After you decide where you will live in Japan, you usually need to handle address-related procedures at your city, ward, town, or village office. Address registration can affect health insurance, pension, My Number, bank accounts, mobile phone contracts, and documents for your company or school, so it is one of the foundations of starting life in Japan.
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Who this page is for
- People who have arrived in Japan and decided where they will live
- People who need to register an address on their residence card
- People who are unsure about moving-in or address change procedures
- People who want to understand health insurance, pension, and My Number guidance
- Company staff supporting foreign employees after arrival
Check this first
Mid- to long-term residents may need to notify their place of residence within 14 days after deciding where they live. The office, required documents, and reception hours differ by municipality, so check the website of the city office where you live and confirm with your employer, school, or support contact when needed.
Procedures often connected to the city office
- Address notification: check this when you decide where to live after arrival or when you move to another municipality.
- Address on your residence card: your new address may be written on the residence card after the procedure.
- Certificate of residence: banks, mobile companies, employers, schools, or housing-related procedures may ask for it.
- My Number: a 12-digit number assigned to residents with a certificate of residence in Japan and used for tax, social security, disaster response, and other official procedures.
- National Health Insurance: if you are not covered by your company health insurance, ask the city office whether you need to enroll.
- Pension: people aged 20 to 59 who live in Japan are covered by Japan’s public pension system regardless of nationality. Confirm whether you are covered by Employees’ Pension Insurance or National Pension.
Items you may need to bring
Required items vary by municipality and situation, but you may be asked for your residence card, passport, address information, a moving-out certificate from your previous municipality, documents from your employer or school, and other identification. If you complete procedures with family members, documents proving the family relationship may also be needed.
If you are not confident in Japanese
City office procedures include many administrative terms, and you may receive several explanations in a short time. It helps to write down words such as address registration, health insurance, pension, My Number, and certificate of residence before you go. Multilingual support and interpreter tablets differ by municipality, so check in advance.
What to confirm with your company or school
- The deadline for visiting the city office and how to adjust work or class time
- Whether you will be enrolled in company health insurance and Employees’ Pension Insurance
- Where you need to submit a certificate of residence and what information must be printed on it
- Whether you need to notify your company, school, bank, or mobile phone provider after changing your address
- Additional documents needed when family members live with you
Common problems
Procedures often stop because the address is not decided yet, the residence card was forgotten, the moving-out certificate is missing, the office is already closed, or the person cannot tell whether company insurance will apply. If you are not sure, avoid guessing at the counter and confirm with your employer, school, or support contact.
Official information
- Immigration Services Agency: notification of place of residence
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Basic Resident Registration System for foreign residents
- Digital Agency: My Number system
- MHLW: National Health Insurance for foreign insured persons
- Japan Pension Service: Public Pension System for non-Japanese residents