Childbirth・Parenting・Education

Pregnancy and Childbirth

When you get pregnant

Receive a “Maternal and Child Health Handbook” (boshi kenko techo) at the government office.

If you notify the government office of your pregnancy, you will receive a “Maternal and Child Health Handbook” and “tickets for receiving subsidized prenatal checkups”.

Maternal and Child Health Handbook

Please bring this handbook when you go to the hospital. In this notebook, there are points to keep in mind when raising a child.

Things to record in Maternal and Child Health Handbook

  • The health condition of pregnant mother, and of her child until the child enters elementary school.
  • The child’s height and weight, the illnesses or vaccinations the child has gotten, etc.

There is also a Maternal and Child Health Handbook in foreign languages. Please contact the government office.

Tickets for receiving subsidized prenatal checkups

These tickets can be used when you check your child’s condition pre-birth at the hospital. The fee will be discounted.

Prenatal checkups

Regularly go to the obstetrics and gynecology department to check if you and your child are healthy.

Allowances granted by health insurance
  • When you give birth to a child, you will receive a “lump-sum allowance for childbirth” of 420,000 yen.
  • If a woman takes a leave of absence from work to give birth, she will receive a “childbirth allowance.”

Please consult with the obstetrics and gynecology department for details, as you need to follow the necessary procedure.

Attending parental classes (for mothers and fathers)

Parental classes teach new mothers and fathers the important things about childbirth and parenting. You can apply for these classes at the government office.

When a child is born

Notification of birth

Submit the “notification of birth” within 14 days of birth to the government office and register the child’s residency.
Submit the notification to the municipality where the child was born or the municipality of the child’s mother or father.

Child allowance

Those who are raising children in Japan can receive “Child allowance.” Apply for the allowance to the mother’s or father’s local municipality within 15 days of birth.

Monthly child allowance amount
Age of child Amount of child allowance
Until 3 years old 15,000 yen
From 3 to 12 years old (until graduating from elementary school) 10,000 yen (15,000 yen per child from the third child for families with 3 or more children up to 18 years old)
From 12 to 15 years old (until graduating from junior high school) 10,000 yen

5,000 yen per month per child for families with high income

Nationality of the child

If neither of the parents have Japanese nationality, your child cannot obtain Japanese nationality even if he or she is born in Japan. In such a case, it is necessary to report the birth of the child to the embassy (consulate) of your home country within 30 days of birth. In addition, you have to send the necessary documents to the nearest Immigration Bureau in order to receive a “residence card” for your child.
If either of the parents have Japanese nationality, your child can obtain Japanese nationality.

Links regarding pregnancy and childbirth