All residents of Japan are required to enroll in a public health insurance plan. The system allows everyone to have peace of mind when receiving treatment at a medical institution by only paying a portion of the medical expenses (generally 30%).
(For more detail information, please visit Nagoya City's website.)
| Medical fee | Insurance subscribers generally pay 30% for your health care at medical institution in Japan. * Please note that some treatments are not covered by insurance, and you must check with the hospital in advance, e.g. for dental treatment or hospitalization. |
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| High-Cost Medical Treatment Expenses | In the event that you incur high costs for medical treatment at a hospital or medication from a pharmacy, you can take advantage of a system in which expenses exceeding a specific amount is reimbursed for high-cost medical treatment expenses. If applicable, you will receive a notification by postcard 3-4 months after the month of the treatment, so please complete the procedures after receiving it. |
| Lump-sum Childbirth Payments | When giving birth to a child, ¥404,000 is paid in the form of a Lump-Sum Childbirth Payment (¥420,000 if the delivery takes place at a childbirth facility enrolled in the Japan Obstetric Compensation System for Cerebral Palsy). |
| Funeral Expenses | In the event of death, ¥50,000 will be paid for funeral expenses. |
【Procedures】
Please submit a notification to enroll in National Health Insurance at the Insurance & Pension division at the ward office within 14 days of becoming a resident of Nagoya City. In the event that you move outside of Nagoya City, please submit a notification at the ward office of your former residence cancelling your National Health Insurance, then complete the enrollment procedures again at the ward office of your new residence.
【Insurance premium】
In Nagoya, residents with no income in Japan for the previous fiscal year receive a 70% reduction on their insurance premium, for a monthly payment of about ¥1,500. (In order to receive the reduction, their income for the previous fiscal year must be notified to the ward office, If not, they will have to pay the full premium.)
Insurance premiums are collected via bank transfer or by using the payment slip.
Although you will receive 2 payment slips for paying National Health Insurance premiums at your home, you have to choose whether you want to pay for one months or pay in full. Please note that you do not need to pay both.
If you choose to pay for one months, you will be required to pay monthly from the following month onwards.
＜References＞
| Register your place of residence in March | You will receive the payment slip for March premiums in April. You will receive two payment slips for premiums from April onward in June though, please use only one to pay premiums since there are two types of payment slips: one for June premiums only (monthly payment), and the other for June to March. |
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| Register your place of residence in April | You will receive two payment slips for premiums in June though, please use only one to pay premiums since there are two types of payment slips: one for June premiums only (monthly payment), and the other for June to March. |
Since Japanese Government abolished health insurance cards and integrate them into the Individual Number Card system after December 2, 2024, all residents in Japan including international students with "Student" visa status generally need to use their My Number card as a health insurance card (="Myna Health Insurance Card") for medical treatment at a medical institution, etc.
If you wish to use the Myna Health Insurance Card, you will need to register to use your Individual Number Card as a health insurance card (Myna Health Insurance Card) after you receive your "Certificate Card (資格確認書)" at the address you registered at the ward office.
How to register for “Myna Health Insurance Card”:
However, even if you do not register for “Myna Health Insurance Card”, you can still receive insured medical treatment by using your "Certificate Card (資格確認書)" at a medical institution.
Nagoya University conducts medical examinations at the Health Administration Office for all students every year in April and October free of charge. The April examination is for all students, while the October examination is for students who enroll in the fall semester. Online appointments are necessary for the April examination, so please check the website of the Health Administration Office.
The Health Administration Office will issue health certificates which you may need to submit for your application for scholarships or other purposes, so please be sure to undergo the medical examination. Degree-seeking students can obtain the certificate through certificate issuing machines. For non-degree-seeking students, please inquire at the office of your affiliated school/ graduate school.
Students who need to obtain the certificate but have not undergone the medical examination during the designated period at the university should go to a hospital to undergo the medical examination at your own expense, which will not be covered by the National Health Insurance.
If you suffer from continuous headaches, a loss of appetite, or you cannot sleep well, etc., you should seek the advice of a doctor before your condition gets worse. These symptoms may be a sign of fatigue or exhaustion. They may also be psychological or psychosomatic symptoms, which are treatable by specialist doctors. In addition to taking care of your own health, please pay attention to your friends’ health and encourage them to see a doctor if they are feeling unwell.
| Ambulance(kyukyu-sha) Tel：119 |
This number is both used for requesting an ambulance and fire engines (shobo-sha). In Japan, ambulances are available 24 hours a day, free of charge. Although it is possible to speak English, it would probably be helpful for you to say the following: Kyukyu-sha o onegai shimasu. Basho wa (your location) desu. (I am calling for an ambulance. I am at... location.) |
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| Japan IR&C 24-Hour Emergency Response Support Service | In the event of an emergency, such as an accident, incident, or sudden health problem, you can receive advice and support by telephone or email. The service is available in Japanese, English and Chinese. Japan IR&C Support Center (24 hours a day, 365 days a year) Toll-free：0120-119-075 E-mail：CS-inb@i-rac.co.jp (for non-urgent consultations) |
Nagoya University students can use services, such as health consultations and first aid, provided by the Health Administration Office free of charge.
| Health Consultations and First-Aid |
Contact：Health Administration Office Tel：052-789-3970 Open：Mon－Fri, 10:00－11:30,13:30－16:30 (except Tuesday) ＊ First aid for injuries, etc. can be provided at the office during 9:00－12:00 and 13:00－17:00. |
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| Mental Health Counseling (Appointments are necessary for mental health counseling.) |
Contact：Global Engagement Center Support Team Tel：052-788-6117 E-mail：isa@iee.nagoya-u.ac.jp Open：Mon－Fri (except Thursday) 10:00－12:00, 13:00－17:00 (by appointment only) |
| Automatic Voice/Fax Guide to Multilingual Hospitals and Clinics | You should call the relevant telephone number below, and either give the nearest rail/subway station name or the name of the city, ward, town or village that you are living in. An automatic voice/fax service will guide you to the nearest hospital/clinic that can deal with patients in the chosen language. Aichi Medical Information System Tel / Fax：050-5810-5884 |
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Great care should be taken with regard to eating habits during the extreme summer weather in Japan. To avoid food spoilage, check the expiration date before buying foods, fully cook raw foods and be careful not to keep food in the refrigerator for an excessive amount of time. To guard against food poisoning, always wash culinary items with hot water.
In the past, there was a frightening outbreak of O-157, a bacterial food poisoning disease. There was also an incident where students enrolled at Nagoya University were poisoned by eating wild mushrooms.
People who live alone tend to eat instant and fast-foods, even if they are aware of the very low nutritional value. Continuing such a diet may lead to a person’s health breaking down. If you would like to consult someone on food and nutrition in Japan, feel free to make an appointment at the Health Administration Office.
You may have an allergic reaction to foods that you are trying for the first time. Take care when eating high allergy risk foods, and call for an ambulance in the event that you experience any symptoms like itchiness or shortness of breath afterwards.
If you are traveling from Japan to another country, please seek travel advice regularly until the time of departure. Please follow the basic rules of hygiene to avoid being infected.
▶ Overseas Safety HP(in Japanese only)
▶ World Health Organization