When become pregnant…

Get a Maternal and Child Health Handbook and an Expectant Mother’s Regular Health Check Consultation Form from your municipal office.

Birth cost

After giving birth you usually stay in hospital for one week in Japan (10-14 days in case of a Caesarian section). This costs about three hundred to five hundred thousand yen (¥300,000-￥500,000). There is an aid system for birth-related costs.

Once you’ve given birth…

Complete a Birth Notification at your municipal office within 14 days after giving birth. If you apply at the Health Insurance Consultation Office, you will receive a 400,000 yen lump-sum birth allowance.

Further procedures are required for the child of the foreign national parents.

  • Apply for residency status at Regional Immigration Bureau within 30 days of birth.
  • Confirm procedures for informing your home country by contacting your consulate or embassy.

Child care

In accordance with the growth of the baby, there are medical checkups, immunization, childcare consultation, and so on. Immunization may be different from your country. Please consult with municipal office or pediatrician when visiting Japan during vaccination or when returning home.

Foreign language versions of “Immunization and Children’s Health 2017 Edition” can be downloaded from the website of the Foundation Immunization Research Center.

 • Immunization and Children’s Health 2020 edition

Kindergarten · Nursery school

Japanese kindergartens · nursery schools, are aiming for child care in collaboration with parents.
“Contact book” connects kindergartens · nursery schools and family. We will introduce what to write and how to write in “contact book” (Japanese · English · Chinese · Korean)

Support site for foreign guardians (Let’s write contact book for kindergarten and nursery school)

Child Allowance

If you apply at a municipal office, you can receive an allowance for children under Junior High School age who are living in Japan. The amount is depends from the age and number of your child(ren).

Shimane parenting support passport

If you apply at your municipal office, you can receive one ‘Kokkoro Card’ per household. With this card you can receive special services from participating stores.