Your First Month in Japan

Moving to Japan as a foreign resident means navigating a series of administrative steps — most of them unfamiliar, many of them in Japanese. This checklist covers everything you need to do in your first month, ordered by priority. Some tasks can be done at the same time; others must happen before you can move on to the next. Japanese terms used throughout are listed in the keyword guide at the bottom.

Before you arrive in Japan

A small amount of preparation before landing makes your first days significantly easier.

• Secure temporary housing for at least your first few days. You need a fixed, permanent address before you can register at the ward office (区役所くやくしょ, ku-yakusho). A hotel is fine for the first few nights, but factor in finding permanent housing early. If your employer is providing housing, confirm the address before you land.
• Download Google Translate with Japanese offline data. Many government forms are in Japanese only. Offline translation is useful before you have a working SIM card.
• Purchase an eSim online for internet while you get settled. There are many providers like Airalo, Ubigi, or Sakura Mobile, for example, that you can purchase and install on your phone beforehand.

1. Collect your residence card at the airport

If you are arriving on a long-term visa through a major international airport, immigration staff will issue your residence card at the immigration counter. This is your primary proof of legal residency in Japan. Keep it with you at all times.

Airports that currently issue residence cards on arrival include Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Chubu, New Chitose, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Confirm the current list on the ISA new arrivals guidance page before you travel.

If your passport is stamped “residence card to be issued later” (在留カード後日交付ざいりゅうかーどごじつこうふ, zairyu kaado gojitsu koufu), you arrived through an airport not designated for on-arrival card issuance. Collect your card from your nearest Regional Immigration Bureau (地方出入国在留管理局ちほうでいりこくざいりゅうかんりきょく, chihou deirikouku zairyu kanri kyoku) after registering your address. See the full list of regional bureaus on the ISA website.

2. Secure a permanent address

You cannot register your address until you have a fixed address where you actually plan to live. A signed rental contract, company-provided housing, or a written agreement to stay at someone’s registered home all qualify. A hotel does not.

If you are searching for housing independently, a monthly-fee apartment (マンスリーマンションまんすりーまんしょん, mansuri manshon) is a practical option. It comes furnished, does not require a guarantor, and qualifies as a registered address while you search for a longer-term place.

3. Register your address, enroll in insurance and pension — all in one ward office visit

Your ward office visit is the most important administrative step of your first month. You can — and should — complete several tasks in a single trip. Bring everything on the checklist at the end of this guide.

Register your address (legal deadline: 14 days)

Register your address at your local ward office within 14 days of settling. This is a legal requirement under the Basic Resident Registration Act (住民基本台帳法じゅうみんきほんだいちょうほう, jumin kihon daichou hou). Bring your residence card and passport. The process takes 20 to 40 minutes.

While you are there, ask for copies of your resident registration record (住民票じゅうみんひょう, jumin-hyou) — two or three is a good amount. This document proves your registered address and you will need it to open a bank account and for other procedures. Each copy costs a small fee (typically a few hundred yen).

Enroll in National Health Insurance (same visit)

If your employer does not provide health insurance, you must enroll in National Health Insurance (国民健康保険こくみんけんこうほけん, kokumin kenkou hoken, often shortened to 国保こくほ, kokuho). Do this at the same ward office visit. You will receive an insurance card (保険証ほけんしょう, hoken-shou) to show at clinics, hospitals, and pharmacies. It covers 70% of most medical costs. For further details, visit the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) English website.

Premiums are based on your income from the previous year. In your first year in Japan, your income record is zero, so premiums will be at their lowest. They increase from year two once your first year’s income is on record.

Enroll in the National Pension (same visit)

Foreign residents aged 20 to 59 are required to enroll in the National Pension (国民年金こくみんねんきん, kokumin nenkin) unless covered by a company pension (厚生年金こうせいねんきん, kousei nenkin). Enroll at the same ward office visit. Check the current monthly contribution amount at nenkin.go.jp, as it adjusts every April.

If your income is low or you are not yet working, you can apply for an exemption or reduction at the same counter. Exemption periods still count toward the pension exit refund (脱退一時金だったいいちじきん, dattai ichiji-kin) available when you eventually leave Japan.

4. Open a bank account for foreign residents

Japan Post Bank (ゆうちょ銀行ゆうちょぎんこう, Yuucho Ginkou) is widely considered the most accessible bank for newly arrived foreign residents. The recommended way to apply is online — staff at physical branches may direct you there anyway, as English-speaking support in branch can be limited. Apply online at jp-bank-kaisetsu.japanpost.jp — the application is available in English and multiple other languages. Bring your residence card and resident registration record. The bank card typically arrives within two weeks.

Many other major banks have informal waiting periods before opening accounts for new foreign residents. Policies are not publicly stated and vary by branch. If Japan Post Bank does not meet your needs, ask your employer or a local contact for a recommendation.

5. Apply for your My Number card

Around two weeks after registering your address, a notification letter will arrive containing your My Number (個人番号こじんばんごう, kojin bangou) — a 12-digit ID assigned to all Japan residents. Use this to apply for the physical My Number card, which functions as a national ID and enables online government services including visa renewal.

There are three ways to apply:

• Online (recommended): Scan the QR code on your notification letter. Upload your photo during the process — no printed photo needed. See the J-LIS online application guide.
• By post: Complete the paper form included with your letter. Attach a passport photo (4cm x 3cm) and return it in the envelope provided.
• Photo booth: Select booths at convenience stores and train stations support My Number card applications. Not all booths are compatible — check the J-LIS list of compatible machines.

Standard applications take approximately one month to process. Your ward office then mails a collection notice (交付通知書こうふつうちしょ, koufu tsuuchi-sho) when the card is ready. Bring this notice and your residence card to collect it in person.

6. Get a Japanese SIM card or phone plan

A Japanese phone number is required for many services — banking apps, utility registrations, and government portals all use it for verification. To get a physical SIM or eSIM, you will need your residence card and a payment method. The following carriers have been widely used by foreign residents and are generally accessible for new arrivals: Rakuten Mobile, NTT docomo, and au/UQ Mobile.

7. Other tasks to complete within your first month

These can be started as soon as you are registered and can run in parallel with each other.

• Set up utilities. Electricity and gas are registered separately, usually online or by phone. Gas typically requires a technician visit for the meter connection — book this early. In Tokyo, water is connected automatically and billed by the ward.
• Arrange internet. Fixed-line internet (fibre broadband, 光回線ひかりかいせん, hikari kaisen) requires an installation visit that can take several weeks to schedule. Apply early. A portable Wi-Fi device (ポケットWi-Fiポケットわいふぁい, poketto Wi-Fi) is a practical bridge while you wait.
• Notify your employer or school of your address. If you are on a work or student visa, the ISA requires you to notify your institution of your address. Your employer’s HR team may handle this.
• If you have children: contact the Board of Education (教育委員会きょういくいいんかい, kyouiku iinkai). Public school enrollment starts at the ward’s Board of Education office, not the school itself. Bring address registration documentation plus your child’s passport and residence card.

What you should have by the end of month one

By the end of your first month, you should have: a registered address, a health insurance card, a working bank account, a Japanese phone number, and a My Number card application submitted. Utilities and internet should be active or scheduled. Everything else — resident tax (住民税じゅうみんぜい, jumin-zei), additional banking, and deeper administrative tasks — builds on this foundation.

What to bring to the ward office

Ward offices sometimes ask for documents not on their official checklist. Having all of the following avoids a return trip.

• Residence card. If not yet issued: passport with the “residence card to be issued later” stamp.
• Passport
• Proof of address: rental contract, company housing confirmation, or written statement from the registered householder
• One passport photo (4cm x 3cm) — only if applying for your My Number card by post at the same visit
• Your employer or school’s name and address in Japanese, if on a work or student visa
• A pen if you prefer your own — most ward offices supply pens at the counters

Common questions from new residents

My employer said they will handle my registration. Do I still need to go to the ward office?

It depends on what your employer means. Some companies accompany new hires to the ward office — you still need to attend in person with your documents. Very few employers submit the registration on your behalf, as this requires a signed proxy authorisation form (委任状いにんじょう, inin-jou) and is not standard practice. Confirm with your employer exactly what they will handle before assuming anything is done.

Can I register my address at a hotel or short-stay apartment?

No. Hotels and short-stay guest houses do not qualify as a registered address in Japan. You need a fixed residential address with a contract or formal agreement. A monthly-fee apartment (マンスリーマンション) does qualify and is a practical option while searching for longer-term housing.

What happens if I miss the 14-day registration deadline?

Register as soon as possible. Missing the 14-day window violates the Basic Resident Registration Act and a fine may apply. Do not let a missed deadline become a reason to delay further — go to the ward office and register regardless of how late you are.

Do I need to enroll in health insurance and pension if my employer covers me?

No. If your employer enrolls you in company social insurance, you are already covered for both health insurance (健康保険けんこうほけん, kenkou hoken) and pension. Most full-time employment contracts in Japan include both. Your employer will provide your insurance card. You do not need to enroll separately at the ward office. If you are self-employed, freelancing, or between jobs, you need to enroll in National Health Insurance and National Pension independently.