| Living in Tokyo Part 1 | Living in Tokyo Part 2 | Living in Tokyo Part 3 | Living in Tokyo Part 4 | Living in Tokyo Part 5 | Living in Tokyo Part 6 | Living in Tokyo Part 7 | Living in Tokyo Part 8 | Living in Tokyo Part 9 |  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Public health centers in Tokyo offer a range of services, including health consultations and counseling on mental health welfare and specific diseases. Physicians, public health nurses, dental hygienists, inspectors, and other technical and administrative personnel staff these public health institutions.
There are differences in the methods and types of service available at public health centers in Tokyo's wards and the Tama district, so if you intend to visit a public health center to check the services that it offers, how to apply for medical checks, health consultation, and when to visit. If you cannot speak Japanese, you are advised to have a Japanese speaker accompany you when you visit a public health center.
Main services available at Public health centers
Main services available at Local Health Centers
For information regarding medical institutions that provide treatment in foreign languages, and the medical system in Japan, Tel no: 03-5285-8181 in English, Spanish or Thai (weekdays 9:00-20.00 hr.). for medical information in Japanese, Tel no: 03-5272-0303 (weekdays 9:00-20.00 hr.).
DEATH
Dealing with a death of a friend or loved ones is distressing in a foreign country. If someone is dead the body cannot be moved until the death certificate has been signed by a doctor. Call the police 110 in case you can speak Japanese, if you don't then Call 03-3581-4321. You also need to inform the concerned embassy in the case of death of a non Japanese. The embassy can advice you on options for burial or cremation in Japan or make arrangements to ship the body back home.
Every resident of Japan has to enroll in a national insurance plan so that he or she is covered by public medical insurance at all times. The aim of the system is mutual assistance for which subscribers pay regular insurance premiums calculated according to their income in case they fall ill or suffer an accident. Medical expenses are paid from this general fund.
There are 2 kinds of Medical Insurance
1. National Health Insurance
2. Employee's Health Insurance (which you join through
your company)
NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE
Foreigners who have completed Alien Registration and have
been granted a status of residence other than short stay, and who intend
to stay in Japan for more than one year must enroll in the National Health
Insurance Plan. The applications for enrollment should be made at your
local ward of municipal office.
The Insurance premium changes
each fiscal year, and in case of other municipalities, the tax rate differs
by municipality.
Annual Premium (from April 1997 to March 1998)
Annual premium = 22,500 Yen x
number of people insured + resident's
tax x 1.62
(The ceiling of annual premiums is 520,000 Yen per household)
The Insurance Card will
be issued for each household. Be sure to show it whenever you receive medical
treatment.
Do not forget to notify your local ward or municipal
office in the following cases:
It is designed for people who are full-time employees, such as salaried workers in companies, factories, stores or offices. All the employees are obliged to enroll in this plan, regardless of nationality, sex, or individual will. The premium is calculated by multiplying the subcriber`s standard monthly income, as determined on the basis of his or her salary by the insurance premium rate, which is 85/1,000 for both men and women. The subscriber pays half of this premium, and the employer pays the other half. The employer deducts the employee's share automatically from his or her salary and then pays the whole amount.
The insurance covers illness, injury, and death not only for the subscriber but also for the dependents. It also provides a special birth allowance. If the subscriber shows the insurance card and then receives treatment for an illness or injury, he or she will have to pay only 20% of medical expenses. In the case of dependents, the individual is responsible for 30% of the medical costs as an outpatient and 20% for hospitalisation. Also note that the insurance does not cover illness or injury suffered on the job.
Various social welfare services are available in Japan for children, the elderly, the physically disabled, and others in need. Foreign residents are also entitled to these services. The Metropolitan Comprehensive Social Welfare Centers can provide you with more information.
Livelihood Protection
This is a system that is basically in place for people
who hold a Japanese Citizenship. However, the system can be applied to
foreigners who are living in dire condition. Applications for the livelihood
protection should be made to the ward or municipal office where the
foreigner is registered. Under this system, financial assistance can be
provided for living, household, education, medical treatment, childbirth,
funerals and so on.
Emergency Protection for Foreign Women
This system is for women and their children living in
Tokyo Metropolitan area.
For more information contact
Tokyo Metropolitan Women's Center
10-10 Kawadacho, Sinjuku-ku
Tel no: 03-3355-1551/03-3355-3110
Women's Home HELP
Shinjuku-ku
Tel no:03-3368-8855
Child Welfare
The following are the offices and centers which provide
consultation on matters related to children.
Welfare for the elderly
Medical benefits for the elderly are paid to people aged 70 or above who are covered by Medical insurance and people between the age of 65 and 69 whose income is below a set level. Welfare Allownces for the elderly citizens aged 65 years or over who require nursing care at home and have been bedridden or senile for 6 months or longer. He or she must have difficulties in conducting activities related to daily life, such as eating, bathing, using the toilet etc on their own. Helpers are dispatched to the homes of elderly people (usually aged 65 or above) who have difficulties in coping with daily affairs to help look after them. The Elderly Citizen`s Home Service Centers provide a comprehensive range of services for the elderly living in the community, including meals, bathing and short-stay services( aged 65 years and above) . Emergency alarm system is for aged people who are in poor health or have been weakened. If these people are suddenly struck ill or face a similar emergency situation, all they have to do is to press a pendant-shaped alarm. The alarm connects to the nearest Tokyo Fire department, and a quick rescue operation based on area cooperation takes place.
Welfare for the Disabled
Tokyo Metropolitan Rehabilitation
Center for the Physically and Mentally Disabled offers consultation
on various matters related to livelihood, career, employment, medical treatment,
housing etc for the disabled, and cooperates with local organisations to
provide a comprehensive range of services. For more details contact
Tel no: 03-3203-6141 or 0425-73-3311. Tokyo Metropolitan
Sports center for the Disabled provides a place for the promotion
of efforts for the disabled to participate socially by offering sports
and recreation facilities and training areas. Facilities include a pool,
gymnasium, training room, and tennis court. Foe more details contact
Tel no: 03-3907-5631 or 0425-73-3811.
Like the medical treatment insurance system, Japan also has a pension system. Every citizen must enroll in one of 2 plans. The purpose of the system is to ensure livelihood stsbility in the case of old age, disability or death. The national pension provides a common basic pension for everyone, while the employees pension insurance and mutual-aid association schemes provide a pension that is the same amount as the basic pension plus a sum caculated according to the individual`s previous income.
National Pension Plan
This plan covers all people between the ages of 20 to
59 living in Japan, including students. When the subscriber reaches
old age or becomes disabled, or dies, the plan provides the subscriber
or breaved dependents with a pension and a lump sum so as to ensure their
livelihood stability. Foreigners living in Japan are also subject to this
system. At present the monthly premium is
12,800 yen with additional insurance costing 400 yen. Pensions can be transferred
outside Japan if the pensioner is living in another country. Applications
for
national pension Plan should be made at the National Pension Section of
your local ward or municipal office.
Employees Pension Insurance
This plan is designed for salaried workers who are employed
in recognised companies. All company employees under 65 enrolled in this
plan are obliged to pay Employees Pension Insurance regardless of nationality,
sex, or individual will. The monthly premiums
for employees are calculated by multiplying the subscriber`s standard monthly
income, which is determined on the basis of his or her income by a ratio
of 165/1,000. The subscriber and employer can pay half of this premium.
If a foreigner who is eligible to receive a pension for at least 6 months
under the Employee`s Pension Insurance Plan returns to their native country
without receiving a pension, a lump-sum reimbursement will be made if a
claim is made within 2 years of the date in which he or she left Japan.
Everybody residing in Japan, regardless of nationality, is obliged to pay taxes. There are 2 types of taxes, National Taxes which are levied by the state and Local Taxes which are levied by the prefectures and municipalities.
Personal Income Tax and Final Returns
This tax is levied on a person`s income obtained between
January 1 and December 31. In this case a person`s income is
calculated as total income minus necessary expenses. In principle,
a taxpayer must declare his or her own income and tax over the year in
a final tax return and pay any necessary taxation. Most salaried
workers are not required to submit a final return. The personal
income tax is deducted from their salaries under a withholding tax system,
and every December their employers carry out a year end adjustment to calculate
excesses or shortfalls in taxation paid over the year. However, salaried
workers with an annual income of more than 20 million yen or salaried workers
with additional income amounting to more than 200,000 yen in the year must
submit a final tax return.
A foreigner who enters Japan in a given year and whose total income in that yaer is less than 350,000 yen does not have to submit a final return in the following year. When a foreigner leaves Japan permanently and he or she must either designate a proxy to submit a final tax return at the normal time or file a return in person and pay any necessary tax before departure.
Resident`s tax
Resident`s taxes paid by people living in Tokyo consist
of a metropolitan resident`s tax and a municipal resident`s tax. Resident`s
taxes are leveid by the ward or municipal office in the district where
the taxpayer was living as of January 1. Taxes are calculated on the basis
of the previous year`s annual income and consist of 2 amounts, one proportionate
to the level of income and the other uniformly applied to all, regardless
of the amount of income. Salaried workers resident`s
tax is computed by the ward or municipal office on the basis of a report
from the employer. The resident`s tax is deducted from the salary in 12
installments from June through May of the following year.
Japan operates a 6-3-3-4 system of education, which means 6 years of elementary school from the age of 6, 3 years of junior High school from the age of 12, 3 years of senior high school from the age of 15, and 4 years of university from the age of 18. Compulsory education consists of the six years at elementary school and 3 years at junior high school.
Kindergarden
Kindergardens provide preschool education for children
from the age of 3 to elementary school entrance age. the kindergarden year
begins in April. Applications for the same can be collected at ward or
minicipal offices in the prescribed month of the preceeding year.
Elementary and Junior High school
In the case of Japanese Children, the parents or guardian
are obliged to enroll them in elementary and junior high schools.
It is official procedure, therefore for Japanese children to receive notifcation
from the ward or municipal borad of eduacation when they are due to enroll
in a school. Public elementary and junior high school do not charge tution
fees, but there are charges for school meals, etc. Applications
for entrance should be made directly to the school office.
Senior High School
Foreign children wishing
to enter a public or private senior school in Japan must have reached the
appropriate age and must have completed 9 years of school education either
in another country or in a international school in Japan. Metropolitan
senior high schools usually hold entrance examination
in
February to select students for enrollment in April. The examination consists
of 5 subjects, Japanese, English, Social Studies, Science and Maths. Some
schools may also require an interview, essay or practical test. Foreign
residents wishing to enroll in Senior High School may contact Tokyo Metropolitan
Government`s Education Agency, tel no: 03-5320-6745,
those wishing to enroll in a private High School may contact tel
no: 03-3263-0541.
An educational loan system
exists for senior high school and university students in Tokyo who have
difficulty attending school for economic reasons. For more information
contact tel no: 03-5388-2565
For more details contact Tokyo
Central Post Office
Address: 7-2, Marunochi 2-chome,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Domestic mail tel no: 03-3284-9539
International mail tel no: 03-3284-9540
Mail delivery tel no: 03-3284-9556
Business mail tel no: 03-3284-9547
Tokyo International Post Office
Address: 3-3, Otemachi 2-chome,
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Tel no: 03-5241-4891
Ordinary surface mail tel no:03-3241-5902
Ordinary surface parcel post tel
no: 03-3241-5908
Air parcel post tel no: 03-3241-3544
Please send your proposals/opinions/suggestions/problems
to...........
Proposals to Governor of Tokyo,
Staff
Tokyo metropolitan Government office
Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku
Tokyo 163-8001
or send your message by
fax no: 03-5388-1233
Telephones
There are 2 types of Phones in
Japan, a subscriber and public phone. Subscriber phones are installed at
homes and companies.
For any kind of enquiry contact
the following:
Installation, moving billing tel
no:116 (free of charge)
Directory assistance tel no:104
(50 yen per inquiry)
Telegrams tel no: 115 (free of
charge)
International calls inquiry:
KDD tel no: 0057
IDC tel no: 0120-03-0061
ITJ tel no: 0120-44-0041
Telegrams
Domestic telegrams are accepted
at post offices or over the phone dial 115 and for international telegrams,
inquiries contact 0057 and for applications contact tel no: 03-3344-5151
Banks, Post offices and other Financial Institutions offer services such as transfers, sending cash, and acceptance of utilities payment in addition to savings account. If you open an account at one of these financial institutions, you can pay your bills by automatic transfer.
Opening a Bank Account
If you are a foreigner working for a Japanese company
or have lived in Japan for more than 6 months, you can open an bank
account by simply completing the form available at the bank. Non-residents
are supposed to present identifying documents such as a passport or valid
certificate of Alien Registration.
Post Office Account
To open an Post Office account, present identifying documents
such as pssport or certificate of Alien registration, a signature or name
seal will also be necessary. There are types of savings account-ordinary,
time and installment.
Banks and Post offices issuse a cash card which allows
you to deposit and withdraw cash outside of business hours.
Remittance Abroad
This is handled by authorised foreign exchange banks
only. There are 3 different methods of sending money overseas, remittance
check, telegrahic transfer and mail transfer. This can be made on notification
or by request. The remittance notification is sent by airmail. When cash
transfer is sent, the receipt can receive the cash at the bank after receiving
notification. The fastest method of remittance is by telegraphic transfer.
The normal charge for remittance is 2,500 yen. A telegraphic surcharge
is added for the use of telegraphic transfer.
Paying utilities
Bills come for electricity, gas and the telephone once
a month and for water and sewage once in two months. Payment can be made
at regular banks, credit cards, post offices or the offices of the creditor.
Some convienence stores also accept the payment. You can avoid having
to go pay your bills by sending up automatic transfer from your bank or
post office account. A receipt for this month`s payment and notification
of the next month`s payment and its due date will be sent each month.
Dogs must be registered and vaccinated. Regsitration must be done at the municipal office. Once registered, the registration is valid until the dog dies. In case you lost your dog, the search is facilitated by the registration number. You must inform the minicipal office in case your dog dies or owner changes or if you move. Dogs must be vaccinated between April and June, it can be received at places designated by your public health center. The vaccination will cost 2,840 yen and certificate of vaccination is 560 yen. If you take advantage of the vaccination in April you can take your dog to a private veterinarian. The registration and vaccination tag should be attached to the dog`s collar all the time.
There is no regulations for animals such as cats and small birds, but if you wish to keep dangerous animals such as monkeys or lions, you must receive permission from the governor of Tokyo. For more information contact Bureau of Public health, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Tel 03-5320-4412
Changing to a Japanese license
You must go to a metropolitan police Licensing office.
the documents necessary are listed below.
1. Certificate of Alien Registration
2. One photograph
3. A certified translation into Japanese of your driver`s
license from your embassy
4. Your passport
5. Fee of about 4000 yen
6. Successful completion of written and driving skills
tests.
Note: The applicant must have stayed at least 3 months in the country of acquisition after obtaining the foreign license.
Acquiring a Japanese license
To acquire a driver`s license for the first time in Japan,
you will have to attend a driving school to complete a set course of instruction
and then pass an examination at the licensing office. (exam is available
in English and Hiragana).
Renewing your License
A driver`s license is valid from the date of issuse until
the third birthday after it was issused. However, if you have had a japanese
driver`s license for more than 8 years, had no accidents for the past 3
years and are under 70 years of age, your next license will be valid for
5 years.
Licensing Offices
You can get information about the driver`s license in
the following offices:
1)1-1, Tama-cho 3 chome
Fuchu-shi, Tokyo
Tel 0423-62-3591
2)12-5, Higashi-Oi I-chome
Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo
tel 03-3474-1374
3)7-24, shinsuna I-chome,
Koto-ku, Tokyo
Tel 03-3699-1151
Inquiries at Japan Automobile Association for Japanese translation of foreign driver`s licenses Tel 03-3438-3668
Vehicle Purchase and Registration
Car owners in Japan are required to pay the relevant
taxes such as acquisition tax, tonnage tax, automobile tax, to take out
compulsory insurance and to determine responsibility in the case of an
accident. Compulsory insurance only provides personal compensation.
The compensation ceiling is quite low, so it is recommended that optional
insurance also be taken out for safety. Purchasing a car is a contract
with the car sales company but it must be registered with the District
Land Transport Bureau of licensing office. To register the car you
must submit a certificate of signature issusedby your embassy, a parking
space certificate issused by a police superintendent providing evidence
that a parking space has been secured and a certificate of Alien Registration.When
you scrap a car, change your address, transfer of ownership or do something
that affects your car registration, you must notify the District Land Transport
Bureau, an Automobile Inspection and Registration Office, or a ward or
municipal office.
Inspections
The owners of ordinary cars, and four wheel light cars
(under 660 cc) and two wheeled light vehicles (over 250 cc) must have their
vehicles inspected periodically at the District Land Transportion Bureau,
the Automobile Inspection and Registration Office, the Light Car Inspection
Association or any of their branches.
Rules on the Road
In case of any violation of rules by vehicle owner,
he or she may face penalty, fines or suspension or cancellation of Driver`s
License.
-drive on the left side
-fasten your seat belts
-it is absolutely forbidden to drive under the influence
of alcohol
-park the vehicle in parking space only
Bicycles
Bicycles are the most economical way to get around the
city. Keep to the left always and use bicycle lanes at major intersections.
At night you must display the front light and tail light also. It is illegal
to park your cycle in front of the station. Register your new bicycle at
the nearest police station. Registration involves one time payment of
525 yen and attaching a small yellow sticker to the frame. Most of the
bicycle shops render this service for you.
Amusement grounds
Asakusa Hanayashiki Tel no: 03-3842-4646
Korakuen Yuenchi Tel no: 03-3817-6098
Tama tech Tel no: 0425-91-0820
Toshimaen Tel no: 03-3990-3131
Tokyo Summerland Tel no: 0425-58-6511
Yomiuri land Tel no: 044-966-1111
Tokyo Disneyland Tel no: 0473-54-0001
Shinagawa Acquarium Tel no: 03-3762-3433
Sanrio Puroland Tel no: 0423-39-1111
Amazing Sqare Tel no: 03-3882-8011
Tokyo Sesame Place Tel no: 0425-58-6511
Libraries
National Diet Library Tel no: 03-3581-2331
Tokyo central metropolitan library Tel no: 03-3442-8451
Tokyo Hibiya metropoltan library Tel no: 03-3502-0101
Tokyo tama metropolitan library Tel no: 0425-24-7221
Museums
Communications Museum Tel no: 03-3244-6811
Transportation Museum Tel no: 03-3251-8481
Furniture Museum Tel no: 03-3533-0098
Kite Mus Tel no: 03-3379-1386
National Science Museu m Tel no: 03-3822-0111
Tokyo National Museum Tel no: 03-3822-1111
Daimyo Clock Museum Tel no: 03-3821-6913
Sumo Museum Tel no: 03-3622-0366
Gas Scince Museum Tel no: 03-3534-1111
Japan modern literature Museum Tel no: 03-3468-4181
Goto Planetarium Tel no: 03-3407-7409
Ancient Orient Museum Tel no: 03-3989-3491
Police Museum Tel no: 03-3581-4321
Ome railway Museum Tel no: 0428-22-4678
| Living in Tokyo Part 1 | Living in Tokyo Part 2 | Living in Tokyo Part 3 | Living in Tokyo Part 4 | Living in Tokyo Part 5 | Living in Tokyo Part 6 | Living in Tokyo Part 7 | Living in Tokyo Part 8 | Living in Tokyo Part 9 | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|