Local Government Services for New Residents in Japan: A Complete Guide

Moving to Japan is an exciting milestone, but navigating local government services can feel overwhelming — especially when language barriers and unfamiliar bureaucratic procedures stand in the way. The good news is that Japan's municipal system is well-organized, and once you understand how it works, completing the required registrations and accessing services becomes straightforward.

This guide covers everything new foreign residents need to know about local government services in Japan: from mandatory registrations at the city hall to health insurance, national pension, My Number, and the multilingual support resources available across the country.

The Foundation: Your City Hall (Shiyakusho) or Ward Office (Kuyakusho)

The local government office — called shiyakusho (市役所) in cities and kuyakusho (区役所) in the special wards of Tokyo — is the administrative hub for virtually all resident services. If you live in a town or village, you'll deal with a chosho (町村役場) instead.

These offices handle:

• Resident registration (jumin toroku)
• Health insurance enrollment
• National pension registration
• My Number card issuance
• Birth, marriage, and death notifications
• Child allowance applications
• Welfare and support benefit applications
• Household certificate (juminhyo) issuance

Most offices are open weekdays from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Some larger municipal offices have extended evening or Saturday hours for working residents. You can find your nearest office by checking your city or ward's official website.

For a broader overview of life in Japan as a foreign resident, see our guide on Moving to Japan and Setting Up Your New Home.

Mandatory Registration Within 14 Days of Moving In

This is the single most important step for every new foreign resident.

All foreign nationals who will stay in Japan for more than 90 days are legally required to file a Ten'nyu Todoke (転入届, moving-in notification) at their local city hall or ward office within 14 days of establishing their address. This is not optional — failure to register can result in warnings and fines of up to 50,000 yen.

What You Need to Register

Registration itself is completely free. Once registered, you'll be entered into the Juki Net (Basic Resident Register Network) and receive your official Resident Registration Certificate (Juminhyo). A copy of this certificate costs approximately 300 yen and is frequently required for various procedures such as opening a bank account, enrolling children in school, or applying for a driver's license.

Moving Between Addresses

If you move within the same city or ward, you file a Tenkyo Todoke (転居届) at the same office. If you move to a different city or ward, the process is two-step:

1. File a Tenshutsu Todoke (転出届) at your current office and receive a Tenshutsu Shomeisho (移出証明書)
2. File a Ten'nyu Todoke at your new city's office within 14 days, presenting the certificate from step 1

Both steps must be completed within 14 days.

For more on the visa and residency implications of your address, see our article on Visa and Residency Considerations for Property Buyers in Japan.

My Number: Japan's Individual Identification System

Upon registering your address, you'll automatically be assigned a My Number (マイナンバー), Japan's 12-digit individual identification number. This number is sent by postal mail to your registered address within a few weeks of registration.

My Number is used for:

• Tax filing and notifications
• Social insurance procedures (health insurance, pension)
• Disaster victim relief applications
• Some government benefit applications

You can optionally apply for a My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) — a physical IC card with a photo ID. The card is free to obtain and increasingly useful:

• Required for accessing the My Number Portal (Mynaportal) online government services
• Enables online submission of visa renewal applications (as of 2024)
• Accepted as official photo ID in many contexts
• Linked to health insurance records (as of 2021)

To get the My Number Card, you submit an application using the notification letter sent to your address and pick up the card at your local municipal office after 1-2 months. More details are available through Living in Nihon's guide on Japanese paperwork and documents for foreigners.

National Health Insurance: Enrollment Is Compulsory

Japan has a universal healthcare system, and enrollment in health insurance is mandatory for all residents — including foreigners. If you are not covered by workplace (shakai hoken) insurance through an employer, you must enroll in Kokumin Kenko Hoken (National Health Insurance, or NHI) at your local city hall.

How National Health Insurance Works

NHI covers 70% of medical costs, meaning you pay a 30% co-payment for most treatments. Premiums are calculated based on your previous year's income and the number of insured individuals in your household. As a rough guide:

• First year in Japan (no Japanese income yet): premiums are set at the minimum, typically around 3,000–7,000 yen/month
• Subsequent years: premiums are calculated based on the previous year's income reported in your tax return

Why enrollment matters beyond healthcare: Your health insurance certificate (hoken sho) is increasingly required when applying to renew or change your residence status. Immigration authorities check NHI payment records as part of the visa renewal process — unpaid premiums can jeopardize your application.

Enrolling in National Health Insurance

Bring the following to your local city hall:

• Residence Card
• Passport
• My Number notification or card
• Bank account information (for premium direct debit)

Enrollment is typically processed on the same day. You'll receive your insurance card within 1-2 weeks by mail.

Learn about the full picture of tax and social insurance obligations for foreigners at For Work in Japan's guide on tax, social insurance, and pension.

National Pension: Mandatory Contributions for Residents Age 20–60

All residents of Japan aged 20 to 60 — regardless of nationality — are legally required to participate in Japan's National Pension (Kokumin Nenkin) system. Enrollment is handled at your city hall at the same time as, or shortly after, address registration.

Key Facts About National Pension

Social Security Agreements

Japan has bilateral social security agreements with 23 countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, South Korea, and others. These agreements prevent double contributions during temporary assignments (typically up to 5 years) and allow pension credits to accumulate in both countries. Check whether your home country has an agreement in place before assuming you must contribute to both systems.

Pension Exemptions

If your income is low, you may qualify for a full or partial exemption from monthly contributions. Apply at your city hall using the exemption application form. Approved exempt periods still count toward eligibility for pension benefits (at a reduced benefit level) once you reach retirement age.

Financial Benefits and Allowances Administered by Municipal Offices

Local governments in Japan are not just about registration — they also administer a significant number of financial benefits that foreign residents are fully eligible to receive once properly registered.

Child-Related Benefits

• Child Allowance (Jido Teate): Up to 30,000 yen per month per child (amounts vary by age and income), paid until junior high school graduation. Apply at the municipal office upon birth or when moving to a new city.
• Childbirth Lump-Sum Payment (Shussan Ikuji Ichiji-kin): 500,000 yen per birth, paid through your health insurance (national or employer-based).
• Child Rearing Support: Some municipalities offer additional support for daycare costs, medical expenses for children under a certain age (often free up to age 15 in major cities), and parenting consultation services.

Housing and Welfare Support

• Housing Security Benefits (Jutaku Kakuho Kyufu): Up to 69,800–86,000 yen/month in Tokyo for qualifying low-income residents who have lost their housing or are at risk of losing it.
• Rural Relocation Subsidies: Up to 1,000,000 yen for households relocating from major urban areas to less-populated prefectures under the government's regional revitalization initiative. Single individuals may receive up to 600,000 yen.
• Living Support (Seikatsu Hogo): Japan's welfare system is available to permanent residents and certain visa holders who cannot support themselves due to illness, disability, or other circumstances.

For guidance on property ownership implications for foreign residents, see Foreigner Property Ownership Rights in Japan Explained.

Multilingual Support at Municipal Offices

Japan has made significant strides in providing multilingual services at municipal offices, particularly in cities with large foreign populations. Here is an overview of support available across major cities:

National Support Resources

FRESC (Foreign Residents Support Center): Located in Tokyo's Shinjuku area (Yotsuya), FRESC is a one-stop center operated jointly by multiple national government agencies including the Immigration Services Agency, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan Pension Service, and others. Services are provided in 13+ languages via in-person consultations and tablet-based interpreters.

Foreign Resident Information Center Hotline: Call 0570-013904 (weekdays 8:30–17:15 JST) for telephone consultations in 14 languages on residency, procedures, and government services. This is a particularly useful resource for those in smaller municipalities with limited multilingual support.

Tokyo Multilingual Living Guide: The Tokyo Metropolitan Government's TIPS portal at tabunka.tokyo-tsunagari.or.jp provides a comprehensive guide to living procedures in multiple languages, covering everything from registration to school enrollment.

For consultation services specifically for foreign property owners and prospective buyers, see the Gaijin Buy House guide to government services and consultation for foreigners in Japan.

Other Important Services at the Municipal Office

Beyond the core registrations, your city hall provides or facilitates access to a wide range of other services relevant to daily life:

School Enrollment

Foreign children living in Japan are entitled to attend public schools at no cost. Parents must notify the municipal office and request enrollment. The school assignment will be based on your registered address. Most schools provide some level of Japanese language support for non-native students, though the extent varies widely by municipality.

Documents and Certificates

Many of these documents can now be obtained at convenience stores (7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) using the My Number Card, saving a trip to the office.

Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Services

Japanese municipalities maintain detailed disaster hazard maps and emergency procedures. New residents are strongly encouraged to:

• Register on the local disaster information notification system (SMS alerts)
• Obtain and review the local hazard map (kosui/tsunami/jishin bousai map) available at city hall or online
• Know the location of designated evacuation shelters in your area

For more on preparing your property for Japan's unique natural risks, see our guide on Natural Disaster Preparedness for Homeowners in Japan.

A Step-by-Step Checklist for New Residents

Here is a practical checklist for completing your initial municipal registrations in the recommended order:

Most of steps 1–3 can be completed in a single visit to the city hall. Bring originals and photocopies of all documents; city hall staff typically cannot make copies for you.

Staying Up to Date on Services

Japan's government has been actively expanding digital services and foreign-resident support, particularly since 2022. Key developments to be aware of:

• Mynaportal (myna.go.jp): The national online government portal allowing digital submission of many procedures
• eLTAX (地方税ポータルシステム): Online local tax payment and filing system
• Immigration Services Agency Online System: For visa renewals and status changes online using My Number Card

With over 3.95 million foreign residents now registered in Japan (as of mid-2025) — approximately 3.2% of the total population — the government continues to improve multilingual access and streamline services for international residents.

For a comprehensive overview of what to expect throughout the property-buying and settling-in process, visit the Complete Guide to Buying Property in Japan as a Foreigner.

Additional practical guidance is available from GaijinPot's overview of government subsidies for housing, healthcare and childcare and the comprehensive address registration guide at A Realty Japan.