Table Of Content～Guidebook for Foreign Residents～
Essentials for Living in Osaka
（English）
Osaka Foundation of International Exchange
Essentials for Living in Osaka Table of Contents
Index by Purpose
ⅠEmergency Measures ・・・1
1. Emergency Telephone Numbers
2. In Case of Emergency (Fire, Sudden Sickness, and Crime)
Fire, Sudden Sickness, Injury, Etc.; Crime Victim, Reporting a Crime; Parts of the Body
3. Precautions against Natural Disasters
Obtaining Information on Typhoons, Earthquakes, and Other Disasters; Evacuation Areas
ⅡHealth and Medical Care ・・・8
1. Medical Care (receiving care at medical institutions)
Medical Care in Japan; Medical Institutions; Hospital Admission; Hospitals with Service in Foreign
Languages Available; Injury or Sickness at Night or during Holidays
2. Medical Insurance (National Health Insurance, Nursing Care Insurance, and others)
Medical Insurance in Japan; National Health Insurance; Latter-Stage Elderly Healthcare Insurance System;
Nursing Care Insurance (Kaigo Hoken)
3. Health Management
Public Health Centers (Hokenjo); Municipal Medical Health Centers (Medical and Health Care)
Ⅲ Daily Life and Housing ・・・15
1. Looking for Housing
Applying for Prefectural Housing; Other Public Housing; Looking for Private Housing
2. Moving Out and Leaving Japan
Procedures at Your Old Residence before Moving; After Moving into a New Residence; When You Leave
Japan
3. Water Supply
Application; Water Rates; Points of Concern in Winter
4. Electricity
Electricity in Japan; Application; Payment; Notification of the Volume of Electricity Used; Receipts
5. Gas
Type of Gas; Gas Leakage; Notification of the Volume of Gas Used; Receipts
6. Garbage
7. Living among the Japanese
Adapting to Japanese Society; Communicating with Your Neighbors
8. When You Face Problems
Ⅳ Residency Management System・Basic Resident Registration System for Foreign
Nationals・Marriage・Divorce ・・・25
1. Residence Card
Issuance of Residence Card; Procedures at Local Municipalities; Procedures at Regional Immigration
Bureaus; The Basic Resident Registration Law Applies to Foreign Residents
2. Necessary Procedures for Residence in Japan
Reentry Permit (When you temporarily leave Japan); Extension of Period of Stay; Changing Residential
Status from Current Permit Status; Permission to Engage in Activities Other Than Those Permitted by Your
Current Status of Residence
3. Marriage
Marriage between a Japanese and a Foreign National; Marriage between Foreign Nationals; Changing
Resident Status; Changing the Information on Your Residence Card; Other Changes
4. Divorce
When You Divorce; When You Do Not Consent to a Divorce; Residence Status after Divorce; Changing Items
in Your Resident Registration
5. Death Notification
Death Notification; Burials
Ⅴ Public Transport ・・・36
1. Transport
Train(JR・Private Railways・Subway), Buses on Regular Routes; Taxi; Lost and Found Offices in Public
Transportation
2. Bicycles
Purchasing a Bicycle; Where to Store Your Bicycle; When Your Bicycle Has Been Stolen; Do Not Ride
Discarded Bicycles; Traffic Rules
3. Driver’s License
International License; Converting Your Foreign License to a Japanese Driver’s License; Obtaining a New
Japanese Driver’s License; Translation of Foreign Licenses; Driving Rules in Japan
4. Common Street Signs
Ⅵ Pregnancy, Child Birth, Child Rearing, and Education ・・・41
1. Pregnancy and Child Birth
When Pregnant; Costs; Assistance during Pregnancy; Child Birth
2. Day-care
Day-care in Japan; Private Services; Family Support Centers; Child Benefits System
3. Health and Medical Care for Infants
Medical Care for Children; Vaccinations; Health Examinations (Kenkoshindan); Health Care Costs for
Infants
4. Japanese Education System
Compulsory Education; Subsequent Education; Supporting Children/Students at School; Lunches (Bento);
School Expense Benefit (allowance)
Ⅶ Information and Telecommunications ・・・48
1. Land-Line Telephone
Applying for New Telephone Service; Payment of Fees; Inquiry and Telephone Service
2. Cell Phone
3. How to Make an International Call
4. Media
TV; Radio; Internet; Newspapers and Magazines; Libraries Offering Foreign Language Books and
Magazines
Ⅷ Labor, Taxes, and Sending Money Overseas ・・・55
1. Looking for Work
For Job-Hunting; International Students Searching for Work after Graduation; Searching for Specialist or
Technical Work
2. Employment
Labor Conditions; Labor Standards; Labor Standards Inspection Office; Consultation Services for
Accidents on the Job; Employment Insurance
3. Taxes
How to Pay Your Taxes; Types of Taxes
4. Banks, Overseas Money Transfer
Banks; Post Office (Yubinkyoku); Overseas Money Transfer
5. Pension
Employee Pension Insurance; National Pension Plan; Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments
Ⅸ Appendix ・・・62
1. List of City Halls
Municipalities of Osaka Prefecture; Osaka City, Municipal Ward-Offices, and Tax Offices within Osaka City;
Sakai City and Municipal Offices within the City; National Institutions; List of International Exchange
Associations Affiliated with Municipalities
2. Consulting Services in Foreign Languages
3. Health and Medical Care
Emergency Medical Clinics; List of Public Health Centers; List of Public Health Centers, etc. /Osaka, Other
Municipalities
4. Labor
List of Hello Works in Osaka; Employment Service Center for Foreigners; Labor Standard Inspection Offices
List
5. List of Consulates-General (Kansai) and Embassies
Consulates-General and Consulates in Kansai; Embassies and Honorary Consulates in Japan (when no
consulate-general in Kansai)
How to Use this Handbook
○ This handbook represents a collection of the most basic and essential matters necessary for
non-Japanese to live, work, and raise a family in Osaka.
○ The content is correct as of August, 2012.
○ The explanations offered are merely outlines; contact the related bodies for more detailed information.
When not specifically noted, contacts given within the handbook only offer service in Japanese.
Therefore it is recommended that you receive the assistance of an individual capable in Japanese
when contacting these services.
この事業は宝くじ普及広報事業費の助成を受けて
います。
Index by Purpose
In this case Required Procedures, What you need to do; Responsible Division page
Submit notification of new address 25
When you begin to
National Health Insurance Your local municipality 10
reside in Japan
National Pension Plan 61
Submit ”Moving-out” ”Moving-in Notices” Your previous and new municipalities
When you move (”Change of Address Notice”) (Submit a ”Change of Address Notice” if 17
National Health Insurance moving within the same municipality)
Leaving Reentry Permit/ Special
The Immigration Bureau 29
Temporarily Reentry Permit System
Settlement of Tax
Notification of Change of
Address (Abroad)
When you leave
Your local municipality
Japan Leaving Withdrawal from National
17
Permanently Health Insurance
Withdrawal from National
Pension Plan
Hand in to an immigration officer when you
Return Residence Card
leave Japan
Your local municipality or where
Marriage Notification Japanese spouse’s official family
Marriage register is kept
Between a
Japanese and a Change Resident Status The Immigration Bureau
Foreign National
Getting Married Embassy or consulate of the native 31
Report to native country
country
Embassy or consulate of the native
Report to native country
Marriage between country
Foreign Nationals
Change Resident Status The Immigration Bureau
Marriage Divorce Notification Your local municipality
Between a
Getting Divorced Japanese and a Embassy or consulate of the native
Foreign National Report to native country country 33
★
Marriage between Embassy or consulate of the native
—
Foreign Nationals country
Become
Receive Maternal and Child Health Handbook Your local municipality 41
Pregnant
Notification of Birth Your local municipality
When a child is
Acquire Resident Status The Immigration Bureau 42
born
Embassy or consulate of the native
Report to native country
country
Municipality where the person died or
Death Notification
the reporter’s local municipality.
Municipality where the death occurred
When deceased
Return Residence Card or the municipality of the person 35
★
reporting the death
Report to native country Embassy or consulate of the native
country
★If you are a Mid- or Long-term Resident and your status is “Dependent,” “Designated Activities (c),” “Spouse of
Japanese National,” or “Spouse of Permanent Resident,” and your spouse dies or you get divorced, this change should
be reported within 14 days to either the local Regional Immigration Bureau (in person) or to the Minister of Justice,
through the Immigration Bureau of Japan in Tokyo (by mail).
Ⅰ-1 Emergency Telephone Numbers
Police 110
Fire Department 119
Ambulance 119
Family Doctor
Nearby Hospital
Gas Leak
Waterline Repair
Local Office of Kansai Electric Power Co.
Consulate/Embassy
School/Work
Self-Government Associations (Jichikai)
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Ⅰ-2 In Case of Emergency (Fire, Sudden Sickness and Crime)
1. Fire（119・English Speaker Available）
In the event of fire, please notify your neighbors. If you find a fire alarm (an emergency bell) inside
the building, please press the button immediately. Dial 119, remain calm, and advise the starting time of
the fire and where you are now. When fire or smoke spread rapidly, please evacuate to a safe place
immediately.
Examples in Japanese
“Kajidesu. XX(address) no XX (name) desu.”:
“Fire incident. I’m XX(name) at XX(address)”
“XX(address) no XX (name) desuga, tonari ga kaji desu.”:
“I’m XX (name) at XX (address). My next door has a fire.”
“XX (address) no XX (name) desuga, basho ha XX desu.”:
“I’m XX(name) at XX(address), the site is XX.”
2. Sudden Sickness, Injury and etc（119・English Available）
When suddenly sick or injured and unable to go to hospital without assistance, you can call an
ambulance by dialing 119. In such cases the telephone and ambulance cost are free, but you are
responsible for the medical fee. The ambulance crew judges the best hospital depending on the
patient’s symptom, where s/he is and what time s/he calls, so they might not be able to take you to
your preferred hospital.
If you mistakenly swallow medicine or poison, go to a hospital immediately with the instruction sheet
of the substance you have taken, or call an ambulance. If you call “119”, they will instruct you as to the
measures you need to take.
Examples in Japanese
“Kyuukyuusha o onegaishimasu. XX (address) no XX (name) desu.”
“Ambulance please. I’m XX (name) at XX (address).”
“XX (address) no XX (name) desuga, XX o kega shimashita.”:
“I’m XX (name) at XX (address). I’m injured on XX. ”
XX (address) no XX (name) desuga, XX ga itakute ugoke masen.”:
“I’m XX (name) at XX (address). I can’t move because of pain on my XX”
“XX (address) no XX (name) desu. Chi ga dete imasu.”:
“I’m XX (name) at XX (address). I’m bleeding”
3. Crime Victim（110・English Available）
In the event of being involved in a crime or witnessed a crime, dial 110 and contact with police. If a
thief has broken in your house or office, keep the crime scene intact and dial 110.
Examples in Japanese
”Tasukete Kudasai.”: “Help”
“Dorobou desu.”: “Thief!”
“Suri ni ai mashita.” : “Somebody picked my pocket.”
“Nagurare mashita.”: “Somebody punched me.”
To prevent stalking (hovering around you, waiting for you without your permission, demanding to
meet unnecessarily, requesting to associate with you, making obscene comments to you, and making
silent calls), “The Stalker Regulation Law” was enacted. If you are a victim of such harassment, please
contact the police.
【Stalker Dial 110, Osaka Prefectural Police Headquarters】
06-6937-2110
Domestic Violence from the spouse or partner is also prohibited. The Osaka Prefectural Center for
Women provides temporary sheltering service for victims and consulting and counseling services
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pertaining to domestic violence.
【Osaka Prefectural Consulting Center for Women】
06-6949-6181
4. Phoning for Assistance
From a public phone, you can dial 110 or 119 (free of cost). Pick up the receiver, then press the red
button on the front part of the phone. （Some phones are marked “no free call functions” or “different
calling process required”）
You can also call from a cell phone. Please press Call Button（mark）＋119 or110 Please make sure
to tell them where you are now.
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