Before running Joey HomeCare, I worked as a nurse on a gynaecology ward. I've seen first-hand what happens when cervical cancer is caught early — and when it isn't. I'm not a doctor, and this isn't medical advice. But I do want to share what I know, in plain English, to help the women in our community stay on top of this.
The cervix is the opening of the uterus — the part that connects to the vagina. Cervical cancer is when abnormal cells grow there. The good news is that it develops very slowly, over many years, and can almost always be caught and treated before it becomes a serious problem — as long as you get regular check-ups.
In Japan, around 11,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer every year, and it's particularly common among women in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. That's younger than most people expect.
🩺 The most important thing: Cervical cancer usually has no symptoms in its early stages. You won't know something is wrong unless you get screened. That's exactly why regular check-ups exist.
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by a very common virus called HPV (Human Papillomavirus). HPV is passed on through sexual contact and is so widespread that most people encounter it at some point — often without knowing it.
For the majority of people, the body's immune system clears it on its own. But in some cases, the virus stays in the body for years and can slowly cause cell changes in the cervix.
Smoking also increases the risk, as does not getting regular check-ups (because that's when those early cell changes get caught and dealt with).
✅ The reassuring part: Because it develops so slowly, regular screening gives your doctor time to find any abnormal cells and treat them before they ever become cancer. Screening genuinely saves lives — and it's quick and affordable in Japan.
Again — early cervical changes usually cause no symptoms at all. But if cancer has progressed, you might notice:
If any of these sound familiar, please don't ignore them — book a gynaecology appointment and mention what you've noticed. It's probably nothing serious, but it's always worth checking.
Here's the practical part. Cervical screening in Japan is called 子宮頸がん検診 (shikyū-keigan kenshin). It's a simple test where the doctor takes a small swab from the cervix — it takes about a minute.
How often? Every 2 years is the standard recommendation in Japan for women aged 20 and over.
💴 It's subsidised! Depending on your ward, the test costs either free or around ¥2,000. Your local ward office (区役所) will send a screening voucher (検診券) to your registered address. If you haven't received one, just contact your ward office and ask — you're entitled to it.
Even at a Japanese-language clinic, showing these on your phone works perfectly well.
Cervical cancer isn't the only thing to be aware of. Uterine fibroids (子宮筋腫) and ovarian tumours (卵巣腫瘍) are also extremely common among women — and another good reason to keep up with regular gynaecology check-ups.
Cervical cancer, fibroids, ovarian cysts — what these conditions have in common is that they are often silent. No obvious symptoms, nothing that feels urgently wrong. That's what makes gynaecological cancers in particular so dangerous: by the time something feels off, things can already be advanced. That's why some doctors call them silent killers.
My rule of thumb from years on the ward: if something feels even slightly off — go. Unusual bleeding, pain you can't explain, a feeling that something isn't right. If something doesn't feel quite right, please don't put it off — it's always okay to get it checked.
I know how easy it is to put this stuff off when life with kids is full-on and everything is in Japanese. But this is genuinely one of the simplest, most valuable things you can do for yourself. Please take care of yourself.
If getting to a clinic is tricky because you have a little one at home, Joey HomeCare is here to help. Trusted, bilingual childcare across Tokyo — so you can take care of yourself without the juggle.
🏠 Visit Joey HomeCare