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4. Support Services | Life in Hiroshima 2024

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3. Important Paperwork <<   4. Support Services   >> 5. Studying Japanese ↑ Return to Contents

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

1) What to do when you get sick or injured

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.​

Departments

Diagnosis and Treatment

Internal Medicine

When you feel unwell, such as having a fever or cold

Surgery

When you need to undergo operation to treat a disease or injury

Pediatrics

When your baby or child is sick

Orthopedic Surgery

When experiencing pain in your bones, joints, muscles, etc.

Otorhinolaryngology

Conditions that affect the ears, nose, and throat

Ophthalmology

Eye-related conditions

Dermatology

Skin-related conditions
Dentistry Oral health 
Obstetrics and Gynecology Pregnancy and childbirth, etc.

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.​

Examples of basic preventive measures 
Face masks
Mask-wearing is now a personal choice based on individual judgment.
Hand washing and ventilation
Based on the characteristics of COVID-19 infections, proper hand washing and ensuring good indoor ventilation continue to be effective as basic COVID-19 prevention measures.
Avoid the three Cs (closed spaces, crowded places, and close-contact settings) and maintain social distance
Avoiding poorly ventilated areas, crowded places with an unspecified number of people, and close proximity interactions (wear a face mask if it cannot be avoided) is an effective way for high-risk groups, such as the elderly, to avoid catching COVID-19 during an epidemic wave.

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?”

 

2) Infection prevention and control

 

Wash your hands

Wash your hands with soap when you return home or to your workplace from outside, when preparing meals, before eating, and after going to the restroom. After washing with soap, rinse your hands thoroughly with water. Wipe your hands dry with a clean towel after washing.

 

Cough etiquette

Cough etiquette refers to the act of covering your mouth and nose with a mask, tissue, or handkerchief when you cough or sneeze, to reduce the spread of colds and other illnesses.

 

When coughing/sneezing, observe the following:

  • Wear a mask.
  • If no masks are available, cough/sneeze into a tissue, handkerchief, the inside of your sleeve, or jacket.

4-2 Health and Welfare

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

Division

Consultations/other services

Mutual Community Support Division

General consultations

Health, medical care, welfare, retirement home admission, etc

Health consultations and health examinations for adults and the elderly

Advice about health problems, such as obesity and high blood pressure, dental health advice, HIV testing and advice, examinations for tuberculosis and cancer, etc.

Consultations about pregnancy, babies, and parenting (the raising of children by their parents)

Maternal and Child Health Handbooks, infant health checkups, parenting classes, etc.

Consultations about children

Family relations, truancy, delinquency, mental or physical development, abuse, etc

Consultations about immunization

Children’s vaccinations, flu vaccinations for the elderly, etc

Consultations about mental health welfare

Mental health, etc

Welfare Division

Consultations about medical care and welfare for the elderly

Late-Stage Elderly Medical Care System

Consultations about long-term care insurance

Certification of needed long-term care, imposition of insurance payments

Consultations about children’s welfare

Admission to facilities (such as nursery schools), medical subsidies for children etc, child allowances, parenting support, etc

Consultations about welfare for single-parent households

Medical expense subsidies for single-parent households, Child Rearing Allowance, etc

Consultations about welfare for those with physical or mental disabilities

Physical Disability Certificates, Special Needs Certificates, Mental Disability Health and Welfare Certificates, independent-living support and treatment (out-patient mental health treatment, rehabilitation, special needs medical treatment) allowances, etc. 

Family and Health Services Division

Consultations for those with financial difficulties

Public welfare, etc

National Insurance and Pension Division Consultations about issues related to National  Health Insurance and  pension National Health Insurance, medical expenses, high medical expenses, National Pension, etc.

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.

Check-up

When

Where/how

General Health Checkup for Newborns

(One-month-old newborns)

At least 28 days old and up to the day before 6 weeks after birth

  • Medical facility
  • Present your Maternal and Child Health Handbook and your Supplemental Information Booklet for the Maternal and Child Health Handbook
General Health Checkup for Newborns Twice until the day before the child’s first birthday

Health Consultation for 4- Month-Old Children

The City of Hiroshima will send you an official notification about these health check-ups

Health Checkup for 18- Month-Old Children

Health Checkup for 3-Year- Old Children

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.

From January 2025, eligibility for financial assistance for outpatient care will be extended from until 6th year of elementary school to until 3rd year of junior high school.

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. Additionally, those raising children up to high school (until March 31 after the child’s 18th birthday) are also eligible for receiving child allowances from October 2024.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.

Facility

Age of child

Description

Nursery schools (保育園//Hoikuen)

Children ages 0 until they enter elementary school

Facilities with 20 or more children

Certified Child Care Centers (認定こども園//Nintei-kodomo-en)

Facilities that provide both nursery school and kindergarten services

Small day-care services (for children aged 0 to 2)

Children ages 0 to 2

Facilities with 6-19 children

Daycare facilities established in places of business

Facilities created by companies to provide daycare for their employees’ children;

Facilities also accept children from the local community

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.

Municipal Elementary and Junior High Schools

The Citizens Affairs Division of your local ward office (see 7. Places to Get Useful Advice and Information), or

the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469)

Municipal Special Needs Schools

Youth Consultation Center (Tel: 082-504-2197)

 

 

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 Children's Outlook Bureau 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:          Education Reform and Entance 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):

Career advice and finding a job

Hiroshima Foreign Residents Employment Service Office (in Hello Work Hiroshima)

8:30 am-12 pm;1 pm-5:15 pm  Tel: 082-511-1181

Interpretation: 10 am-4 pm

Spanish and Portuguese (1st, 3rd, and 5th Mondays, Thursdays), and English (Fridays), Chinese (2nd and 4th Monday-Friday), and English (2nd Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays)

Hello Work Hiroshima Higashi

8:30 am-12 pm; 1 pm-5:15 pm  Tel: 082-264-8609

Interpretation: 9 am-5 pm

Spanish (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), Portuguese (Monday – Friday), and English (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays)

Trouble with employment and labor conditions

Hiroshima Foreign Workers Consultation Service on Working Conditions

(in the Inspection Division, Hiroshima Labor Bureau)

9 am-12 pm, 1pm-4:30 pm  Tel: 082-221-9242

Interpretation:

Portuguese and Spanish (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays), Chinese (Fridays)

Hiroshima Central Foreign Workers Consultation Service on Working Conditions

(in the Hiroshima Central Labor Standards Inspection Office)

9:30 am-12 pm, 1 pm-5 pm  Tel: 082-221-2460   Interpretation: Vietnamese (Tuesdays)

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.

Ward

Tel

Address

Naka Ward

082-545-8388

1-1 Ote-machi 4-chome, Naka-ku

(Inside Naka Ward Community Welfare Center 5F)

Higashi Ward

082-568-6887

9-34 Higashi-kaniya-cho, Higashi-ku

(Inside Higashi Ward General Welfare Center 4F)

Minami Ward

082-250-5677

4-46 Minami-machi 1-chome, Minami-ku

(Inside Minami Ward Office Annex Building 3F)

Nishi Ward

082-235-3566

24-1 Fukushima-cho 2-chome, Nishi-ku

(Inside Nishi Ward Community Welfare Center 4F)

Asaminami Ward

082-831-1209

38-13 Nakasu 1-chome, Asaminami-ku

(Inside Asaminami Ward General Welfare Center 5F)

Asakita Ward

082-815-1124

19-22 Kabe 3-chome, Asakita-ku

(Inside Asakita Ward General Welfare Center 4F)

Aki Ward

082-821-5662

2-16 Funakoshi-minami 3-chome, Aki-ku

(Inside Aki Ward General Welfare Center 3F)

Saeki Ward

082-943-8797

4-5 Kairoen 1-chome, Saeki-ku

(Inside Saeki Ward Office Annex Building 5F)


災害情報

Note Regarding Links

Please note some links on this page may navigate to our Japanese website.

外国人市民のための生活ガイドブック

Welcome to the City of Hiroshima<外部リンク>

カタポケ<外部リンク>

ひろしま公式観光サイト<外部リンク>

  • Hiroshima Peaceのバナー画像<外部リンク>
  • ザ・ひろしまブランド(英語版)
  • 広島市へ寄付