When one becomes pregnant, please submit “Pregnancy notification form” to Health Promotion division at Tsukuba city hall or any municipal Health Centers, Hoken Center, to receive “Mother and Child Health Handbook.” If you are registered as foreign resident in Tsukuba, please receive “General Health exam card for Expectant Mother” and additional volume of Mother and Child Health Handbook along with Mother and Child Health Handbook.
Please keep this handbook safe as it serves as a record of your child's growth and contains important information for the healthy upbringing of the child. General Health exam card for Expectant Mother contains medical check-up tickets for expectant mother. Additional volume of Mother and Child Health Handbook has medical check-up tickets and vaccination tickets for the infants.
<Inquiry>
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall ☎ 029-883-1111
Ōho Hoken Center ☎ 029-864-7841
Sakura Hoken Center ☎ 029-857-3931
Yatabe Hoken Center ☎ 029-838-1100
Expectant mothers can receive up to 14 health exams depending on the length of gestation. Moreover, the expectant mothers can receive assistance in some of the checkup expenses. General Health exam card for Expectant Mother can be used at most of the obstetrics and gynecology department at medical institution throughout Ibaraki prefecture. Please check with the reception desk if they accept General Health exam card for Expectant Mother before receiving the checkup.
If you would like to visit a medical institution outside of Ibaraki prefecture, application is required to be submitted to Tsukuba city. Please inquire about application process at Health Promotion division at Tsukuba city hall approximately 2 weeks prior to expected day of visit to medical institution outside of Ibaraki prefecture.
<Inquiry>
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
Please submit a Birth Registration form to Citizen's division at Tsukuba city hall or any General Service Counters within 14 days of the birth of a child. Required documents are;
Alien Registration is required if newborn baby is going to stay in Japan for more than 60 days of the birth. Please notify the birth of the child to Immigration Bureau as well as embassy or consulate of your home country in Japan. Please check "Alien Registration" page for more information.
Health nurse, midwife or nurse will make a house call to measure and check your baby's development. Consultation is also available for mothers who have problems and/or concerns about the child's development and upbringing. Please submit “Birth Notifi cation slip,” which is attached to Mother and Child Health Handbook, to Health Promotion division at Tsukuba city hall.
<Inquiry>
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
The municipal Health Centers, Hoken Centers, provide medical checkup and group-vaccination against Polio for infants. Clear understanding of the vaccination is highly recommended before getting your child vaccinated. You can also receive medical checkup and immunization at other medical institutions by making appointments and using consultation slips / vaccination coupons which are attached to Additional volume of Mother and Child Health Handbook.
Please check with “Life Plan SuKōyaka” for medical checkup and vaccination dates as well as detailed information. Monthly Multilanguage newsletter also provides information about date and location for health checkup and Polio vaccination for infants held at municipal health centers.
<Inquiry>
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
Tsukuba city provides subsidy for vaccination for type b strains of Hemophilus influenzae which was given after April 1st, 2010. This vaccination is on a voluntary basis. Therefore, if you would like to receive this vaccination, please make sure you are well-informed and aware of the content of the subsidy, type of vaccination （both effects and side-effects） before immunizing your child. For more information, please check Tsukuba city homepage or read through Life Plan SuKōyaka.
<Inquiry>
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
As of April 1st, 2010, Tsukuba city provides subsidy for fertility treatment if the person is receiving fertility treatment which is funded by a grant from Ibaraki prefecture fertility treatment subsidy. For more information, please contact the following:
✿ Subsidy for fertility treatment by Ibaraki prefecture
Tsukuba Public Health Center, Ibaraki Prefecture
☎ 029-851-9287
✿ Subsidy for fertility treatment project by Tsukuba city
Health Promotion division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
Any expectant mother who is enrolled in health insurance is eligible to receive lump-sum allowance for childbirth and nursing when giving birth to a child. This allowance is provided to each newborn child and it will help you pay for the hospital fee for childbirth. The allowance will be paid to the hospital or clinic where the mother gave birth and the mother of the child only has to pay for the difference when released from the hospital.
If the mother is enrolled in National health insurance plan, please make inquiries at National Health and Pension division of Tsukuba city hall. For those who are enrolled in health insurance plan through your place of employment, please contact your social insurance provider for details. Keep in mind that if you give birth outside of Japan, the requirements must be met in order to receive this allowance.
<Inquiry>
Health Insurance & Pension Division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
Child Allowance is provided to households who are raising a child who is 15 or under. Once the child reaches age of 15, payment will end on the following March 31. Please check "welfare system to support families with small children" section for more information.
Marufuku is government subsidy system for infants, single parents, expectant and nursing mothers as well as severely handicapped person to aid medical expenses so they can easily receive necessary medical care when needed. If the person is a resident of Tsukuba and enrolled in the health care system, the person is eligible to receive the subsidy. However, it is income-tested except for infants and small children under school age category. To become eligible to receive the subsidy, you must apply for it and qualify as an eligible recipient. Please submit the application at National Health and Pension division of Tsukuba city hall or General Service Centers （former city hall branches）. Only National Health and Pension division at city hall can issue certificate for Marufuku on the same day of the application.
✿ Possible Recipients
① Infants and small children under school age:
Newborn babies and children before designated age to enter elementary schools
② Small children:
The child is in 1st, 2nd or 3rd year of elementary school.
③ Single mothers and their children:
The child must be under 18 years old
④ Single fathers and their children:
The child must be under 18 years old
⑤ Expectant and nursing mothers
Mothers who have been issued Mother & Child Health Handbook, boshi-techou, and have been diagnosed for complication of pregnancy which may lead to the death of the mother or baby such as pregnancy-induced hypertension, multiple pregnancy and early rupture of membranes.
⑥ Persons with severe physical and/or mental disabilities:
<Inquiry>
Health Insurance & Pension division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
✿ Recipient
Child Allowance is provided to households who are raising child 15 and under. Once the child reaches age of 15, payment will end on the following March 31.
✿ Amount
13,000 yen per child per month
✿ Payment Method
The allowance starts from the following month of the application date. Monthly allowances are transferred into the recipient's bank account 3 times a year in a lump-sum （4 months' worth）, generally in February, June and October.
✿ Allowance for your child who lives abroad
The applicant is eligible to apply for Child Allowance if the applicant is:
(1） Financially supporting the child by remitting money overseas for 3 times or more per year
(2） Visited the child twice or more per year and
(3） Legal guardian of the child: The applicant is also required to submit various documents and certificates along with the application.
✿ Recipient
This allowance is a relief effort to help single parent family for those who is supporting a child whose parents are divorced, deceased or other legitimate reasons may qualify as an applicant.
✿ Eligibility
A parent or guardian who is taking care of a child and the child is 18 years old or under. Once the child reaches age 18, payments will end on the following March 31. If the child is mentally and/or physically disable, the child is eligible to receive the allowance up until age 20. To receive the allowance, you must be approved by Children's Services division.
✿ Restrictions
There are several restrictions apply to become an eligible recipient. Even if the applicant fulfills the above conditions, in some cases, only the partial amount is paid out to the recipient or the applicant simply does not qualify to receive the allowance. For instance, common-law partner is present in the same household or applicant or the child is living outside of Japan are exempt from this allowance.
For more information about Child Allowance and Child Rearing Allowance, please contact:
Children's Services division, Tsukuba city hall
☎ 029-883-1111
Ibaraki International Association distributes free “Medical Handbook” for foreigners in 8 languages: English, Chinese, Portuguese, Thai, Tagalog, Spanish, Korean and Indonesian.
Medical Handbook provides basic phrases, list of symptoms, name of diseases and body parts as well as other useful expressions are indicated along with Japanese descriptions. You can explain your symptoms or answer basic questions simply by pointing at the expressions in the book. You can download the handbook from Ibaraki International Association website or simply pick up a copy at International Affairs division, Tsukuba city hall.
Topics: Health
Relevant for: Newcomers, Residents
Please note: While all efforts have been made to offer accurate and up-to-date information on this site, the information is presented as a guideline and is subject to change without notification. Phone numbers, addresses, and/or policies may have changed since this page was created. Please contact the appropriate section of the City Hall for confirmation of information and city policies.