Ward Office

At the start of your Nagoya life

There are three missions that should be completed at the start of your Nagoya (Japan) life.

1. Register Address

Please also see p.4 of NU Handbook of International Students 2021-2023

You have to register the local government where you move in with a notice of moving out which issued by previous local government.

Then, before you move, you must get a notice of the local government where you move out.

You have to register your new address within 14 days after your move.

Useful Japanese: 住所登録をしたいです。(I want to register my new address.)

2. Japan National Health Insurance (JNHI)

Please also see p.41 of NU Handbook of International Students 2021-2023

International students who have a residence card are required to subscribe to the public health insurance program, and must do so (at the ward office) at the same time as you notify your address.

Useful Japanese: 国民保険に加入したいです.( I want to subscribe to the public health insurance.)

Late registrants cannot make use of health insurance until the day of notification, furthermore, health insurance premiums must be paid retroactively.

In Nagoya, residents with no income in the previous year receive a 70% reduction on their insurance premium, paying about ¥6,000 annually.

A monthly payment of ¥1,300 will be automatically withdrawn from their bank accounts.

If you are insured by the JNHI and live in Nagoya, you will pay 30% of medical and dental fees.

If the amount of medical expenses paid by an insured person reaches a certain level, the fee paid by the insured is limited.

Please note that some treatments are not covered by this insurance, so be sure to check before undergoing dental procedures or hospitalization.

Family members who have a residence card can join the insurance scheme and will be charged 30% of medical expenses.

Please note that residents with income previous year will receive no or less premium reduction.

When you move to other cities from Nagoya, you should withdraw from the plan at the ward office, and join the new plan at the ward office of the new address.

3. National Pension

Please also see p.6 of NU Handbook of International Students 2021-2023

If you are over 20 years old, subscribe to the National Pension System.

At the same time as subscribing to the National Pension System, degree-seeking students should apply for a ‘special exemption to student payment’ (Gakusei Nofu Tokurei) and non-degree-seeking student should apply for a ‘payment waiver’ (Menjo).

Useful Japanese:
国民年金に加入したいです. ( I want to subscribe to the National Pension System.)
学生納付特例／免除を申請したいです。(I want to apply for a ‘special exemption to student payment’/’payment waiver’.)

Ward Offices

Please also see p.5 of NU Handbook of International Students 2021-2023

The office you need to go is depend on the where you live.

• International Residence Higashiyama → Chikusa Ward office
• International Residence Daiko → Higashi Ward office