City hall and paperwork
My Number card for foreigners: apply, renew and what happens when your visa changes
My Number card for foreigners: free to get, expires with your period of stay and must be extended at the city office after each visa renewal.
Daily life
The paperwork and everyday systems foreign residents meet in Japan: the My Number card (マイナンバーカード), the certificate of residence (住民票), hanko (判子), hospitals in English, having a baby, marriage, daycare, emergencies and scams. Explained from official sources, with the Japanese terms you'll see on the forms.
21 guides, last updated Oct 25, 2026
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Health
English-speaking hospitals and clinics in Japan: how to find one and what it costs
Find an English-speaking hospital or clinic in Japan with JNTO, ナビイ, Tokyo's 03-5285-8181 line and AMDA. Costs with a 30% copay, and the ¥7,000 no-referral fee.
Safety
Emergency numbers in Japan: 110, 119, #7119 and help in English
The emergency number in Japan is 119 for ambulance and fire, 110 for police. How English works, what to say, #7119 and #8000, and when an ambulance costs money.
City hall and paperwork
Why Japan still runs on fax, hanko and cash: a foreigner's survival guide
Why does Japan still use fax, seals and cash? What the government says, what it has changed by 2026, and how foreign residents can cope.
Safety
Japan data breach: what to do if your information leaked
Japan data breach guide for foreign residents: recent leaks (Aflac, Times Car), what to check, reissuing your license or residence card, My Number, phishing.
City hall and paperwork
Hanko for foreigners: when you need one, how to make it and inkan registration
Hanko for foreigners: which name can go on your seal, how to register it at the city office, and where a signature or consulate certificate works instead.
City hall and paperwork
Juminhyo (住民票): what the certificate of residence is and how to get one
Juminhyo guide for foreign residents: what your 住民票 shows, which items to ask for, Meguro's ¥300 counter and ¥200 convenience-store fees, and translation.
City hall and paperwork
Moving within Japan: address change, residence card and the 14-day rule
Moving in Japan as a foreigner: file at city hall within 14 days to update your residence card, keep your My Number card valid, and move NHI and mail.
Health
Health checkups in Japan (健康診断): what your employer and city must offer
Health checkup in Japan for foreigners: the free yearly workplace checkup, part-timer rules, city checkups for ages 40-74, cancer screening fees and 人間ドック.
Health
My Number health insurance card (マイナ保険証): what replaced your insurance card
The My Number health insurance card replaced paper cards in Japan. How to register it, the 資格確認書 if you don't, and what changes with a new job or visa.
Health
Medicine in Japan: prescriptions, pharmacies and bringing your own
Prescription medicine in Japan for foreigners: the 1-month limit, Import Confirmation (ex-yakkan shoumei), banned drugs like Adderall, and how pharmacies work.
Family
Baby born in Japan to foreign parents: birth registration, residence status and passport
Baby born in Japan to foreigner parents? Register the birth in 14 days, apply for the baby's residence status in 30 days, and get a passport from your embassy.
Family
Daycare (保育園) in Japan for foreign families: applying, costs and free preschool
Daycare in Japan for foreign residents: how hoikuen points work, April 2027 deadlines in October and November 2026, fees by resident tax, free care at 3 to 5.
Family
Divorce in Japan as a foreigner: agreed divorce, custody and your visa
Divorce in Japan for foreigners: agreed divorce at the city office or family court mediation, joint custody from April 2026, child support and your spouse visa.
Family
Giving birth in Japan as a foreigner: costs, the ¥500,000 grant and English hospitals
Giving birth in Japan as a foreigner: average cost about ¥520,000, the ¥500,000 grant, checkup vouchers, maternity pay, epidurals and the free-birth law.
Safety
Earthquakes and disasters in Japan: preparing as a foreign resident
Earthquake preparedness in Japan for foreign residents: English alert apps, what to stock, evacuation shelters, the 171 message dial and Nankai Trough alerts.
Safety
Scams targeting foreigners in Japan: fake police, immigration and bank calls
Scam calls in Japan pose as police, immigration or your embassy. What real officials never do, why selling your bank account is a crime, and who to call.
Learning Japanese
Japanese language school costs in Japan, and the student visa rules
Japanese language school cost: first-year fees of about ¥850,000 to ¥1.1 million in Tokyo, plus living costs, the student visa rules and cheaper classes.
Learning Japanese
JLPT 2026 in Japan: dates, registration and why your level matters for your visa
JLPT in Japan: July 5 and December 6, 2026 test dates, the online MyJLPT registration windows, the ¥7,500 fee, result dates and which visas use N1 to N4.