[Tsuwabuki]

Not that it would matter to the Japanese (although it should), I feel much more comfortable with a native English speaking doctor. Although I have been to see Japanese doctors, including in emergency situations, and understood them fine in Japanese, it is definitely is not something I would prefer.

On a related thing, I absolutely refuse to go to a dentist that does not speak fluent English, and I do mean fluent (idioms and all, regardless of national origin). I pay out of pocket when returning to the states for all routine dental work. It's worth it to me because I am terrified of dentists, have been since I was a child, and the ONLY thing that keeps me calm is a dentist explaining exactly what he or she is doing in minute detail as he or she is doing it. This is simply beyond even "reasonably communicative" Japanese dentists.