Child Care

Child Services and Support from Your Local Government Office

Infants and children are entitled to free medical check-ups at your local municipality. Also standard vaccinations are free, but you must visit a designated medical provider. You should receive a letter on the check-up/vaccination from your local government office. Your local municipality offers several different kinds of financial assistance for families with young children. Benefits are limited to families with an income under a certain amount.

(1) Child Welfare Allowance (Jidou Teate 児童手当)

This is an allowance for anyone raising children. If you are eligible for this allowance, you will receive payments of ¥5,000-\15,000, depending on certain requirements, per month for each child up to 15 years of age. Please see more information below.

(2) Child Medical Expense Aid (Kodomo Iryō Jyosei 子供医療助成) 　

Child Medical Expense Aid is subsisdy to cover a part of the medical expenses you paid at hospitals This system is available to those who meet the qualifications. And once the application authorized , the allowance will be transferred to your bank account two months after your hospital visit.

(3) Child Support Allowance (Jidō Fuyō Teate　児童扶養手当)

This is an allowance for children who are living apart from their fathers due to divorce or death.

(4) Medical Expense Allowance for Children in Single Parent Homes

(Boshi oyobi Fushi Katei nado Iryōhi Jyosei　母子および父子家庭など医療助成)
This is an allowance to pay for medical expenses of children ages 18 and under in single-parent homes.

Child Allowance: (Jidou teate児童手当)

Responsible Organization: Children's Welfare Section at your local government office.
A child allowance is paid by local government to all residents who have eligible children.

A child allowance can be received in the following situations:

  • You have registered as residents in Japan.
  • You have completed your resident card registration process.
  • You are raising children who meet the requirements to receive a child allowance.

Requirements to receive the child allowance

  • Children from 0 years old to those in their last year of junior high school (9th grade) (the first March 31 after becoming 15 years old) meet the requirements.
  • In principle, children living abroad (except those studying abroad*) are not covered by the system.

*Children who live abroad receive the allowance if they are studying overseas and fulfill all of the conditions stated below, provided that the required documents for studying abroad meet the requirements.
*The child had an Address: in Japan continuously for 3 years up to the day before they no longer had an Address: in Japan.
*The purpose for living abroad is to receive an education, and the child does not live with their parents (or the child’s guardian, if the child is under guardianship)
*Less than 3 years have passed since the day the child no longer had an Address: in Japan.

(1) Allowance amount

The amount of the allowance paid per child is as below.

 

Age classification Amount of allowance per month
Age 0～under age 3 \15,000 for all children
Age 3～until before entering Junior High School \10,000 first/second child
\15,000 third child and above
Junior High School students \10,000 for all children
When income limit is exceeded* \5,000 for all children

*The income limit varies depending on the number of dependents and various deductions. For details, please contact your local government office.

(2) Time and method of payment

Payment is made three times per year (June, October, and February) in lump sum payments for the 4 months up to the month prior to payment. Payment is made by bank transfer to the account of the person raising the child.

People who wish to receive payment of the child allowance must apply.

  • An application must be made in order to receive a child allowance payment to their city, town, or village office. Those who wish to receive a child allowance must fill in a Child Allowance Authorization Application Form (Jido Teate Nintei Shinsei Sho). The office will then review the application. If the application is approved, the applicant will receive payment.
  • Documents to be presented with the “Jido Teate Nintei Shinsei Sho” application form when submitting an application:
    - Copy of the Residence Card of the applicant
    - Copy of the Health Insurance Certificate of the applicant (if they subscribe to a health insurance plan)
    - Copy of the bank pass book of the account to which the child allowance is to be transferred to (must be the account of the applicant)
    - Other documents may be required if deemed necessary

・Payment begins accumulating one month after the application is made.
Since payment of the allowance for children born after April 1st (or people who arrived in Japan after that date) begins with the sum for the month after an application is made, people in such circumstances are asked to fill out their application as soon as possible after the birth of their child or arriving in Japan.

(3) Notification procedures are required in the following circumstances:

  • When there is a change of Address: (If an applicant [recipient] moves to a different city, ward, town or village, a new Child Allowance application is required at the office for the new Address:.)
  • When the applicant or the child for whom the allowance is being received leaves Japan
  • When the applicant (recipient) no longer takes care of the child
  • When the applicant (recipient) and child live separately
  • When, due to birth or death, the number of children for whom the allowance applies changes
  • When the bank account to which the allowance is transferred changes (A new transfer can be made only to the account of the applicant.)

・Contact Phone number at City Office for “Child Allowance”

Day Care Centers (Hoikusho　保育所)