Japan (JP)

Provide your MyNumber to your employer

Your employer is required to collect your MyNumber (マイナンバー) for payroll tax processing, year-end tax adjustment (年末調整), and social insurance registration. Provide it as soon as you start work.

Enroll in health insurance (健康保険 / NHI)

Health insurance is legally mandatory for all residents. Employees covered by Shakai Hoken (社会保険) are automatically enrolled by their employer. Self-employed, unemployed, or those not covered by employer insurance must enroll in National Health Insurance (NHI / 国民健康保険) at the ward office within 14 days.

Obtain or verify your Zairyu Card (在留カード)

The Zairyu Card (在留カード / Residence Card) is your primary ID document in Japan as a foreign national. Most long-term visas issue it at the port of entry. It shows your visa status, period of stay, and work permissions. Carry it at all times — you are legally required to do so. Update the address on the card at the ward office within 14 days of any address change.

Register your address (転入届 / Tennyu-todoke)

Register your Japanese address at the ward or city office within 14 days of moving in. This is the first and most critical step — your address registration (住民票 / Jūminhyō) is required for almost everything else: MyNumber card, health insurance, pension, bank account, mobile phone, and all government services.

Enroll in the National Pension (国民年金)

Pension enrollment is legally mandatory for all residents aged 20–59. Employees with Shakai Hoken are automatically in Kosei Nenkin (Employee Pension). Self-employed and those not covered by Shakai Hoken must enroll in Kokumin Nenkin (National Pension) at the ward office. Monthly flat premium: ¥17,920 (FY2026 rate, April 2026–March 2027).

Deregister your address when leaving Japan (転出届)

When permanently leaving Japan, submit a Transfer-Out Notification (転出届 / Tenshutsu-todoke) at your ward or city office before departure. This closes your Japan residency record and is required to: stop NHI premium accrual, close your pension contribution obligations, and formally notify authorities. For tax purposes, also notify the tax office of your departure date.

Open a Japanese bank account (銀行口座)

A Japanese bank account is essential for receiving salary, paying rent, and setting up direct debits for utilities, health insurance, and pension. Most banks require address registration before opening. Shinsei Bank, Japan Post Bank, and Rakuten Bank are most accessible for new arrivals.

Confirm enrollment in Employment Insurance (雇用保険 / Koyou Hoken)

Employment Insurance (雇用保険) is compulsory for any worker, foreign nationals included, who works at least 20 hours a week and is expected to be employed for at least 31 days — your employer must enroll you and it funds unemployment benefits if you later lose your job. Enrollment is normally handled automatically by HR when you join, with your share of the premium deducted from your salary. Workers dispatched to Japan from overseas who already have equivalent coverage under a bilateral agreement are generally exempt.

Check your Written Employment Conditions Notice (労働条件通知書)

Article 15 of the Labor Standards Act requires every employer to disclose your working conditions in writing at the time of hiring — the 労働条件通知書 (Written Employment Conditions Notice) must specify workplace and duties, working hours, breaks, days off, wages and payment method, and grounds for dismissal. An April 2024 reform added a further requirement: employers must now also disclose the 'scope of change' (変更の範囲) — the potential future range of work locations and duties, not just your starting assignment. Non-compliant employers face a fine of up to ¥300,000.

Attend your employer's annual health checkup (健康診断)

Article 66 of the Industrial Safety and Health Act obliges every employer in Japan, regardless of company size, to arrange a regular health checkup for employees — usually annually, or every 6 months for staff in hazardous work. The employer bears the cost and organises the appointment, typically at a partner clinic or via a visiting medical team. It is a company obligation rather than a personal errand, but foreign employees are sometimes not told clearly what it covers or why it matters — non-compliant employers risk administrative guidance from the Labour Standards Inspection Office.

Set up electricity, gas and water (電気・ガス・水道)

Electricity, gas and water are separate contracts in Japan. Electricity can often be arranged entirely online and switched on remotely if you apply far enough ahead — Octopus Energy offers a fully English service in some areas, otherwise TEPCO (east Japan) or Kansai Electric (west Japan) in Japanese. Gas, unlike electricity, legally requires a technician to visit and turn on the line in person — a roughly 10-minute visit, so schedule it for your move-in day. Water is often already on and simply needs an account switched into your name; in many buildings it's billed via the management company rather than the city.

Get fire insurance (火災保険) for your home

Fire insurance (kasai hoken) is effectively required when signing a Japanese lease — landlords demand cover including tenant liability, and while agencies push their partner policy, you may choose any insurer whose coverage meets the landlord's requirements. It covers fire and water damage plus your liability to the landlord and neighbours. Homeowners insure the building and contents; as a reference, Japanese consumers pay on average around ¥50,000 per year for combined fire and earthquake cover on a detached house.

Sort compulsory and voluntary car insurance (自賠責・任意保険)

Every vehicle in Japan must carry jibaiseki hoken (自賠責保険), the compulsory automobile liability insurance — it is paid at the shaken vehicle inspection (every 2 years; first inspection after 3 years for new cars) and a valid policy is required to pass. Driving without it risks up to one year imprisonment or a fine up to ¥500,000, plus 6 licence points (immediate suspension). But jibaiseki only covers injury to third parties, capped at ¥1.2 million per injury and ¥30 million per death — nothing for property damage, your own car or yourself. Practically everyone therefore adds nin'i hoken (任意保険, voluntary insurance) to cover the gap.

Get bicycle liability insurance (自転車保険) — mandatory in most prefectures

Bicycle liability insurance is mandatory in 35 prefectures including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Saitama — for all riders, children included. It covers injury you cause to others; Japanese courts have awarded enormous sums against cyclists. Cover is cheap (in Tokyo roughly ¥660 a year via bike shops, often bundled with the TS safety check) and may already be included in your fire, car or credit card insurance — check before buying twice. Enforcement is tightening: from 1 April 2026 police can issue on-the-spot Blue Ticket (青切符) fines of ¥3,000–12,000 to cyclists 16 and older for 113 offences.

Sign your NHK reception contract (NHK受信契約) if you own a TV

Article 64 of the Broadcasting Act requires anyone who installs equipment capable of receiving NHK broadcasts — a TV or an antenna — to sign a reception contract and pay the fee, regardless of nationality. Diplomats and consular staff are the only exemption. Terrestrial-only contracts run about ¥2,200 every 2 months, billed by post, bank transfer, or credit card, with discounts for 6- or 12-month prepayment. Since a 2023 Broadcasting Act amendment, households found to have dodged the contract despite being liable can be billed double the amount owed once they are made to sign.

Budget for Residence Tax bill in your second year (住民税)

Residence Tax (住民税 / Jūmin-zei) is approximately 10% of the previous year's Japan income. New arrivals pay zero Residence Tax in their first year. In May/June of the second year, a large bill arrives covering the ENTIRE first year's income. Employees have it deducted from salary from June onwards. Self-employed: four quarterly installments.

Apply for Child Allowance (児童手当)

Child Allowance (児童手当) is a monthly cash benefit for families with children under 18. After the 2024 reform, there is no income ceiling. ¥15,000/month (under 3), ¥10,000/month (3–18), ¥30,000/month (third child under 18). Apply within 15 days of birth or arrival in Japan with children.

Complete pet import quarantine process (動物検疫)

Japan is rabies-free and has the world's strictest pet import rules. From "designated countries" (EU, UK, USA, Australia, NZ, Canada, etc.): process takes minimum 180 days from microchipping + vaccination + titer test. From all other countries: up to 180 days quarantine on arrival at ¥100,000–300,000/month. Begin at least 6 months BEFORE planned arrival — ideally 8–12 months.

Obtain a personal seal (はんこ / 印鑑)

A personal seal (はんこ / 印鑑) is used as a signature substitute for contracts, bank forms, and official documents. A basic 認印 (Mitome-in) is sufficient for most everyday purposes. A registered seal (実印 / Jitsu-in) is required for real estate contracts, vehicle registration, and official government documents.

Apply for a Japanese credit card (クレジットカード)

A Japanese credit card makes online shopping, subscriptions, and travel bookings far easier than relying on a foreign card, and starts building the local track record you'll need later for loans. The practical baseline for approval is a valid Zairyu Card, a Japanese address, a Japanese bank account, and a reachable Japanese phone number. Rakuten Card is a common first choice: no annual fee, ¥1 = 1 point base earning, and an online application that takes about 7–10 days to arrive. Under the Act on Prevention of Transfer of Criminal Proceeds, you must upload both sides of your Zairyu Card to the issuer whenever it is renewed.

Get a Japanese mobile phone number (携帯)

A Japanese phone number is required for LINE registration, banking apps, government portal login, and most daily digital services. Budget MVNOs (IIJmio, Mineo) are significantly cheaper than the major carriers (Docomo, au, SoftBank) and more foreigner-friendly.

Set up home fiber internet (光回線 / Hikari)

Fiber-optic (光回線 / Hikari) is the standard home connection in Japan. From application to working connection typically takes 2–4 weeks, longer if your building has no existing fiber wiring or during the March–April relocation rush. Foreigner-friendly options include Sakura Fiber Internet and GTN Hikari, both of which offer English-language sign-up and support and can coordinate installation-day interpretation with your landlord if needed.

Prepare an earthquake emergency kit (非常用持ち出し袋)

Japan is one of the world's most seismically active countries. A go-bag (非常用持ち出し袋 / Hijō-yo Mochidashi-bukuro) and household emergency supply should be prepared within your first week. Know your nearest evacuation point (避難場所).

Learn your municipality's garbage sorting rules (ゴミ分別)

Japan's garbage sorting system (ゴミ分別 / Gomi Bunbetsu) is set independently by each municipality — the rules in one Tokyo ward can differ from the next, let alone another city. Waste generally splits into burnable, non-burnable, recyclable, and oversized categories, each with its own collection day and often a mandatory municipality-specific bag. There is usually no direct fine for a household sorting mistake — the real consequence is that your bag is left uncollected with a warning sticker until you fix it. Ask your ward or city office for the sorting pamphlet in your language when you register your address.

Apply for your MyNumber Card (マイナンバーカード)

The MyNumber Card (マイナンバーカード) is Japan's national digital ID. From 2024 it replaces your physical health insurance card. It enables digital government services, tax filing via e-Tax, and is accepted as photo ID everywhere. Apply online or at the ward office after receiving your MyNumber notification letter.

Register at Hello Work (ハローワーク) for job search support

Hello Work (ハローワーク) is Japan's free, nationwide public employment service, run by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Job seekers must complete an initial registration (初期登録) with a Job Seeker Registration Form before browsing listings or receiving referrals — bring your residence card, passport, and proof of previous employment if you have it. It is also the office through which unemployment (Koyou Hoken) benefit claims are processed. Language support varies by office; some, like Shinjuku's Foreigners' Employment Assistance and Guidance Center, specialise in supporting non-Japanese speakers.

Claim the childbirth lump-sum grant (出産育児一時金)

Japan pays ¥500,000 per birth directly to the hospital (in most cases) or reimbursed to you. This grant covers most standard delivery costs in most hospitals. Apply through your health insurer (Shakai Hoken) or NHI office. If the hospital cost is under ¥500,000, you receive the difference as cash.

Open a NISA tax-free investment account (新NISA)

Shin-NISA (New NISA, reformed January 2024) provides a permanent tax-free investment account: ¥3,600,000/year contribution limit, ¥18,000,000 lifetime limit. All investment gains and dividends within NISA are tax-free indefinitely. Available to all Japan residents including foreign nationals. NISA must be liquidated or transferred to a taxable account within 1 year of losing Japan residency.

Check your Japanese credit file (CIC / JICC disclosure)

Japan has three credit information bureaus: CIC (credit cards, mobile instalment plans), JICC (consumer finance, some card issuers), and KSC (bank loans and mortgages). Each keeps records for up to 5 years from a contract's end. Online disclosure costs ¥500 at CIC and ¥1,000 at JICC, though it normally requires a MyNumber card with electronic certificate; JICC's smartphone app is the exception, accepting a Zairyu Card directly, making it the most accessible route for many foreign residents. KSC is mail-only, ¥1,000. Crucially, none of the three bureaus have any link to foreign credit bureaus — your credit history starts from zero in Japan regardless of your standing abroad.

Set up a low-cost way to send money abroad (海外送金)

Wise is generally the cheapest option for international transfers from Japan, using the real mid-market exchange rate plus a transparent fee of roughly 0.4–0.8% of the transfer amount. SBI Remit, a Japan-based alternative, is often more competitive for transfers to Southeast and South Asia and partners with local cash-pickup networks, useful if your recipient doesn't have a bank account. Other Japan-based options worth comparing for specific corridors include Japan Remit Finance, Brastel, and Japan Money Express.

Find an English-speaking clinic and register before you need one

Japan does not use a GP gatekeeping system like some countries, so there is no single mandatory registration step — but knowing where to go before you are sick matters, since language barriers at a walk-in clinic can turn a routine visit into a real problem. AMDA International Medical Information Center (03-6233-9266, weekdays 10:00–16:00) gives free phone interpretation and lists foreign-language-capable clinics in 8 languages. JNTO publishes a searchable list of hospitals and clinics that accept foreign patients, filterable by area, department and language. Tokyo residents can also call the Tokyo Himawari hotline (03-5285-8181, daily 9:00–20:00).

Register your pregnancy and collect the Boshi Kenko Techo (母子健康手帳)

After a doctor confirms pregnancy, file a Pregnancy Notification Form (妊娠届出書) at your ward or city office to receive the Maternal and Child Health Handbook (母子健康手帳 / Boshi Kenko Techo) — the record used for every prenatal checkup, the birth itself, and your child's health and vaccination history up to age 6. Most offices issue it on the spot along with a booklet of subsidised prenatal-checkup coupons and local maternity/childcare information. Bring your residence card, health insurance card, and (in some municipalities) a pregnancy confirmation certificate from your doctor.

Understand Japanese rental costs (敷金・礼金・保証会社)

Renting in Japan involves upfront costs with no Western equivalent. Reikin (礼金, key money) is a non-refundable gift to the landlord of usually 1–2 months rent; shikikin (敷金, deposit) is largely refundable if you leave the place in good condition. Most foreigners cannot provide the required personal guarantor, so you pay a guarantor company (保証会社) instead — typically 50–100% of one month's rent plus a ¥10,000–20,000 annual renewal. Regional quirks matter: Kansai uses shikibiki (a fixed non-refundable slice of the deposit), while no-key-money listings are common in Hokkaido, Okinawa and Fukuoka and increasingly available in Tokyo.

Consider UR housing (UR賃貸住宅) to skip key money and guarantors

The Urban Renaissance Agency (UR), a semi-public landlord managing rental properties across Japan, charges no key money, no agency fee and no contract renewal fees — and as formal policy waives the guarantor requirement for all applicants, which removes the biggest hurdles foreigners face. In exchange, UR properties require proof of income (or a deposit-based qualification) and popular buildings have waiting lists. For many newcomers UR is the cheapest and least stressful way into Japanese housing.

Add earthquake insurance (地震保険) to your fire policy

Standard fire insurance does NOT cover earthquake damage — and earthquake insurance cannot be bought alone in Japan. Jishin hoken is a government-backed add-on to your kasai hoken policy: coverage is capped at 30–50% of the fire insurance sum, with maximums of ¥50 million for buildings and ¥10 million for contents. Annual premiums range roughly ¥6,500–32,600 depending on your prefecture's seismic risk. You can opt out at signing, but you can also add it to an existing fire policy at any time, and since September 2025 the earthquake policy term must match the fire policy term.

Join Japanese classes — your ward likely runs cheap ones (日本語教室)

Municipal international associations run free or very cheap Japanese classes for foreign residents — in Tokyo alone, wards like Minato, Shinjuku, Shinagawa and Shibuya offer structured lessons and volunteer conversation groups; the Shinagawa International Friendship Association, for example, teaches three levels for people who live or work in the ward. These classes are the best-kept budget secret of settling in Japan, and they double as a local social network. Private language schools offer faster, intensive tracks if you need speed.

Plan for the JLPT (日本語能力試験) — it now affects visas

The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test runs from N5 (basic) to N1 (advanced) and has real immigration weight. Under the Highly Skilled Professional points system, N1 earns 15 points and N2 earns 10 (see the separate HSP points task). From 15 April 2026, applicants for the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa whose work involves language skills must prove roughly CEFR B2 — JLPT N2 or a BJT score of 400+. Student visa rules also tightened for enrolments from October 2026, requiring formal certificates such as JLPT or NAT-Test for applicants without university degrees.

Register with your home country embassy

Most countries recommend or require citizens abroad to register with their embassy or consulate in Japan. This ensures you receive emergency assistance, evacuation notifications, voting information, and consular services if needed.

Set up mail forwarding when you move (転居届 / Tenkyo-todoke)

Japan Post's Tenkyo-todoke (転居届) redirects mail addressed to your old apartment to your new one, free of charge, for one year from the date you submit the form — not from your move date, so timing matters. It covers ordinary letters, bills, and small parcels, but not cash-on-delivery items or signature-required registered mail. It only works for moves within Japan — there is no service to forward mail to an address overseas.

Get a transit IC card (Suica / PASMO)

Suica or PASMO is the IC card used for all trains, buses, convenience stores, supermarkets, vending machines, and many restaurants across Japan. Add it to Apple Pay or Google Pay as Mobile Suica for contactless use on your phone.

Set up Nenkin Net (ねんきんネット) to track pension

Nenkin Net (ねんきんネット) is the online portal for viewing your pension contribution history, verifying enrollment, and estimating your future pension or lump-sum withdrawal amount. Essential for planning your pension exit strategy when leaving Japan.