Reader TJ writes:
"I have been in Japan for a while and am stuck in the Japanese National Health Insurance plan. It is extremely expensive and as I cannot use it outside Japan I have to purchase separate travel insurance for while I am overseas. Is there anything I can do about this?"
First, the Japanese National Health Insurance payments are based on income, so if your income is high the percentage you pay per month can be high — it's as simple as that.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.