ+ friendly and are well-versed in queer issues, even though they aren’t an LGBTQ+ specific service.
TELL also offers in-person counseling in both Tokyo and Okinawa, as well as online counseling available from anywhere in the country.
Tokyo Mental Health
Location: Various (Tokyo, Okinawa, Online)
Website: https://www.tokyomentalhealth.com/
Tokyo Mental Health is an English-speaking counseling service that offers sessions with licensed therapists in Tokyo, Okinawa, and online. While they don’t offer a hotline service, they are a good resource for mental health issues that are less urgent.
If you’re having trouble finding an LGBTQ+ community in Japan, worrying about explaining your identity to your Japanese friends, or are just struggling with your mental health, definitely look to Tokyo Mental Health to find the help that’s right for you.
In addition, Tokyo Mental Health’s website has a list of resources for LGBTQ+ people in Japan, many of which are English-friendly.
International Mental Health Professionals Japan (IMHPJ)
Location: Online
Website: https://www.imhpj.org/
IMHPJ is an online resource for finding an English-speaking therapist in Japan, as well as for finding other mental health related services in English. Since, their list doesn’t only include therapists in Tokyo, Osaka or other metropolitan areas, but therapists in various areas all around Japan, IMHPJ is a great way to look for mental health care if you aren’t living in one of Japan’s major cities.
While finding online therapy is possible through IMHPJ, they’re especially useful if you’re looking for in-person care near you, since it’s not always easy to find an English-speaking therapist where you live.
Counseling LAB SORA
Location: Osaka City, Osaka, Japan (Online services available)
Website: https://www.counseling-lab.com/
For those who are comfortable in their Japanese, Counseling LAB SORA may be a great choice for you, especially if you live in the Osaka area. At their brick-and-mortar location in Osaka, anyone is allowed to drop by to learn more about their services. Since they offer both in-person and online counseling, you don’t have to be living in Osaka, but it would be a bonus if you are.
Counseling LAB SORA deals with a variety of issues in their counseling, such as the struggles of being an LGBTQ+ person, relationship issues, sexual health issues and more. Since they can assist you with a variety of life’s problems, we definitely recommend you check them out if your Japanese ability is high enough.
Pride House Tokyo Legacy
Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
Website: https://pridehouse.jp/en/
Pride House Tokyo Legacy was originally created to be an LGBTQ+ outreach booth during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. However, after the games, they migrated to a permanent location in Shinjuku. They offer an open space to study, work, chat, or to learn more about LGBTQ+ issues. However, they also offer sessions with a professional counselor in Japanese that are specifically tailored to LGBTQ+ individuals.
If you’re having trouble finding an LGBTQ+ community in Japan, experiencing dating issues, or are having trouble explaining your identity to your friends and family, Pride House Tokyo Legacy’s counseling service might be a great choice for you.
Unfortunately, they currently only offer counseling in Japanese, but are looking for donations so they can hire an English-speaking counselor as well!
Conclusion
Life as an LGBTQ+ person can be hard anywhere, let alone in Japan where few people speak your native language. Therefore, I hope that this article gave you a few resources that you can lean on when you need mental health support in Japan, especially when it comes to issues of gender and sexuality.
If you’d like to learn more about the variety of services available to LGBTQ+ people in Japan, check out the articles below!
