Daily Life in Japan

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Daily Life in Japan

1. During an Emergency

Dial 110 or 119 (Free emergency phone numbers)
You may be connected to an interpreter at this time.
You should, at the very least, say these following things.

"Gaikoku-jin desu." (I am a foreigner)

"(The language you speak) ga wakari masu." (I understand __________)

"Namae wa (Your name) desu." (My name is ________.)

"Koko wa (Your address/ current location) desu." (I am at ___________)

(1) If you are involved in a traffic accident or a crime, dial

110

.

Once you phone 110, the police will come.

(2) If you get injured or you suddenly feel unwell, dial

119

.

Once you phone 119, the ambulance will come.

(3) If there is a fire, dial

119

.

Once you phone 119, the fire truck will come.

2. Garbage disposal

Japan promotes the 3R Policies in order to create a sustainable society that balances both the environment and economy.

Reduce(リデュース) ・・・Reducing the amount of waste
Reuse(リユース) ・・・Reusing used items
Recycle(リサイクル) ・・・Using recyclable resources to make new products

Waste is sorted and disposed of in categories.

  • ① Burnable waste (Raw garbage from the kitchen, paper, etc.)
  • ② Non-burnable waste (Metal objects, broken glass bottles, etc.)
  • ③ Recyclable waste (Glass bottles, cardboard, newspapers, PET bottles, etc.)
  • ④ Oversized garbage (Table, bicycle, etc.) *A fee might be involved
  • ⑤ House appliances (Refrigerator, washing machine, etc.) *A fee might be involved

Garbage is collected in a designated place and on a designated date.
The garbage disposal rules are different depending on where you live. You can ask your neighbours or the municipal office for information.
It is prohibited to take garbage from the garbage collection sites and to dispose garbage in places other than the garbage collection sites.

3. Bank

When you are opening a bank account, you need your Residence Card or My Number Card as well as your hanko (seal).
You can create a bankbook and a cash card.
When you are returning back to your home country or when you no longer need to use your bank account, you have to close down your account at the bank.
It is prohibited to sell your bankbook or cash card to someone else.

4. Driver's license/ Traffic Rules/ Riding a bicycle

(1) Driver's license

In order to get your driver's license, you have to complete the necessary procedures at Fukushima Prefecture's driver's license center.
There is a driver's license center in Fukushima City and in Koriyama.

(2) Traffic Rules

There are Japanese traffic rules that you must follow.

(3) Riding a bicycle

In Japan, people ride bicycles on the left side of the road.
It is prohibited to ride a bicycle if you are intoxicated, if you have two people on the bicycle, and lastly, if you are using an umbrella or a smartphone.

5. Taxes

Those who are registered residents in Japan must pay various taxes.
The main taxes are the following:

(1) Resident Tax

Those who have domicile in Japan as of January 1 and are working will pay this tax.
A notification from the municipality will be sent and you must pay the tax accordingly.
The company you work at might deduct the tax from your salary or you might have to pay on your own.

(2) Income Tax

People who work must pay the tax once a month.
The company you work at might deduct the tax from your salary or you might have to pay on your own.

(3) Automobile Tax

People who own a car must pay the tax once a year.
A notification from the prefecture or municipality will be sent and you must pay the tax accordingly.

(4) Consumption Tax

When you purchase goods and services, you pay the tax together with the payment each time.

You also have to pay other various taxes.

6.Renting an Apartment

There are two ways to rent an apartment.
When the municipal office rents out public housing, usually the rent is determined based on your income.
It is usually cheaper than from a private company.
For public housing, you can find information on the municipal office's PR paper or website.
When a private company rents an apartment, you can look for a house through a real estate agency.

If you have any concerns or questions, please feel free to ask us.

Fukushima International Association's Help Desk for Foreign Residents

https://www.worldvillage.org/life/en/consultation/consultation.html

Please take a look here as well.

〒960-8103
2-1 Funabacho, Fukushima City, Fukushima, Japan

TEL 024-524-1315

FAX 024-521-8308

Tuesday to Saturday 8:30 am to 5:15 pm (We are closed on Sunday, Monday, National Holidays and December 29th to January 3rd.)

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