Q. Do I have to join the National health system in Japan?

A. No. The Kokumin Hoken system is not compulsory, although many people will tell you it is. You can ‘opt out’ by going to your local ward office or town hall and signing a form to that effect. It may require quite a bit of explanation but you can ‘opt out’ if that is what you want to do. Caution, you may have to pay a back fee for the time you have already been in Japan and were, probably without you knowing, automatically enrolled in the system. After ‘opting out’ you are solely responsible for paying for all and any medical expenses in Japan. Even a simple visit to the dentist can be very expensive. So think carefully.

Getting medical treatment (including dental) in Japan is made much simpler by being a member of the Kokumin Hoken system and the charges are not so high so for most non-Japanese keeping up their membership even if they have private insurance is a good decision. One extra benefit, the Kokumin Hoken membership card is considered a very acceptable means of identification if you don’t have a Japanese driving license and you don’t feel comfortable producing your alien registration card.

Read all about the Kokumin Hoken and all other taxes paid in Japan here.

Taxes in Japan

Q. I really think I need some legal advice but I don’t want to go to see an expensive lawyer straight away. Is there an alternative?

A. Yes. Most town or ward office offer something called a ‘horitsu sodan’ - legal consultation on a weekly or bi weekly basis.

You should have a competent Japanese speaker with you and be able to explain your problem in clear simple terms. You will need to call ahead and make an appointment. Don’t expect much more than general guidance and possibly a reference to a lawyer specializing in the field that you are inquiring about. If possible bring a written explanation of what you are talking about

Here’s a good link for Tokyo that has more information such as places and times. If you are from another part of Japan they will tell you where to call.

Tokyo Metropolitan Foreign Residents’ Advisory Center

One of the most frustrating tasks of living in Japan is finding and keeping a place to live. Japanese land agents are reluctant to find apartments or houses for non Japanese. You may be the most upstanding, law abiding citizen that ever walked this fair earth but unfortunately others before you have muddied the water.

Non Japanese going home abruptly and leaving unpaid utility bills. Keeping apartments in damaged and dirty condition. Sub letting to total strangers. Hosting loud and long parties disturbing the all important ‘wa’ are all sins attributed to those damn long noses. Japanese do it too but in their case land agents have some recourse to the renter’s family members or employers. Not so with non Japanese who can up and leave for foreign fields seemingly at a moments notice.

Let’s say you do manage to find yourself an apartment and all of a sudden the landlord starts acting up. Maybe he wants to increase the rent unfairly, maybe he won’t fix the leaking toilet, maybe he wants his favorite brother in law to have your little piece of turf. He can make life difficult for you in many ways. What to do?

In all cities or towns you will find your local town hall or ward office. If you’ve lived in Japan for any length of time you’ve been there to get registered. Just about all Shiyakusho or Kuyakusho have a department setup specifically to arbitrate between renter and rentee. Go there and tell them your tale of woe. They will contact the land agent or land lord and find out what’s going on and try to help. You can even withhold paying your rent to the land lord and pay the Shiyakusho instead during the ‘negotiations’

Try it the next time you feel like taking an axe to your noisy neighbor.

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Japan’s bureaucracy loves trees. So much so that they want to see as much of them as they can. For you that means when ever you have need or reason to visit those big or small grey buildings bring as much paper as possible.

In simple terms - Before applying for anything in Japan get your paperwork in order. Here a few of the most popular ones that you may need. I’ve put them in Romaji for easier reading.

Tax Certificate - Gensen choushu
Work Certificate - Zaishoku shomei
Family Register - Koseki touhon
Residence Certificate - Jyuminhyo
Letter of Guarantee - Mimotohoshousho
Gaijin register certificate - Toroku genpyo kisaijiko shomeisho

(As always remember. YMMV - Your mileage may vary)