3 min read
(Updated: ) Procedures
NHI City Hall Checklist After You Quit
One-page NHI city hall checklist for Japan residents after quitting with documents, desk examples, counter steps, and late-filing traps.
Bring one document that shows the exact date your employee health insurance ended, plus photo ID and a payment setup item. If the loss date is missing, many city halls will stop the application and ask you to come back with better proof. (mhlw.go.jp)
Part of our How to Get Back on Health Insurance After Quitting in Japan in 2026 Before the 14-Day Deadline Hits guide.
Documents to pack before you go
The 14-day filing rule comes from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, but document rules still vary by municipality, so pack for the strictest counter. (mhlw.go.jp)
| Bring this | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Proof you lost employee insurance | Safest: a health insurance qualification loss certificate. If your employer never sent it, you may be able to request proof from the Japan Pension Service for applicable cases. Do not assume a retirement paper or rishokuhyo will always work: Shibuya lists a qualification loss certificate, retirement certificate, or rishokuhyo as examples, while Osaka’s Asahi Ward says a rishokuhyo is not accepted and wants a certificate that includes all dependents who lost coverage. (nenkin.go.jp) |
| Photo ID | Bring one current official ID such as a My Number card, residence card, passport, or driver’s license. Yokohama and Kawasaki both list these as standard counter ID. (city.yokohama.lg.jp) |
| My Number documents | Not every counter asks, but some municipalities still want My Number confirmation for the household head and enrollees, so bringing your My Number card is the lowest-friction option. Kawasaki and Osaka’s Asahi Ward both mention this. (city.kawasaki.jp) |
| Payment setup item | Bring a cash card, or a bankbook plus registered seal if you have them. Osaka and Yokohama both ask for payment details because direct-debit setup may be done at or after the counter visit. (city.osaka.lg.jp) |
| Foreign resident documents | Bring your residence card. If your status is Specified Activities, Shibuya also asks for the passport designated-activities page copy. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp) |
| Backup evidence | If your employer is slow, also save or print the MyNaPortal qualification screen that shows the end date. Some cities accept this, but a simple screen without the effective end date can fail. (city.yokohama.lg.jp) |
- Fastest safe pack: qualification loss certificate, photo ID, My Number card, residence card if applicable, cash card or bankbook, and any documents for family members who also lost coverage. (city.kawasaki.jp)
What happens at the NHI counter that day
Look for the insurance desk name that matches your city. The label is not standardized nationwide. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp)
| What to look for | Real example | Hours, phone, address |
|---|---|---|
| National Health Insurance section | Shibuya City Office National Health Insurance Division, with joining handled at the main office and some service points. | Shibuya City Office is at 1-1 Udagawacho, Shibuya-ku, phone 03-3463-1211, open 8:30-17:00 on weekdays; the NHI qualification section phone is 03-3463-1781. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp) |
| Insurance and Pension desk | Osaka ward office Insurance and Pension desk. | Sumiyoshi Ward Office is at 3-15-55 Minamisumiyoshi, Osaka, phone 06-6694-9986; hours are 9:00-17:30 on weekdays, with Friday late service to 19:00 and fourth-Sunday service 9:00-17:30 for some windows. (city.osaka.lg.jp) |
| Medical Insurance and Pension section | Shinjuku Medical Insurance and Pension Division, with qualification work at main office 4F counter 8. | Shinjuku City Office is at 1-4-1 Kabukicho, phone 03-5273-4146 for the NHI qualification section; Tuesday counter extension runs 17:00-19:00 for handled services. (city.shinjuku.lg.jp) |
- Take a queue ticket or go directly to the listed NHI, insurance and pension, or medical insurance counter. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp)
- Staff will check your loss date, address, household, and whether you use a My Number card as your insurance card. Yokohama says registered My Number users receive a qualification notice, while non-registered users get a qualification confirmation document. (city.yokohama.lg.jp)
- Do not assume same-day handout is guaranteed. Osaka’s Asahi Ward says same-day issuance is possible when documents are complete, while Shinjuku says mailing is the default and counter pickup depends on photo ID and case details. (city.osaka.lg.jp)
- If your city offers bank transfer setup, finish it while you are there so your first bill is easier to manage. Premium notices are often mailed later. (city.osaka.lg.jp)
Late paperwork back-billing and other gotchas
- The 14-day clock is real. The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare says you should file within 14 days of becoming eligible. (mhlw.go.jp)
- Late filing does not erase premiums. Osaka says premiums are charged retroactively to when you should have joined and can be billed for up to two years; Shinjuku also warns you must pay back to the month eligibility started. (city.osaka.lg.jp)
- Job change out of NHI is not automatic. Municipalities such as Shibuya and Osaka warn that joining a company plan does not automatically cancel city NHI, so you must file a withdrawal notice yourself. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp)
- Using the wrong insurance after the switch can create repayment trouble. Shibuya says that if you receive treatment after losing NHI eligibility, the city may ask you to repay the medical cost amount it covered. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp)
- Ask about relief if you were laid off or your income dropped. Osaka lists reduction and exemption paths for low income, involuntary unemployment, or sharp income loss, and Yokohama also flags special relief for employer-driven layoffs. (city.osaka.lg.jp)
- Foreign residents may have branch-office limits. For example, Shibuya says foreign nationals cannot use some branch and service-center counters for this procedure, so the main office can be the safer first stop. (city.shibuya.tokyo.jp)
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Written by
Taku Kanaya
Founder, LO-PAL
Former Medical Coordinator for Foreign Patients (Ministry of Health programme) and legal affairs professional. Built LO-PAL from firsthand experience navigating life abroad.
Written with partial AI assistance
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