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Short answer
Autologous fat-derived stem cell therapy isolates mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from your own fat, cultures them for about 3–4 weeks in a cell processing room, and returns them by joint injection or IV drip. In Japan it is Class II regenerative medicine under the Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine: the plan is reviewed by a certified committee and submitted to the regional health bureau, and its number is public. It usually takes two trips: consultation, tests and fat collection first, then administration. Whether it suits you, and which plan, is decided by the physician after reviewing your records.
01
What it is
Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are found in fat, bone marrow, umbilical cord and other tissues. In the lab they attach to surfaces and can differentiate into fat, bone and cartilage under specific conditions. They are neither iPS nor ES cells. Self-pay stem cell therapy at Japanese clinics is currently mostly based on the patient's own fat-derived MSCs.
Fat is used because subcutaneous fat from the abdomen can be collected under local anaesthesia in small amounts. The cells isolated from it are few, so they are expanded in culture for several weeks until they reach the number set by the plan.
As for how it works, the current understanding is that MSCs mainly act by releasing factors that influence inflammation and repair in surrounding tissue, rather than turning into new cartilage or skin. How much a given condition improves varies widely, and clinical data are still accumulating in many areas.
Often compared: umbilical cord stem cells
| Your own fat-derived cells | Umbilical cord cells | |
|---|---|---|
| Whose cells | Yours | A donor's |
| Preparation | About 3–4 weeks of culture after collection | Can be prepared and frozen in advance |
| Class in Japan (current) | Usually Class II | Class I (donor cells, stricter review) |
| Trips | Collection and administration separate, usually two | Depends on the clinic |
02
How Japan regulates it
Since November 2014, Japan's Act on the Safety of Regenerative Medicine sorts treatments into three risk classes: donor cells, iPS cells and gene-modified cells are Class I; your own cultured somatic stem cells are usually Class II; lower-risk uses are Class III.
A Class II plan must first be reviewed by a Specially Certified Committee for Regenerative Medicine and then submitted to the regional health bureau before treatment can be offered. After that, the clinic reports regularly and must report adverse events.
A submitted plan therefore shows that the treatment is under legal oversight and has passed committee review. It does not mean the government has recognised its effectiveness. Registration is a first filter; suitability is still the physician's call.
Check it yourself in three steps
- 1Ask the clinic for the plan number. Class II numbers start with PB, Class III with PC.
- 2Open the MHLW e-Regenerative Medicine list of Class II plans and search the page for the clinic name or number.
- 3Check that the clinic name, address, administrator and treatment name match what you were told.
03
Ginza YR Clinic's four stem cell plans
Our partner clinic, Ginza YR Clinic, has submitted four autologous fat-derived stem cell plans, all Class II. What can be offered is limited to the scope of these plans.
| Plan number | Use | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| PB3250224 | Joint disorders | Intra-articular injection |
| PB3250226 | Pain | IV drip |
| PB3250279 | Skin regeneration | IV drip |
| PB3250305 | Hair regeneration | IV drip |
- Delivery methods follow the clinic's website; the physician decides the details after the consultation.
- Cells per session listed by the clinic: about 200 million for IV drip, about 100 million for local injection.
- Repeat treatment: at least one month apart for both injection and drip, generally every 6–12 months.
04
The two visits
Using Ginza YR Clinic as the example, this is the usual order from sending records to follow-up at home.
Before travel
Send records for an initial review
Recent medical records, test reports, original imaging data and a medication list let the physician decide whether a consultation makes sense and which tests are missing. If records are insufficient or the condition is outside the plans, the physician says so. Through us, an advisor organises your records and translates them into Japanese.
Trip 1
Consultation, tests, consent, then fat collection
Day one is a consultation; no treatment that day. Once the physician agrees to proceed and you sign consent, a small amount of fat is collected under local anaesthesia, on a day the clinic schedules. Allow extra days on this trip.
Fat collection at Ginza YR Clinic (photo provided by the clinic) About 3–4 weeks
In-house culture while you go home
The fat goes to the clinic's own cell processing room, where MSCs are isolated, cultured and tested before release. You do not need to stay in Japan.
Trip 2
Administration and observation
Joint injection or IV drip according to the plan, followed by observation at the clinic. Aftercare follows the physician's instructions.
IV drip (photo provided by the clinic) At home
Follow-up as agreed
Report how you are doing at the agreed times. If anything feels wrong, contact the clinic or your advisor. Any repeat treatment is timed by the physician, at least one month apart.
When planning the trips
- Ginza YR Clinic is closed on Fridays; avoid Fridays for both visits.
- If two round trips are hard, you can stay in Japan for 3–4 weeks instead.
- Book flights after the clinic confirms how many days the first visit needs.
05
What in-house culture means
Ginza YR Clinic has its own cell processing center (CPC) and has filed a notification for manufacturing specified cell-processed products (FC3250098). Your fat is collected, cultured and administered within the same clinic, without being sent to an outside processor.
Both in-house and outsourced processing can be compliant; what matters is whether quality control is explained clearly. These are worth asking directly:
Questions about culture
- What release tests are done (sterility, cell count, viability)? Can I have the results in writing?
- If not enough cells grow, what happens and how is it charged?
- What is the longest allowed gap between collection and administration? Can dates move?
06
Risks, and when to wait
The risks below are those listed on the clinic's website. Ask the physician which apply to you in particular, and whom to contact if something feels wrong.
Possible adverse reactions
- Pain, swelling or bruising at the collection and injection sites
- Infection, inflammatory reaction
- Fever, fatigue
- Allergy-like reactions
- Vasovagal reaction (dizziness, cold sweat)
During IV infusion, vessel pain, fever, chills or breathing difficulty occasionally occur.
The physician may advise waiting or another approach if
- You have an acute or uncontrolled infection
- You have active, uncontrolled cancer
- You have a severe clotting disorder or take anticoagulants (assessed before collection)
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding
- You have severe heart or lung failure
- Your history and test results cannot be provided
Results vary and cannot be guaranteed. Age, obesity, diabetes and other factors may also affect how the cells grow.
07
Confirming costs
Autologous stem cell therapy is self-pay and not covered by Japanese insurance. We do not list amounts here because they depend on delivery method, cell count and number of sessions; the clinic's written quote after the consultation is what counts. The total usually has these parts:
| Item | What it covers | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Consultation and tests | Consultation, blood tests, infection screening, imaging if needed | Some tests must be done before treatment |
| Treatment | Fat collection, culture, joint injection or IV drip | Based on method, cell count and sessions; written quote after consultation |
| Coordination | Record translation, booking, clinic accompaniment, follow-up | Explained separately before we start, apart from medical fees |
| Travel and stay | Flights, hotel, local transport | Culture means two trips in most cases |
Ask before signing
- What does the quote include, and what is extra? Is tax included?
- How many sessions is one course? Paid per session or up front?
- What happens to fees if culture falls short, or you cancel or reschedule?
08
Before you travel
Have these ready
- The one or two problems you most want to address, and for how long
- Diagnoses and recent tests: blood work, X-ray, MRI, CT (imaging as original data if possible)
- Current medication, especially anticoagulants, steroids, immunosuppressants, diabetes drugs
- Treatments you have tried, and how they went
- When you could travel, and a rough budget
Questions for the physician
- 01Which plan fits my situation? When is it not advisable?
- 02What is the goal, and how and when will it be assessed?
- 03What are the alternatives (physiotherapy, medication, PRP, surgery)?
- 04How is fat collected and how long does it take? What should I watch for afterwards?
- 05How often do I report after returning home, and to whom?
09
FAQ
How much does autologous stem cell therapy in Japan cost?
It is self-pay and not covered by Japanese insurance. The amount depends on the delivery method, cell count and number of sessions, and the clinic gives a written quote after the consultation. Through us, medical fees and our coordination fee are listed separately and confirmed before you travel.
How many trips, and how long each time?
Usually two: the first for consultation, tests and fat collection; the second, after about 3–4 weeks of culture, for administration. Treatment does not start on the first day, so allow extra days on the first trip. Alternatively you can stay in Japan for 3–4 weeks. The clinic confirms the days when booking.
Will one session show results?
Usually not immediately. Changes, if any, are assessed over weeks to months, vary widely between people, and may be limited. Agree with the physician on what will be measured and when.
How many sessions are needed?
The physician decides based on your condition and goals. Ginza YR Clinic states that repeat local injections or infusions should be at least one month apart, and generally every 6–12 months.
If the cells are my own, is it risk-free?
No. Your own cells avoid donor-related rejection, but collection, culture and administration each carry risks, such as pain, swelling, bruising, infection, fever and fatigue; during IV infusion, vessel pain, chills or breathing difficulty occasionally occur.
Can older people still use their own fat-derived cells?
Age, obesity, diabetes and other factors may affect how cells grow, so results differ between people. The clinic assesses whether enough cells can be cultured; ask beforehand what happens, and what it costs, if culture falls short.
Can it replace surgery or standard treatment?
Not simply. Whether severe joint deformity or structural damage needs surgery or other standard care is for a specialist to judge. Stem cell therapy is one self-pay option, not a substitute for standard treatment.
How do fat-derived and umbilical cord stem cells differ?
Both are mesenchymal stem cells; the difference is whose cells they are. Fat-derived cells are your own and usually fall under Class II in Japan; umbilical cord cells come from a donor and fall under Class I, with stricter review. Ginza YR Clinic's stem cell plans all use the patient's own fat.