Author: Jafar Murakami

AIC LIFE GUIDE

Start by separating the type of problem

An unexpected charge, a subscription, an online order, a doorstep sale, a service-cancellation issue and a possible crime can require different routes. First identify the seller/provider, the transaction date, the contract/order record, the amount, the payment method and any messages or confirmation screens. Keep copies and a dated record of contact attempts.

Evidence can help you explain the issue; it does not guarantee a refund, cancellation or outcome.

Contact the responsible seller or provider safely

For an ordinary billing, delivery, subscription or service problem, use the official customer-support route shown in the contract, order confirmation or provider website. Ask for a written record of the response when possible. Do not send passwords, one-time codes, identity documents or payment credentials simply because an unsolicited caller or message asks for them.

If there is immediate danger, coercion, suspected crime or a threat to safety, consumer guidance is not a substitute for police or emergency action.

Consumer Hotline 188

The Consumer Affairs Agency operates Consumer Hotline 188 to direct callers toward nearby consumer-affairs consultation contacts. It is an official first route when you do not know where to seek consumer consultation. It is not a court, lawyer, guaranteed dispute-resolution service or universal multilingual hotline. Check current access and language information before relying on it.

Cooling-off and cancellation: verify the transaction, not a slogan

Cooling-off rules apply to specified transaction types and conditions. They are not a universal right for every purchase. Official consumer guidance distinguishes, for example, certain door-to-door or telemarketing transactions from mail-order/online transactions; the transaction type, contract documents, dates and conditions matter.

Do not rely on a general “eight-day” rule for your own situation. Preserve the contract/order information and seek current official consumer guidance promptly if cooling-off or cancellation may be relevant.

Online shopping and subscriptions

For online shopping, inspect the seller identity, final-order screen, return/cancellation terms, delivery record and payment trail. For a subscription, keep the sign-up confirmation, renewal/cancellation terms and evidence of any cancellation attempt. Do not assume an online purchase has the same cancellation route as an unsolicited sales transaction.

Scams, fraud and consumer disputes are not the same thing

A disappointing purchase or contract dispute is not automatically a crime. A possible scam, fraud, coercion, stolen information or immediate safety issue may need police or another official route. Use Consumer Hotline 188 for consumer-consultation orientation, and follow police/emergency guidance where crime or immediate danger is suspected.

Housing and utility crossover

For rental-contract or household-service issues, start with the relevant Task 39 Renting or Utilities guide to identify the responsible owner. Those pages remain the detailed domain guides; this page provides general consumer escalation, not contract interpretation.

Your next action

Official sources to verify

• Consumer Affairs Agency
• NCAC cooling-off guidance

AIC LIFE GUIDE

Family support starts locally

Family life in Japan often involves both nationwide frameworks and municipality-run services. Pregnancy and birth administration, maternal-and-child support, child allowance, childcare, nursery applications, school orientation and family consultation may involve different departments and local procedures. Start with the municipality where you live and check the current official page for your area.

This page covers everyday administration and local-service orientation. It does not decide a benefit, nursery place, school placement, immigration status, nationality, custody issue or medical question.

Pregnancy and maternal-child support: administrative first step

Municipalities commonly provide information about pregnancy registration, the maternal and child health handbook and local support services. The exact location, documents, language support and programme availability can differ. Contact your municipality for the current process and use healthcare providers for medical questions.

Birth and household administration

For a birth in Japan, the Ministry of Justice states that a birth notification must generally be submitted within 14 days from the date of birth. The office, required documents and any family-register facts must be confirmed with the responsible municipality.

Nationality, family-register matters and residence status can add separate issues. If a child is a foreign national and will remain in Japan, a separate status-of-residence procedure may be required. Use AIC Visa & Residence and Immigration Services Agency guidance for that separate immigration question. This guide does not determine nationality, citizenship or immigration consequences.

Child allowance and local support

Japan has national child-support frameworks, but application routes, local services, eligibility checks and supporting documents may depend on the municipality and household facts. The Children and Families Agency provides system-level information; your municipality is the right place to verify a live application, local support service, payment question or change in circumstances. Do not assume every family receives the same amount, service or timing.

Nursery, childcare and school orientation

Childcare availability, admissions, priority criteria, fees, schedules and local support are not identical nationwide. Check the municipality’s childcare department and published local application information. For public-school orientation, the municipality/board of education is the right starting point. MEXT provides system-level guidance, but local procedures and language support should be verified directly.

Foreign children may have specific local school-orientation routes. Do not infer a school assignment or admission result from general information. Ask the local board of education about current steps, translated guidance and the correct contact for your area.

Household and family changes

When a household changes—for example, a move, birth, new childcare need or changed local service use—check whether your municipality needs an updated record or application. Use the City/Ward Office Setup and Moving guides for the general settlement process, then use the relevant local family/child-service desk for the service itself.

Your next action

Official sources to verify

• Children and Families Agency
• Ministry of Justice: birth notification
• MEXT: school orientation
• Your municipality and its responsible family, childcare or board-of-education office

AIC LIFE GUIDE

A practical orientation to tax notices, payroll documents and official tax routes in Japan. It does not provide personal tax advice or filing decisions.

Tax documents are not all owned by the same office

People living in Japan can receive tax-related documents from an employer, the National Tax Agency (NTA), a tax office or their municipality. A document may concern national income tax, payroll withholding, a year-end adjustment, a tax return, or locally administered inhabitant/resident tax. The issuer, document title, tax year, deadline and payment instructions are the practical starting points.

This guide is general orientation. It does not calculate tax, decide tax residency, tell you whether you must file, or determine deductions, treaty treatment or refunds.

Income tax and resident tax: start with the responsible owner

Income tax is a national tax administered through the NTA and tax offices. Inhabitant/resident tax is locally administered and can involve your municipality. Notice delivery and collection can depend on the tax, your municipality, your employer/payroll arrangement and personal facts.

Payroll withholding and year-end adjustment

For salary income, an employer may withhold income tax and may carry out a year-end adjustment under the withholding system. This is an employer/payroll process, not a guarantee that every tax matter for every worker is complete. Keep payroll documents, annual withholding information and forms supplied by your employer. Ask payroll which year a requested form concerns and what deadline applies.

The NTA has separate guidance for withholding, year-end adjustment, overseas relatives and other fact-specific situations. Do not decide a dependent deduction or other tax treatment from a general article.

Tax returns: verify, do not guess

A final tax return is the official process for declaring and settling relevant income tax for a year. Whether a return is required, optional or unnecessary depends on income sources, withholding, deductions, tax-residency facts and other circumstances. Use the NTA’s current guidance and your jurisdictional tax office if you are unsure. AIC does not make a filing decision.

Resident-tax notices and local verification

Check the municipality named on a local tax notice, the tax year, amount or instalment information, due dates, payment method and contact route. Municipalities administer their own notices and local procedures. If your employer is involved in collection, payroll can explain its handling; if the notice is directly from a municipality, that municipality is the first official owner.

If an address or municipality change is involved, read the City/Ward Office Setup and Moving and Change of Address guides, then verify the tax notice with its issuer.

Leaving Japan: check NTA guidance early

Leaving Japan can create tax procedures that depend on tax-residency status, income and whether a tax agent is needed. The NTA has separate information for an individual leaving Japan, including tax-agent and return procedures in applicable cases. Do not assume another person’s process applies to you. Check current NTA guidance before departure and confirm local resident-tax questions with the relevant municipality.

Official sources to verify

• National Tax Agency: final tax return guidance
• National Tax Agency: withholding tax guidance
• National Tax Agency: leaving Japan guidance
• Your municipality’s official resident-tax page and the contact printed on your notice

AIC LIFE GUIDE

When you move into or leave a home in Japan, the household systems are not managed by one national office. Electricity and gas arrangements can be provider-specific. Water and waste instructions are commonly local. A building or management company can also add operational rules.

Use this guide to identify who to check with. It does not compare prices, recommend providers, promote switching, or replace your contract and local instructions.

Start with responsibility, not assumptions

Before arranging a service, check these four places:

1. Your lease and move-in instructions.
2. The management company or landlord’s written building guidance.
3. The responsible provider’s official account/service information.
4. Your municipality’s official water and waste information.

VERIFY LOCALLY: Water, waste categories, collection days, designated bags and bulky-waste procedures can vary by municipality. CHECK WITH THE PROVIDER: Electricity and gas account steps, dates, payment methods and contract conditions can vary by provider. PROPERTY/MANAGEMENT-SPECIFIC: A building can have additional practical rules for meters, access, shared areas and rubbish storage.

Household setup: a short orientation checklist

At a new home, confirm:

• which electricity provider/account is responsible;
• whether the home uses city gas, LP gas or another stated arrangement, and who handles it;
• which water/sewerage authority or operator applies to the address;
• the municipality’s official waste guidance for the address; and
• any management-company instructions that add to local rules.

Do not assume utilities are included, that one provider serves every home, or that a rule from a previous city applies to the new address.

Electricity: check the actual provider and contract

Electricity retail has a national regulatory framework, but the responsible company and the contract conditions for a household are PROVIDER-SPECIFIC. Before starting, stopping or changing an account, identify the responsible provider from the move-in papers, current bill, management guidance or official provider contact.

When you contact the provider, confirm the address, requested service date, account holder details required by that provider, billing method, any contract period and any stated termination condition. Keep the confirmation and final bill.

The Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission advises consumers to check the identity of a company and the contract conditions. AIC Japan does not rank providers, recommend a tariff, or promise that a particular plan will cost less.

Gas: identify the service type and responsible operator

Homes can use city gas or LP gas, and the property’s arrangement matters. Do not assume a gas procedure from another home will apply to yours.

Check your lease, move-in information and the property/management contact to identify the gas type and the responsible operator. Then use that operator’s current official instructions for opening, stopping, attendance, equipment and emergency guidance.

Gas-account steps, required attendance and timing are PROVIDER- AND PROPERTY-SPECIFIC. AIC Japan does not provide a gas-emergency decision tool. If you suspect an urgent gas problem, follow the responsible operator’s current emergency instructions and use emergency services when appropriate.

Water and sewerage: verify with the local authority or operator

Water administration is MUNICIPALITY-SPECIFIC. The responsible water/sewerage bureau or local operator, its start/stop process, billing route and contact method can differ by address.

For a new or departing home, find the official local water/sewerage page for the municipality where the property is located. Confirm how to start, stop or transfer service, the relevant date, how bills are issued, and whom to contact for a local problem.

Do not use a national checklist as proof that a local water application is complete.

Moving utilities: household-service steps only

Task 37’s Moving and Change of Address guide owns the wider moving and municipal journey. This guide covers the household-service part.

Before moving out

• Check the lease and management instructions.
• Confirm electricity stop/transfer with the actual provider.
• Confirm gas stop with the actual operator.
• Confirm water stop with the actual local authority/operator.
• Keep final-bill and account records.

At the new home

• Identify the electricity provider.
• Identify the gas type and responsible operator.
• Find the municipality’s official water/sewerage contact.
• Read the municipality’s official waste guidance and the building’s additional instructions.

Dates, forms, fees and notice requirements are not universal. Check the responsible owner’s current instructions.

Waste and recycling: local rules are the rule

There is no single Japan-wide household garbage schedule or sorting system that a resident can safely apply everywhere. Municipalities determine local waste and recycling systems, while a building may set further operating instructions.

For the actual address, use the municipality’s official information to confirm:

• categories and sorting guidance;
• collection days and locations;
• designated bags, if the municipality requires them;
• recycling arrangements;
• prohibited or special items; and
• bulky-waste booking, fees and disposal instructions.

VERIFY LOCALLY: Do not copy bag colours, collection days or categories from another city, ward, town, village, social-media post or neighbour’s recollection.

Bulky waste and special items

Bulky-waste procedures can vary by municipality: the relevant items, booking system, fee, payment method, collection location and timing are not national defaults. Some items may need another official or retailer/manufacturer route.

Use the municipality’s official bulky-waste instructions for the property’s address. If the building has collection-point rules, check those with the management company as well.

Building and household rules

Municipal waste rules are not always the complete set of instructions for an apartment, condominium, dormitory or managed building. The management company or owner may set operational instructions about shared areas, rubbish-storage location, disposal times, bicycles, parking, noise or building access.

These instructions are PROPERTY/MANAGEMENT-SPECIFIC. Follow the written building guidance and ask the responsible management contact when it is unclear. Do not treat a building rule as a nationwide law, or a municipal rule as an answer to a private-building question.

If something goes wrong: find the right first contact

If a consumer issue remains unresolved, the Consumer Affairs Agency’s Consumer Hotline 188 can route callers to local consumer consultation. Check its current access information before use.

Your next action

VERIFY YOUR PROVIDER, MUNICIPALITY AND PROPERTY RULES. Begin with the written instructions for the actual home. That is safer than relying on a generic nationwide checklist.

Official sources and verification

• Electricity and Gas Market Surveillance Commission — current consumer guidance and Q&A for electricity/gas contracts.
• Ministry of the Environment — official route to local waste and recycling information.
• Relevant municipality/water-sewerage authority — address-specific water, waste and bulky-waste instructions.
• Consumer Affairs Agency — Consumer Hotline 188 for appropriate consumer consultation routing.

Last verified: 27 August 2026. Review trigger: provider-contract guidance, municipality water/waste rules, CAA service information or energy-regulatory guidance changes.

Related AIC guides

• Moving in Japan: Change of Address Guide
• City or Ward Office Setup in Japan

AIC LIFE GUIDE

Renting a home in Japan is not one standard transaction. The property, landlord, real-estate business, management company, rent-guarantee arrangement and contract can all affect the steps and costs.

This guide is for residents who need a practical way to check a rental journey from search to move-out. It is not a property-ranking guide, a promise of rental approval, or legal advice about a particular contract.

Student housing is different. If your main question is a school dormitory, admission-linked accommodation or student arrival preparation, use AIC Japan’s Study accommodation guide. If your question is about residence status or an immigration procedure, use Visa & Residence guidance.

Before you start: use a written-information rule

Before you apply or send money, ask for the property details and every known payment item in writing. Keep the property advertisement, messages, estimates, application records, important-matters explanation, contract and receipts together.

CHECK YOUR CONTRACT: The contract and related documents—not a general online rule—state the conditions proposed for your home. If wording is unclear, ask the responsible real-estate business, landlord or management company to explain what the document says before you agree.

A typical rental journey — but not a universal sequence

A rental journey often includes the following stages:

1. Search and compare homes that meet your practical needs.
2. Ask questions, view the property where possible and request written cost information.
3. Submit an application if you want to proceed.
4. Complete any screening or guarantee-related process required for that property.
5. Review the explanation and contract documents.
6. Pay the amounts stated for the agreed transaction.
7. Arrange key handover and move-in.

Some homes, agencies and contracts combine, reorder or add steps. A property may have its own application, guarantor, management or utility arrangements. Treat this as an orientation map, not a guaranteed process.

Rental screening: understand the limits

The decision process can involve the landlord, an agency, a management company, a personal guarantor or a rent-guarantee company, depending on the property and transaction. AIC Japan cannot predict the result of a particular application.

Do not rely on claims that a foreign resident will always be accepted or rejected, that a specific income multiple always applies, or that every home needs the same guarantor arrangement. Instead, ask the responsible party what documents and checks apply to this property, what deadline applies, and whether any requested document or payment is part of the formal process.

MLIT publishes foreign-resident rental guidance, checklists and multilingual reference materials. They are useful for understanding a process, but they do not guarantee acceptance for a particular property.

Personal guarantor or rent-guarantee company?

A rental arrangement may require a personal guarantor, a rent-guarantee company, another arrangement, or none of these. The answer is PROPERTY- AND CONTRACT-SPECIFIC.

Before proceeding, confirm in writing:

• which arrangement applies;
• who must complete it;
• what fees, renewals or conditions are stated;
• whether the property can proceed if an arrangement changes; and
• which organization is responsible for questions about its own terms.

Do not choose a guarantor company because of an unverified recommendation or ranking. Read the documents for the actual arrangement offered with the property.

Initial costs: possible categories, never a universal formula

Your written estimate can include some or all of the following, depending on the property and contract:

• advance rent;
• a deposit, key money or another contract-specific payment;
• management or common-service charges;
• an agency-related fee;
• a rent-guarantee-company-related fee;
• insurance or other stated arrangement; and
• property-specific charges or utility arrangements.

CASE-DEPENDENT: These categories are not automatically required for every tenancy, and their amount or treatment cannot be inferred from another property. Do not use a universal “months of rent” rule as a budget commitment. Ask for an itemised written estimate and identify each recurring and one-time amount before you agree.

Before signing: a practical check

Use the following as a reading and verification checklist. It is not a legal interpretation of your contract.

• The rent, payment date and any recurring management/common-service charge.
• Each one-time payment and what the document says about it.
• The start date, term, renewal or end-of-term wording.
• Notice, cancellation and move-out procedure stated in the agreement.
• Occupancy, visitor, pet, smoking, noise, parking and bicycle rules where applicable.
• Any guarantor or rent-guarantee-company condition and its own documents.
• The stated treatment of restoration, cleaning, damage and inspection at move-out.
• The emergency, maintenance and management contact for the building.
• What the documents say about electricity, gas, water, internet and other services.

If you do not understand an important document, pause and ask the responsible party for an explanation or seek an appropriate official consumer consultation route. Do not sign simply because a deadline feels urgent.

Important-matters explanation and contract documents

For transactions handled under the real-estate brokerage framework, MLIT provides an official sample Important Points Explanation and standard rental-contract reference materials. The documents and the way they are provided can differ by transaction; MLIT also explains that electronic delivery and IT-based explanation may be used within the applicable framework.

The safe reader action is simple: ask the handling real-estate business to identify the explanation and contract documents for this property, how they will be provided, and when you can review them. Do not assume that an electronic document, a paper document, a sample form or a general guide decides the terms of your own tenancy.

At move-in: record facts, learn the building rules

At handover, check the condition of the home and any equipment that the property says is included. If it is practical, keep dated notes or photos of visible condition at the start of the tenancy and retain your communication records.

This is a sensible record-keeping habit; it does not guarantee a legal result in a later disagreement. Also confirm the management contact, building-entry and rubbish-area instructions, emergency contacts and which party is responsible for arranging utilities.

During the tenancy: use the right contact first

Your lease and building rules can govern rent, shared areas, pets, noise, rubbish locations, repairs and contact methods. Responsibility for a problem can depend on the contract, the property, the cause and the actual condition.

The table is an orientation tool, not a universal assignment of liability.

Renewal and fixed-term tenancy: check the actual agreement

Do not assume that every rental renews automatically, has the same term, or charges a renewal fee. MLIT explains that a fixed-term building lease ends definitively at the end of its specified period without renewal; the distinction from an ordinary tenancy must be confirmed from the documents for your home.

CHECK YOUR CONTRACT: confirm the tenancy type, term, renewal or expiry wording, required notice, and any stated charges with the responsible party before the relevant date. AIC Japan does not determine whether a particular agreement will renew.

Ending the tenancy and moving out

Do not assume one notice period applies to all homes. Official MLIT material notes that notice can depend on the agreement’s terms, special provisions and tenancy type.

Use this practical sequence:

1. Read the contract’s stated notice, contact and move-out procedure.
2. Notify the correct party using the stated channel and retain the record.
3. Arrange the handover/inspection process described for the property.
4. Check the household-service steps for electricity, gas and water; Task 39’s utilities guide explains that these are provider- or municipality-specific.
5. Return keys and retain final correspondence, bills, inspection records and any settlement statement.

For the wider address-change and municipal journey, use AIC Japan’s Moving and Change of Address guide rather than treating this rental guide as a replacement.

Restoration, damage and deposit questions

MLIT publishes guidance intended to help prevent and resolve disputes about restoration at move-out, together with an example condition-confirmation list. It is a valuable official reference for the general principles and for checking the home’s condition at move-in and move-out.

However, it is not a decision about your individual bill, deposit or liability. The contract, the agreed terms, the condition of the home and the facts of the case can matter. AIC Japan will not tell you that you must pay, that a charge is invalid, or that a deposit must be refunded.

Keep the relevant documents and ask the responsible party for an itemised explanation. If the concern is not resolved, use an appropriate official consumer consultation route.

If there is a problem

Start with the party responsible for the relevant step: the landlord, management company, agency or provider, depending on the issue. Keep your messages and documents.

For a consumer problem, the Consumer Affairs Agency’s Consumer Hotline 188 routes callers to nearby local consumer-affairs support. It is a consultation route, not a court, legal representative or guarantee of a particular outcome. Check the current service information and any language/access requirements before calling.

Your next action

CHECK YOUR CONTRACT AND CONFIRM WITH THE RESPONSIBLE PARTY. Before you apply, sign, renew or move out, use written documents for this property—not universal online rules—as your starting point.

Official sources and verification

• MLIT — Support for Foreign Nationals in Looking for Rental Housing; multilingual rental, contract and move-out reference materials.
• MLIT — Private rental housing: move-in/move-out points, standard agreements and restoration guidance.
• Consumer Affairs Agency — Consumer Hotline 188 and local consumer-support routing.

Last verified: 27 August 2026. Review trigger: MLIT contract/restoration guidance, Consumer Hotline service information, or the relevant local/contract terms change.

Related AIC guides

• Moving in Japan: Change of Address Guide
• Student Accommodation and Arrival Preparation in Japan
• Buying a Home in Japan: A Practical Guide for Foreign Residents

AIC LIFE GUIDE

A practical orientation to Japan’s public pension systems for foreign residents.

Two public pension systems to distinguish

Do not reduce this to “every foreigner pays National Pension.” A worker may be enrolled through Employees’ Pension Insurance, while other situations require a different route. Start by confirming your current work and household situation with the responsible administrator.

When your situation changes

• Starting, changing or leaving a job may change the procedure to verify.
• Moving can change where you complete a local procedure.
• Keep pension notices and your Basic Pension Number Notice safely; Japan Pension Service says the number manages your coverage record.
• For a complex record, ask Japan Pension Service rather than making a conclusion from a general guide.

Students and payment difficulty

Japan Pension Service explains that a student may apply for the Special Payment System for Students when payment is difficult and conditions are met. It is a payment-postponement system, not an automatic exemption. Apply and verify eligibility through the official process.

Japan Pension Service: exemptions and postponement, including students

Leaving Japan and lump-sum withdrawal

A lump-sum withdrawal payment can involve conditions, timing, tax and long-term pension-record consequences. Japan Pension Service warns people to consider future pension possibilities before deciding. This guide does not calculate a payment or recommend whether to claim one.

Japan Pension Service: notes on lump-sum withdrawal payments

Where to verify

Japan Pension Service offers multilingual consultation information and explains which contact points handle National Pension, Employees’ Pension Insurance and related health-insurance procedures. Your employer, municipality or JPS branch office may be the right place depending on the issue.

Japan Pension Service: multilingual consultations

Related AIC guides

• Health Insurance in Japan
• City or Ward Office Setup in Japan
• Moving in Japan: Change of Address Guide

Official sources

• Japan Pension Service: National Pension enrollment
• Japan Pension Service: Employees’ Pension / Health Insurance enrollment
• Japan Pension Service: exemptions and postponement

Last verified: 26 August 2026. Pension rules and individual procedures can change; confirm current official guidance.

AIC LIFE GUIDE

A practical guide to understanding which health-insurance arrangement you need to check in Japan.

Start with the system that may apply to you

Japan has more than one health-insurance arrangement. The practical route can depend on employment, household circumstances, residence and the organisation administering your coverage. Check the system that applies to your current situation instead of treating all coverage as one system.

What to confirm when you are unsure

• Which insurer or municipality currently administers your health-insurance arrangement.
• Whether a work, household or address change needs a procedure.
• Which current proof or verification method you should use when receiving care.
• Where to ask before a deadline or payment notice becomes a problem.

My Number Card-based verification

MHLW publishes multilingual material about registering and using a My Number Card as a health-insurance certificate, including situations in which registration cannot be completed. Check the latest official material and your insurer or municipality for the proof currently applicable to you.

MHLW: My Number Card as your Health Insurance Certificate

When to seek official confirmation

If you are changing job, leaving employment, moving, checking dependent coverage, or responding to a notice you do not understand, ask the responsible employer, insurer or municipality. Complex disputes need official or professional review, not a general web guide.

Related AIC guides

• City or Ward Office Setup in Japan
• Moving in Japan: Change of Address Guide
• Healthcare in Japan: Clinic, Hospital or Emergency?

Official sources

• MHLW multilingual My Number Card health-insurance materials
• Japan Pension Service: Employees’ Health Insurance and Employees’ Pension enrollment

Last verified: 26 August 2026. Check current insurer, employer and municipal guidance for your circumstances.

AIC LIFE GUIDE

A practical orientation to finding care in Japan. It does not diagnose symptoms or replace medical advice.

Start with the kind of help you need

Japan has clinics, hospitals, emergency services and local medical-information services. The appropriate next step depends on the situation, the service available locally and the instructions of a qualified medical professional. If you are unsure whether a situation is urgent, use an official local emergency or medical-information service where available, or seek urgent professional help.

Before you go

• Check the provider’s current hours, appointment policy and language support.
• Take the current insurance verification document or method that applies to you, if available.
• Ask the provider or your municipality where to verify local medical information if you are new to the area.

Health insurance and the My Number Card

Health-insurance arrangements are separate from the question of where to seek medical care. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare provides multilingual material about using a My Number Card as health-insurance verification, including what to do when registration cannot be completed. Check the current official material and your insurer or municipality for the document or method that applies to you.

MHLW: My Number Card as your Health Insurance Certificate (foreign-language materials)

Related AIC guides

• City or Ward Office Setup in Japan
• Moving in Japan: Change of Address Guide

Official sources

• Fire and Disaster Management Agency: ambulance service guide
• MHLW: My Number Card health-insurance verification materials

Last verified: 26 August 2026. Medical access, provider policies and local services can change; confirm current local guidance.