Child care/Education

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Child care/Education

1. When you are pregnant

When you find out you are pregnant, you should go to the Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB-GYN) and be issued a pregnancy certificate.
Bring the certificate to your local municipal office and receive a "Maternal and Child Health Handbook".
You should regularly visit the OB-GYN and have yourself and your baby's health checked.
If you are enrolled in a health insurance plan, the medical expenses for the health checkups and childbirth will be subsidized.
The "Maternal and Child Health Handbook" is used to make records of the childbirth and vaccinations.

  • The Support Guide for Moms and Babies (Researching and Supporting Multi-Cultural Healthcare Services (RASC)) (Available in 12 languages)

    http://www.rasc.jp/momandbaby/

2. When your baby is born

(1) Registration of Birth and Residence

Within 14 days of the baby's birth, you need to go to the municipal office and fill out a Registration of Birth. Also, you need to complete the resident registration.

(2) Selecting the nationality

In the case either one of the baby's parents has Japanese nationality, then the baby can have Japanese nationality, foreign nationality or even both (dual nationality). It depends on the nationality of the other foreign parent.
In the case both parents hold foreign nationality, then the baby cannot have Japanese nationality.
If you choose a foreign nationality for your baby, you must submit the Registration of Birth to your home country's embassy or consulate. Also, you need to go to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan to receive a "Residence Card".

3. Child care

If you are enrolled in a health insurance plan, you can receive child allowances from the municipal office and regularly go for health checkups. Children's medical expenses are subsidized as well.

4. Pre-school and Kindergarten

Before children enter elementary school, they go to pre-school, kindergarten or a certified child center. However, it is not free.
In some cases, there are conditions such as not having someone to look after your children.

5. Elementary School and Junior High School (Compulsory Education)

In Japan, six years at elementary school and three years at junior high school are compulsory.
Parents must send their children, who are aged 6 to 15 years old and have Japanese nationality, to school.
There are public and private schools. For public schools, tuition and textbook fees are free.
Children who have foreign nationality can still attend school in Japan. When you want to enroll your child in school, please contact the Board of Education at the municipal office.

6. High School, University, Junior College, Technical School

High school and higher education is not compulsory.
There are public and private schools.
Even in public schools, tuition and textbooks fees are not free.
To enter a high school, there are selective entry examinations.
For Fukushima Prefecture, there is a special entry exam system set up for foreigners who wish to go to one of the 7 public high schools.
For more information, please contact the High School Education Division of Fukushima Prefecture's Education Bureau (024-521-7772).

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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