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For missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints serving in Japan, receiving consistent medical care is not always easy. Frequent transfers, travel requirements, language barriers, and other unique circumstances of missionary service can make it difficult to maintain ongoing treatment.
To help address these challenges, a new telemedicine initiative was launched in April 2026 in the Japan Tokyo North Mission. Through this program, missionaries can access medical consultations online and, when appropriate, receive prescribed treatment while benefiting from more consistent medical support.
The effort is led by Dr. Shingo Kawaminami and supported by Healing Friends, a volunteer network of Latter-day Saint healthcare, caregiving, and welfare professionals in Japan.
Through his experience as a former full-time missionary, together with his work as a physician and service as a church leader, Dr. Kawaminami understands firsthand many of the challenges missionaries face. Frequent transfers can make it difficult to continue seeing the same physician, and each new medical appointment may require missionaries to explain their lifestyle, responsibilities, and cultural background to unfamiliar healthcare providers.
These experiences led Dr. Kawaminami to envision a system that would allow missionaries to receive consistent medical care regardless of where they were serving.
Built on Years of Service
The telemedicine initiative was made possible based on years of cooperation and partnerships developed through Healing Friends.
Healing Friends began in 2010 as a network connecting Church members working in healthcare professions. Over time, participation expanded beyond physicians and nurses to include professionals and students involved in caregiving, counseling, social welfare, mental health, and related fields. In 2021, the organization adopted its current name.
Today, members are located throughout Japan. They provide one another with professional support and spiritual encouragement while using their knowledge and experience to serve Church members and their communities. Their efforts include disaster relief, health education, mentoring, medical support at For the Strength of Youth (FSY) conferences, and many other service projects.
Dr. Kawaminami joined the organization in 2016 and has participated in numerous service initiatives. Through those experiences, he learned the importance of bringing professionals together to respond to specific needs. That experience helped shape the development of the telemedicine initiative.
Partnerships That Made the Initiative Possible
The initiative became possible through advances in Japan’s telemedicine environment, support from Healing Friends, and cooperation between the Japan Tokyo North Mission and healthcare professionals.
Creating a system capable of providing remote consultations and ongoing medical support required work in many areas, including administration, finance, technology, and legal compliance. Participants spent several months preparing before the system became operational in April 2026.
Many of the clinic directors and administrative personnel who assisted with the project were not members of the Church, yet they recognized its value and offered generous support.
In May 2026, President and Sister Deshler visited participants involved in the project and expressed gratitude for their contributions in helping make the initiative a reality.
Helping Missionaries Receive Care with Confidence
Mission leaders quickly recognized the potential of the new system.
"From a mission perspective, this is really huge," said President and Sister Deshler.
Telemedicine has simplified scheduling and reduced the burden of travel. It has also made it easier for missionaries to receive support from healthcare professionals who understand not only Japan’s medical system but also the unique circumstances of missionary life.
One missionary had been receiving treatment for depression before arriving in Japan and needed ongoing care after beginning missionary service. However, communication was challenging not only in Japanese but also in English, making access to appropriate medical support more difficult.
To help, another missionary from the same country who had lived in Japan for a longer period served as an interpreter. A Church counselor familiar with medical terminology in both Japanese and English also joined the consultation. Although the missionary, interpreter, counselor, and physician lived in different parts of Japan, online consultations allowed all of them to participate in the appointment simultaneously.
In other examples, missionaries with chronic conditions such as asthma or autoimmune disorders were able to continue seeing the same physician after transfers to new areas. The ability to maintain follow-up care and medication management despite changes in location has provided reassurance not only to the missionaries themselves but also to mission leaders.
Looking Forward
The initiative is also significant for participating healthcare professionals.
Rather than relying solely on informal volunteer efforts, medical professionals are now able to support missionaries through a framework that operates within established legal requirements and professional standards.
At present, the program serves missionaries in the Japan Tokyo North Mission. However, the initiative has established a foundation for providing ongoing medical support to missionaries through telemedicine.
Dr. Kawaminami hopes that, in the future, other healthcare professionals and community partners may be able to explore similar approaches based on local circumstances and needs.
For Healing Friends, the telemedicine initiative represents one of the most meaningful outcomes of more than a decade of service. By bringing together professionals in healthcare, welfare, and mental health who share a commitment to faith and service, the organization has helped create a new way to support missionaries serving throughout Japan.
At the heart of the effort is a simple desire: to ensure that people can receive the support they need when they need it. This initiative is one example of that vision in action, providing meaningful support to missionaries and the leaders who care for them.