National Health Insurance

National Health Insurance

One of the concerns during your life as a foreign student in Japan may be injury or illness. National Health Insurance is a medical insurance system that aims to provide medical treatment for injuries and illnesses without financial worries, with the national government, the municipality in which you reside, and individuals covering the medical expenses.

About National Health Insurance
When you visit a medical institution that handles medical insurance for injuries or illnesses, if you present your National Health Insurance (“Kokumin Kenko Hoken”) insurance card, 70% of the total medical expenses covered by the Health Insurance Law will be covered by the National Health Insurance, so you only need to pay the remaining 30% to receive treatment.

Obligation to join
All foreign students who plan to stay in Japan for more than 3 months and who have registered as residents at the municipal office of the city, ward, town or village where they reside are obliged to join the National Health Insurance system. They cannot voluntarily withdraw from the National Health Insurance system of their own volition.

Procedures and Notification
Eligibility is established upon entering Japan and registering as a resident at the city hall or ward office, so please follow the procedures when you register. Please note that if you do not enroll in the insurance immediately after registration, you will be charged retroactively for the premiums you paid before you enrolled. In addition, medical expenses incurred during the period of delayed enrollment will be fully borne by the applicant, so please be sure to follow the necessary procedures.
To enroll in National Health Insurance, you will need to bring your “passport” and “residence card” to the National Health Insurance Section of the city office or the Pension Section of the ward office where you live.
When you complete the moving-in procedures at the city (ward) office of your new residence, please also complete the National Health Insurance procedures. The insurance card issued by the city (ward) office of your previous residence cannot be used, so please be sure to complete the necessary procedures.

In the following cases, you must report to the city (ward) office in person.

• In case of a change of address or name ⇒within 14 days of the change
• When leaving Japan for study abroad, leave of absence, graduation/completion of a course, etc. ⇒Before leaving Japan
  If you fail to notify the city (ward) office, you will not be issued a new insurance card and you will be required to pay the insurance premiums for the period you were away from Japan.
  Other Notes
• If you have lost your payment slip or insurance card, please contact the city (ward) office where you live as soon as possible. – The timing of when new insurance cards are issued varies from municipality to municipality, but please be sure to know the expiration date of your insurance card and always have an expired card with you.