Everything you need to know about a Ward Office in Japan

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You’ve arrived in Japan, you’ve moved into your new home, you’re starting to make friends but you’ve got one more, rather large hurdle to face, a trip to the ward office in Japan. This is an important trip and one of the biggest challenges you’ll face when it comes to everyday life in Japan, even if you’re a fluent Japanese speaker. It’s not impossible though, and with a little guidance, you’ll make it out alive and be a stronger person.

What is it and how to navigate it

The ward office (区役所 kuyakusho) is like your local council office or local government office. Similar to other countries, they serve several purposes, registering addresses, births, deaths, marriages, paying bills, finding information and so on.

The ward office in Japan is different for each ward depending on the size of the area but is usually split by several sections and when you arrive for the first time you will need to go to the main information/registration desk where the staff will point you in the right direction. Each service has different staff, so be prepared to visit several different parts of the office on your trip.

It’s important to remember that not all ward offices will have staff that speak other languages or even English as a second language. However, they will have some type of guidance system in place. Whether it’s English printed guidelines for the forms or translators available on the phone, some even have volunteer staff in the building that can help with translations. Remember to be prepared and most importantly be polite and patient.

What can you do there?

Address Registration

The most important reason to visit the ward office is to register your address when you move into your new home. This must be done within 14 days of finding a permanent place to live. Note that you cannot use the address of a hotel, an Airbnb, or other temporary accommodation to register.

You will need to complete a form with your personal details and your new address. This will then be processed and printed on the back of your Zairyū (residence) card.

We highly recommend you find a permanent place to live (if you haven’t done so already) and register your address as soon as possible after you arrive in Japan. It’s also important because you won’t be able to sign up for the national health insurance scheme until you have a registered place of residence.

If you do decide to book temporary accommodation before you move into your permanent residence, we recommend purchasing travel insurance to cover the time you’ll be in Japan without health insurance.

We’re partnered with WorldTrips and recommend them as a reliable insurance broker. Their insurance package covers both medical and travel expenses, as well as charges incurred in the case of COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2.

You can sign up here: https://gogonihon.com/en/health-and-travel-insurance-for-japan/

Taxes

You will likely need to pay a residence tax once you’ve moved into your new home in Japan and this is covered by the ward office too. It is dependent on your location of residence on the 1st January and is a flat % rate and calculated against your income from the previous year in Japan. You will need to make a declaration of this income between February and March each year at the office.

National Health Insurance

Depending on your circumstances you may need to enroll for Japanese Health Insurance. If you aren’t covered by other insurance such as from an employer then you will need to do this at the ward office in Japan. When you register your address it is likely you will then be directed to the Health Insurance Department. It will be a similar process with forms and presentation of your Zairyū card.

You will receive a medical insurance card that you will need to present to staff when you go to the doctors or the hospital. You will also be given a series of payment slips to pay the insurance premium. This is a monthly payment that means when you do need treatment you will only pay 30% of the cost instead of the full amount. Payments are calculated on your previous years’ income in the country so they will be low for new residents.

As with your address, you will need to notify the appropriate department when you move wards as payments are made relative to the ward.

My Number

As with both your residence card and national health insurance, you may need to register for your my number early on. While it’s not essential, check out our guide to the My Number to understand why it may be worth getting one. While you will be sent a form to register for this after you’ve visited the ward office, you are able to use the local office for support or if you have any queries about the process.

Seal Registration

As you may be aware, individuals more regularly use seals to sign/ authorize documents rather than a signature. While some banks and organizations will let you sign it may be worth obtaining your own seal. Once you’ve done this you will need to register it and you guessed it, the ward office is the place to do this. It will either be the family registration department or the residence department depending on the office but you will need to bring your new seal and you Zairyū card with you.

General registrations

One of the main functions does focus on registration. If you’re lucky enough to get married or have a child in Japan then you will also need to register these at the ward office.

Support

Depending on the size of your local ward office in Japan, there will be several support services available to you as well. Of note, is the employment support that many offices provide. Whether it’s searching for a job or help to prepare for interviews. Unfortunately, this may often be only available in Japanese so it’s worth doing some research on your local office’s website before you make a trip.

Advice

Something you may not think of a ward office for is advice. Actually, you’ll find that each ward office has different services but most offer very useful information about life in Japan. Many will keep a list of local group classes for Japanese language study, a more casual approach that is a great supplement to your formal Japanese lessons. Others have local clubs and groups that you may not be able to easily find elsewhere. On a more serious note, they will have local disaster preparedness advice and other useful info to make sure you know what to do if anything does happen. As well as these they’ll have details of local facilities such as libraries, sports centres, parks and so on.

There’s a lot that you will need to do at your local ward office in Japan but also a lot that you may not have thought about that will help you settle into your new life in Japan. Head down there soon and see what you can discover about your local area.

For more useful tips about life in Japan keep following our Go! Go! Nihon blog.

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