Pregnancy/Birth
When you become pregnant, submit a notification of pregnancy to a Health and Welfare Center (public health center) , and you will receive a Maternal and Child Health Handbook. Keep this handbook, as it is used to record important data such as the course of your pregnancy and your child’s growth and development, and is used as a reference for your child’s physical examination when entering elementary school. Health and Welfare centers also provide various health services for expectant mothers and infants.
Health services for mother and child
Medical services for mother and child are as follows
- Issuing Maternal and Child Health Handbook (boshi kenko techo) (in Japanese)
If you are registered as a foreigner in Fukuoka City, you will be issued with a foreign language version for free upon request. - free health checkup for infants
- classes for expectant mothers
- home visits and health counseling in your neighborhood
＜References＞
Foreign language versions of the Maternal and Child Health Handbook are issued by the Mother’s and Children’s Health and Welfare Association (Tel: 03-4334-1188, https://www.mcfh.or.jp/aboutus/index.html), and are available in English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Thai, and Tagalog (760 yen, shipping and tax not included).
Notification of Birth
After your baby is born, submit a notification of birth to the Citizens Department of either your local ward office, the local ward office for the place of birth, or the local ward office for your family’s “honsekichi” (permanent legal address), within 14 days of birth. You will need to bring the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, doctor’s certificate of birth, and personal seal.
If one of the parents has Japanese nationality, the child can obtain Japanese nationality as well.
If both of the parents are foreign nationals and the baby is staying in Japan for over 60 days, apply for a status of residence at the immigration bureau within 30 days.
Remember to also register the birth with the embassy of your home country.
Coverage of Birth-Related Expenses
Normal births are not covered by insurance. However, you may receive financial assistance after giving birth upon application. For details, please contact your employer or the health insurance and pension section of your ward office.
Various financial assistances are available for your child until he or she enters elementary school. Contact the Child Rearing Support section of the ward office.
Lump-Sum Allowance for Childbirth and Nursing
If you or your spouse is enrolled in Health Insurance, you will receive this allowance for each birth. The allowance is 420,000 yen for each birth. For births that are not covered by the Obstetrics Medical Care Compensation System, the subsidy is 404,000 yen for pregnancies exceeding 12 weeks and up to 22 weeks in length (including stillbirths and miscarriages).
Other types of health insurance such as National Health Insurance and Mutual Aid Associations also offer the same kind of lump-sum payments for births.
Medical Care Certificate for Children
After your baby is born, immediately enroll in public health insurance (i.e.Health Insurance, National Health Insurance etc.) and “Subsidy for Medical Care for Children”. “Medical Care Certificate for Children” is needed to receive financial assistance for the children’s medical expenses. For details, please consult your employer or the health insurance and pension section of your ward office.
Child-rearing Information
Home Visit Health Consultation for Mothers and Children
Public health nurses and midwives will come to your home and offer advice regarding pregnancy, childbirth, and child-rearing.
Contact
Health Section of your ward/branch office
Mother and Child Health Consultation Visit
Public health nurses, midwives, nutritionists, and dental hygienists are available at local, familiar places such as community centers for consultations for expectant mothers or mothers and their children.
Contact
Community Health and Welfare Section of your ward/branch office