According to the Alien Registration Law (Gaikokujin Toroku Ho), foreigners who are not covered with the health insurance provided at the workplace basically have to sign up for National Health Insurance (Kokumin Kenko Hoken; compulsory participation) if they plan to stay in Japan for at least 1 year at the time of entry in Japan. If one of the following cases applies, make sure you make a notification.

Enrollment and Withdrawal Procedures

	When to Enroll / Withdraw / Other	Items Required
Enrollment	Move to Sanda from another city, ward, town, or village Enter Japan	Certificate of Alien Registration (Gaikokujin Toroku shomeisho)
	Withdraw from the health insurance program at place of work	A document that certifies withdrawal of the health insurance program at place of work
	Not covered as a dependent any more by the health insurance program at place of work	A certificate explaining that an individual is no longer covered as a dependent
	A child is born	Health insurance card, Maternal and Child Health Handbook (Boshi Kenko Techo), or Birth Certificate (Shussho Shomeisho)
Withdrawal	Move to another city, ward, town, or village Leave Japan	Health insurance card
	Enroll in an health insurance program at place of work	Both the National Health Insurance Certificate and the health insurance program at place of work (If the latter has not been issued yet, a document that certifies the enrollment)
	Become a dependent and covered by the health insurance program at place of work
	The subscriber of National Health Insurance dies	Health insurance card, Cremation Permit, or Death Certificate
Other	A change of address (when you have moved within the city)	Health insurance card
	The head of the family (householder) changes or the name is changed
	A household is divided or multiple households are combined
	Lose the health insurance card	A document that certifies the identity of the said person (Certificate of Alien Registration, driver’s license, etc.)
	The health insurance card becomes badly soiled or torn and cannot be used anymore

Types of Allowances and Procedure

	Content	Items Required
Lump-sum Allowance for Childbirth and Nursing	At child delivery (including stillbirth of a 4-month old fetus or older): 350,000 yen	Health insurance card, a document which certifies child delivery (Maternal and Child Health Handbook, etc.), bank account number for transfer (Post office account is not allowed.)
Funeral Fees Support	At death: 50,000 yen	Health insurance card, document that proves that the funeral was carried out (Burial / Cremation Permit, etc.), seal of the head of the executor of funeral and his / her bank account number for transfer (Post office account is not allowed.)