Having a baby
A normal birth is not covered by health insurance, so the insurance pays a lump-sum childbirth allowance (shussan ikuji ichijikin) of ¥500,000 per baby, usually straight to the hospital. When you register a pregnancy, the city gives you a Mother and Child Handbook (boshi techō) and vouchers that cover most check-ups.
Child allowance (jidō teate)
Since October 2024, the allowance is paid until the 31 March after a child turns 18, with no income limit. It is ¥15,000 a month under age 3 and ¥10,000 from age 3, or ¥30,000 a month for a third or later child at any age. It is paid every two months.
Foreign residents registered in Japan can receive it too. Apply at your city office within 15 days of a birth or of moving in, or you may lose months of payments.
Medical costs
Cities and towns subsidise children's medical bills (kodomo iryōhi josei). Many cover children up to the end of junior high or age 18, with treatment free or for a small fee. The age and rules depend on where you live.
School costs
Public elementary and junior high schools charge no tuition, and textbooks are free. Families still pay for lunch, materials, trips and the PTA, although public elementary school lunch has had national support since April 2026. Families on low incomes can apply for school expenses aid (shūgaku enjo).
High school tuition support no longer has an income limit. At public high schools it covers tuition in full, and since April 2026 it pays up to about ¥457,000 a year towards private high school fees. Entrance fees, uniforms and other costs are not covered.
University
Since April 2025, families with three or more dependent children can have university tuition and entrance fees reduced up to set limits, with no income limit. Other students on lower incomes can get grants and fee reductions through the national scholarship scheme.
Tips for families in Japan
- Apply for the child allowance and the medical subsidy card straight after a birth or a move. Both are done at the city office.
- Check your city's own extras. Many give birth gifts, coupons or extra help on top of the national schemes.
- Keep your My Number card details for each child to hand. Most applications ask for them.
Words you will hear
- 児童手当 jidō teate
- child allowance
- 出産育児一時金 shussan ikuji ichijikin
- childbirth lump sum
- 母子健康手帳 boshi kenkō techō
- Mother and Child Handbook
- 子ども医療費助成 kodomo iryōhi josei
- children's medical subsidy
- 就学援助 shūgaku enjo
- school expenses aid
See also
More on Parenting in Japan
- Enrolling a child in a Japanese school How foreign families get a child into a public school, which grade they join and the language support available.
- Daycare and kindergarten Hoikuen, yōchien and kodomo-en: how they differ, how to get a place and what is free.
- Parents and school: PTA, contact books and after-school care Walking to school, the daily contact book, PTA duties and after-school clubs for working parents.
Sources: Children and Families Agency (child allowance); MEXT (high school tuition support, 2026). Amounts as of 2026. Rules, costs and dates vary by city and school, so check with your local office or school.