Japanese Health Insurance: a guide for foreigners

The health insurance scheme is required by the government in Japan for all Japanese citizens, permanent residents and any non-Japanese residing in Japan with a visa for three months or more. This rule is also applied to the students.

The following information is for foreign residents who should enroll in National Health Insurance or Latter-Stage Elderly People’s Medical System.

Foreign residents listed below, who will have the residence record (“juminhyo”), will be required to enroll into the National Health Insurance or Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People.

•   Duly resident for medium to long period
•   Special Permanent Residents
•   Person granted landing permission for temporary refuge
•   Person granted permission for provisional stay
•   Person who stays in Japan through birth
•   Person who has renounced Japanese nationality(Essentially, foreign residents who are duly staying in Japan more than 3 months are eligible, except short term stays, for example: persons visiting Japan on holiday.)It is mandatory for those under the age of 75 years to be enrolled in National Health Insurance, and for those over 75 years of age and over to be enrolled in Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People, except residents who receive welfare or health insurance from their employer.Foreign residents who aren’t enlisted in the Basic Resident Registration may join National Health Insurance or Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People, if they meet following criteria “residence status” and have confirmed their residency for over 3 months’ stay.(★)

•   Entertainer
•   Technical Intern Training
•   Dependent
•   Designated activity
•   Official business○Procedure to joinJoining National Health Insurance will not be activated automatically. Please go to the Insurance counter at your local city office to take a procedure.

Attention to foreign residents with a visa status for more than three months but less than one year.

When you shift to Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People after your 75th birthday, no further procedure will be required. However, in case you join the Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People because of a certain handicap in the age from 65 to 74, or you fall into any of the conditions mentioned in ★ above, it will be the resident’s responsibility to enroll in the system.

For those who have already joined National Health Insurance or Insurance System for Latter-Stage Elderly People, any further procedure is not required. However, please notify us if any item such as address or residence status is changed.

Please contact your city office for procedures or details.