My Number Card and Health Insurance in Japan | MyKyoten

What the My Number is and how the My Number card works

When you receive your My Number and when the card is useful

How health insurance enrollment happens after arrival

Whether health insurance is mandatory for all residents

Using health insurance and understanding your coverage

What is NOT covered: Pension system details, specific medical procedures, private insurance options

Many people confuse the My Number itself with the My Number card. See our My Number card guide for details. Everyone receives a My Number automatically after registering at city hall. The physical card is optional and must be applied for separately. Some believe the card is required for daily life, but you can function without it in most situations. Another misunderstanding is that health insurance enrollment is a choice. It is mandatory for all residents unless you are covered by employer insurance. Some think private or travel insurance exempts them from enrolling in the national system. It does not. Others assume they must apply for health insurance separately, but enrollment usually happens automatically when you register at city hall.

Your My Number is used for tax filing, health insurance records, and some official procedures. Having the physical card makes certain tasks easier, like opening bank accounts or applying for government services online, but it is not immediately critical. Health insurance is legally required. Once enrolled, you must pay monthly premiums even if you never use medical services. What does not usually matter: whether you get the My Number card in your first month or wait a year, losing your notification letter if you have already enrolled in services. What causes problems: not enrolling in health insurance after being told to, ignoring premium payment notices, or trying to use expired insurance cards.

Not enrolling in health insurance when required means you are violating residency rules. You can face back payments and penalties. If you need medical care without insurance, costs are extremely high. Using emergency services uninsured can result in bills of several hundred thousand yen. Not having a My Number card is inconvenient but rarely risky, though some services increasingly require it. However, not having your My Number at all, which would only happen if you never registered at city hall, creates serious issues across multiple systems.

The Free Module explains what the My Number is, when you need the card, and how health insurance works after arrival. For most people, this is enough to navigate both systems. The Visa Module is useful if you have employer-based insurance and are changing jobs, are unsure whether you are enrolled correctly, or need to understand how these systems interact with your visa status. It provides clarity on what your specific situation requires.

My Number Card and Health Insurance Japan: How They Work Together

How Japan's My Number system and health insurance connect for foreign residents. What the card does, when you need it, and how to enroll in health insurance after arriving.