4. Support Services | Life in Hiroshima 2023

4-1 What To Do When You Get Sick or Injured (Hospitals and Clinics)

If you get sick or injured, take your insurance card and some money and go to a hospital or clinic. Be sure to check the hospital or clinics outpatient examination hours and if they can treat your symptoms.

Also, as some hospital and clinic staff can only speak Japanese, it may be a good idea to bring along someone who can speak Japanese.​

Family Doctors

A family doctor is a medical practitioner based at a nearby medical facility (hospital, clinic, etc.) who you usually visit for medical treatment and advice when you are sick or injured. Your family doctor may even provide consultation services during afterhours or public holidays, so it is therefore advisable to have a family doctor.

AMDA International Medical Information Center (NPO)

The NPO AMDA International Medical Information Center provides consultation services in a variety of languages about hospital visits. https://www.amdamedicalcenter.com  

Tel: 03-6233-9266​

Emergency Medical Care Net Hiroshima

(Hiroshima Prefecture Emergency Medical Information Network)

The Emergency Medical Care Net Hiroshima website provides information in English about matters such as on-duty doctors during weekends, national holidays, and afterhours.

You can search for hospitals and clinics that provide foreign language services here:​

https://www.qq.pref.hiroshima.jp＜外部リンク＞

Basic Preventive Measures Against COVID-19

Beginning on May 8, 2023, COVID-19 has been reclassified as a Class 5 Infectious Disease, the same category as diseases such as influenza. As such, it is now down to individual choice on whether to continue with COVID-19 basic preventive measures in your day-to-day life.​

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Emergency medical care during weekends, national holidays, and afterhours

Refer to page 44 or a list of emergency medical care facilities that are open during weekends, national holidays, and afterhours.

However, please note that these facilities are to be used by those in need of urgent medical care. Before you go to one of these facilities, ask yourself: “Can I wait until normal opening hours?”

4-2 Health and Welfare

Various divisions at your local ward offices offer a variety of health and welfare services. 

If you have any questions or concerns, contact the relevant division. Contact details for each division can be found in 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information.

If you are not confident in your Japanese abilities, please make use of the Hiroshima City & Aki County International Resident Consultation Service (Tel: 082-241-5010).

4-3 Parenting (Childbirth/Childcare)

1) Pregnancy and childbirth

When you learn that you are expecting a child, visit your local ward office’s Mutual Community Support Division (see 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information) for necessary paperwork and procedures. You should also get a health checkup for pregnant women at a hospital/clinic. 

See 3. Important Paperwork for the procedures you need to undertake after giving birth. 

1. The Maternal and Child Health Handbook (母子健康手帳//Boshi Kenkō Techō)

You will receive a Maternal and Child Health Handbook, which provides a way to monitor and manage the health of both the mother and child, and keep a record of your pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. The handbook is available in English, Chinese, Tagalog, Thai, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, and Vietnamese, and contains check-up and vaccination vouchers. 

2. Childbirth/Childcare Support Benefits

Expecting mothers and those raising children who have notified the City of their pregnancy or childbirth are eligible to receive benefits to help pay for items to be used for childbirth or childcare, or to use parenting support services. Contact the Mutual Community Support Division of the Public Welfare Department of your local ward office (see pages 41 and 42) for more information.

3. Health Check-ups

Take your child for check-ups to make sure they are growing up healthy and strong.

4. Financial Assistance for Child Medical Expenses

Financial assistance for child medical expenses is available for children until the 3rd year of junior high school or until March 31 following their 15th birthday. Assistance is provided for inpatient care until the 3rd year of junior high school, and for outpatient care until the 3rd year of elementary school.

From January 1, 2022, eligibility for financial assistance for outpatient care will be extended from until 3rd year of elementary school to until 6th year of elementary school.

Those earning over a certain amount are not eligible for financial assistance.

5. Child Allowances

Parents and guardians raising children up to the 3rd year of junior high school or until March 31 following their 15th birthday may be entitled to Child Allowances. For further information, contact your local ward office’s Welfare Division (see 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information)

2) Nursery Schools and Kindergartens  

In Japan, compulsory education starts from 6 years old (see page 23). There are a variety of pre-school facilities for children not old enough to attend school, including nursery schools and kindergartens. 

1. Nursery Schools (保育園//Hoikuen), etc

Nursery schools and other similar facilities look after children whose parents or guardians cannot care for them at home during the day because of work, illness, or other similar reasons.

Generally, if you want your child to attend one of these facilities, you should apply by the 10th day of the month before the month your child will start going. However, this does not apply if you wish to enroll your child in March or April.

For further information about applications and fees, contact your local ward office’s Welfare Division (see 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information) for the nursery school (etc) you wish your child to attend.

2. Kindergartens (幼稚園//Yōchien)

Kindergartens are educational facilities for children before entering elementary school. There are two types of kindergartens: municipal and private.

Municipal kindergartens are for children aged 4 to 5 (Moto-machi, Ochiai, and Funakoshi Kindergartens also accept 3-year-olds). Applications for children aged 3 to 4 are accepted in October for the following year. However, if a kindergarten has spaces, you can apply at any time. For more information about municipal kindergartens, contact the Teacher Supervisory Division I of the Board of Education (Tel: 082-504-2784).

Most private kindergartens accept children aged 3 to 5. For more information about private kindergartens, contact the kindergarten you wish to send your child to directly.

4-4 Education

Compulsory education in Japan consists of elementary school (6-12 years old) and junior high school (12-15 years old). Those who want to continue their education take tests to go on to senior high school (3 years) and university (4 years), or junior college (2 years), etc. For all schools, the school year begins in April and ends the following March. There are national schools, public schools (prefectural, and municipal) and private schools.

1) Elementary school, junior high school, and special needs schools

Students can enter municipal elementary, junior high, and special needs schools regardless of their level of ability in Japanese; however, classes are conducted in Japanese. Schools students can enter are determined by their place of residence.

There are no tuition fees, but a portion of lunch and educational material costs are required.

Struggling with school fees?

The City of Hiroshima provides school expense subsidies (就学援助//Shūgaku Enjo) to households struggling to send their children to school because of financial difficulties. For further information, contact your school or the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469). 

After-school care for elementary school students

After-school Kids’ Clubs are for elementary school students whose parents cannot look after them at home after school finishes because of work or other reasons. For further information, contact the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education After-School Care Division (Tel: 082-242-2014), or the Community Revitalization Division of your local ward office.

Repeating elementary or junior high school studies

If you didn’t graduate elementary or junior high school, or didn’t achieve the grades you wanted, there are evening classes for those aged 15 and over who want to repeat their studies. Hiroshima Municipal Futaba Junior High School and Hiroshima Municipal Kan-on Junior High School offer junior high school level courses.

If you would like to enroll in evening classes, contact the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469).

2) Senior high school

In Japan, more than 98% of students go on to senior high school. Students must pass an entrance exam to go to senior high schools (some schools accept students based on recommendations). If a child has not graduated from junior high school in Japan but can prove that they have equivalent academic ability, they may take the senior high school entrance exam.

There are public (national, prefectural, and municipal) senior high schools and private senior high schools. These schools have different curricula, courses (general, industrial, commercial, agricultural, or integrated, etc.) and class hours (such as full-time, part-time (day or evening), and correspondence).

For information about municipal senior high schools, contact the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education Teacher Supervisory Division II (Tel: 082-504-2704).

For further information about other senior high schools, contact the following places:

National school:                Hiroshima University High School
                                          Tel: 082-251-0192

Prefectural schools:          Entrance Examination Regulation Division, 
                                         Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education
                                          Tel: 082-513-4992

Private schools:                Association of Hiroshima Prefecture Private Junior and Senior High Schools
                                         Tel: 082-241-2805

3)Universities, junior colleges and professional training colleges ​

To enter a Japanese university, junior college, or professional training college, you must pass an entrance exam, like for high school. If you have not graduated from a Japanese junior or senior high school, but you can prove that you have equivalent academic ability, you can take an entrance exam. For more information, contact the educational facility you wish to go to directly.

4) International schools

The Hiroshima International School, which teaches in English, and the Hiroshima Korean School, which teaches in Korean, are two international schools in Hiroshima City.

International schools are categorized as Miscellaneous Schools (各種学校//Kakushu Gakkō). They offer curriculums equivalent to those of Japanese kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. Their graduates may be eligible to go on to Japanese universities. For more information, contact the school directly.

Hiroshima International School      Tel: 082-843-4111

Hiroshima Korean School              Tel: 082-261-0028

4-5 Work

If you are looking for a job, or you have a job and are experiencing difficulties related to employment or labor conditions, contact the following consultation services (except public holidays and December 29 to January 3):

4-6 Financial Difficulties

1) Public Welfare (生活保護//Seikatsu Hogo)

Public welfare is for households that experience financial difficulties. With support proportionate to their level of hardship, the government helps guarantee a minimum standard of living while also promoting independent living. There are a variety of criteria to fulfil to receive public welfare. For inquiries, contact your local ward office’s Family and Health Services Division (see 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information).

2) Support when you have financial difficulties

If you experience financial difficulties, contact your local Livelihood Support Center (for consultations other than public welfare).

Livelihood Support Centers (くらしサポートセンター//Kurashi Sapōto Sentā)

Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 5:15 pm, except for national holidays, August 6, and December 29 – January 3.