Join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険)

For you if: your period of stay is 3 months or longer, and you have no health insurance from work.

Not for you if: you join health insurance at your company. Your company does the steps.

Checked 2026-10-09 · Source: Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁) · e-Gov (デジタル庁) — 国民健康保険法施行規則第2条 · Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省)

Join National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) within 14 days after you move in.
Where: your city office (市役所・区役所・町村役場).
Who files: the head of your household (世帯主).

Show to the staff ↓

Steps

Go to the city office where you live.
File the form to join National Health Insurance.This can be different in each city.
Pay the premium (保険料). The amount depends on income and household size.This can be different in each city.

More details

How much you pay at the hospital. With this insurance, you usually pay part of the cost:

Children before elementary school: 20%
From elementary school to age 69: 30%
Age 70 to 74: 20% (30% for people with income at working-age level)

What to show at the hospital. Show your My Number Card registered for health insurance use (マイナ保険証). If you do not have one, the city office gives you a Certificate of Eligibility (資格確認書) for free. You do not need to apply. The old health insurance card (健康保険証) can no longer be used.

If paying is hard. The premium may go down because of your income. Ask at your city office.

When you must leave this insurance.

You move to another city. Join again in the new city.
You join health insurance at a company.

Who does not join. Some people do not join. For example: a period of stay under 3 months, or the status “Temporary Visitor”. Some people with a stay under 3 months can still join. Ask your city office.

At the end, check at the counter. You can show this card.

窓口まどぐちの方かたへ

国民健康保険こくみんけんこうほけんに入はいりたいです。

会社かいしゃの健康保険けんこうほけんには入はいっていません。

This card says: “I want to join National Health Insurance. I do not have health insurance from a company.”

窓口まどぐちの方かたへ

国民健康保険料こくみんけんこうほけんりょうの減額げんがくを相談そうだんしたいです。

支払しはらいが難むずかしいです。

This card says: “Paying the premium is hard for me. Please tell me about a lower amount.”

Official information

Guidebook on Living and Working, 7th edition (English, March 2025)Immigration Services Agency of Japan (出入国在留管理庁)www.moj.go.jp · Opens an English website
Enforcement Regulations of the National Health Insurance Act, Article 2 (Japanese)e-Gov (デジタル庁) — 国民健康保険法施行規則第2条laws.e-gov.go.jp · Opens a Japanese website
医療機関・薬局では、マイナ保険証か資格確認書をご提示ください(Japanese)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省)www.mhlw.go.jp · Opens a Japanese website
資格確認書について(Japanese)Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (厚生労働省)www.mhlw.go.jp · Opens a Japanese website

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