🇺🇸 HomeBrowse by TopicPaperwork & AdminHow to Join National Health Insurance
📋Paperwork & Admin

How to Join National Health Insurance

How National Health Insurance works for people who are not joining an employer plan.

If your employer does not enroll you in employee insurance, you will usually need to join National Health Insurance through your local government.

It usually means you pay about 30% of covered medical costs at the clinic or hospital.

In many cases, enrollment can be handled at city hall after residence registration. Bring your residence card and other basic ID documents.

Related guides

How Residence Registration Works

A practical guide to the address registration process required for foreign residents in Japan.

How to Use Your Insurance Card

What your health insurance card does and what happens if you forget it.