Medical costs for the uninsured can be very high in Japan. Please inform TUS if you are currently covered by insurance in your home country. If your insurance cannot be used during your stay, we suggest that you buy a travel insurance before departing your home country.

Japan National Health Insurance

International students and researchers that stay in Japan for 3 months or more are obliged to buy the national health insurance. To buy the policy, you must visit the National Health Insurance Department of the local city hall. Take your Resident Card to the reception desk and complete all the procedures. You will subsequently receive an insurance card at a later date.

International students that have been issued an insurance card must present it at the Student Services Section (Kagurazaka, Katsushika, Noda).

After subscribing to the national health insurance, you will need to pay the insurance fee each month. However this fee may be reduced or waived for low-income applicants. Please ask the clerk at the National Health Insurance Department of your local city hall for more information.

Present your card at clinics and hospitals and you will only be required to pay 30% of the medical costs. Please be sure to bring your insurance card with you if you intend to get medical treatment. It can be used even outside your residential district.

Example : In the case of a medical bill of 10,000 yen,

Total medical cost: 10,000 yen
Assistance from National Health Insurance: 70% = 7,000 yen	Out of pocket payment to medical facility: 3,000 yen

*Treatments not covered by insurance:

• Private rooms or special rooms with only 2 people (amenity beds), material costs, etc.
• Physical examination, vaccinations, cosmetic surgery, orthodontics
• Normal deliveries and abortions due to economical reasons
• Any other treatments or clinics that are not covered under the national health insurance (such as hospitals specializing only in treating foreigners, acupuncture and moxibustion and other unapproved treatment methods. Please confirm with the medical clinic beforehand if their treatment is covered by the national health insurance).

Locations to apply

Your local city hall, etc.

Prerequisites

Your stay in Japan will last 3 months or longer

Required Documents

Passport or your Resident Card

Payment of Insurance

The amount you must pay is decided annually depending on your income for the previous year. You will receive a notice around June, so be prepared to make the proper arrangements (for example, paying through financial institutions or credit transfers)

Notes

• Lending out or selling your insurance policy is forbidden by law and will incur harsh penalties.
• If you change residences, please notify the city hall of your old residence within 2 weeks. Then, you will also have to do a similar procedure at the city hall of your new residence.
• You will not be able to use insurance cards that have expired. Please exchange them for new ones at the city hall of your residence.
• If you go to a hospital without your insurance card, you will be responsible for the full amount. However, you can bring the receipt and statement from the hospital to your local city hall along with your insurance card to have 70% of what you paid returned to you after following proper procedures (and only after careful evaluation from the city hall).