- One ward-office visit creates your residence record (jūminhyō), enrols you in health insurance + pension, and starts your My Number, everything else depends on these outputs.
- File your move-in within 14 days or risk a fine up to ¥200,000. Go early on a weekday; large urban offices have foreign-resident desks.
- Bring your Residence Card (and passport). Ask for several jūminhyō copies while you're there, banks and phone shops each want one.
- My Number is a 12-digit ID for tax and social security; give it to your employer and bank, never to unsolicited callers. The optional My Number Card lets you print documents at konbini.
- 2025–26: the My Number Card and Residence Card functions are being integrated, and the paper health-insurance card is being phased into the My Number Card.
Why this one visit matters
Registering your address at the local city/ward office (市区町村役所, shikuchōson yakusho) is the keystone of settling in. This single visit creates your residence record, enrols you in health insurance and pension, and starts your My Number, and almost everything else (bank account, phone, credit card, even some deliveries) depends on the outputs of this visit.
The 14-day deadline & the fine
You must file your move-in notification (転入届, tennyū todoke) within 14 days of moving into your address. This is enforced: up to ¥200,000 in penalties under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and up to ¥50,000 under the Basic Resident Registration Act. Beyond the fine, skipping it stalls your insurance, pension, My Number, and banking, so it's the first errand to run, not the last.
When & where to go
Go to the office for the municipality where you live, your ward (区役所) in Tokyo's 23 wards, or your city/town hall (市役所 / 町役場) elsewhere. Typical hours are weekdays 8:30–17:00, usually closed weekends, though some larger offices open one Saturday morning or weekday evening a month. Go early; it gets crowded, especially in March–April. Larger urban offices (Shinjuku, Minato, Shibuya, Yokohama) have foreign-resident desks with English forms or interpreters.
What to bring
- Residence Card (and passport).
- Moving-out certificate (転出証明書), only if moving between Japanese municipalities; not needed on first arrival from abroad.
- Proof of address / lease if asked (often not required, bring it anyway).
- Hanko if you have one (a signature is usually fine).
- For family: marriage / birth certificates (translated) to register dependents.
- A pen, patience, and ~1–2 hours.
The counters, in order
- Resident registration (住民登録), file the move-in (転入届). They print your address on the back of your Residence Card.
- National Health Insurance (国民健康保険), enrol here only if you're not on your employer's Shakai Hoken (see the health-insurance guide).
- National Pension (国民年金), same logic: enrol if not on employer pension.
- My Number desk, your number is assigned now; the notification follows by mail. You can apply for the physical card here or later.
- (Optional) Seal registration (印鑑登録), if you need a registered jitsuin.
- (Families) Child Allowance & child medical subsidy, apply at the relevant desk while you're there.
Residence record (jūminhyō)
The jūminhyō (住民票) is your authoritative proof of address, the document Japan uses instead of "bring a utility bill." You'll be asked for it repeatedly in your first months. Once your My Number Card is active you can print copies from konbini multi-copy machines, which saves return trips.
My Number, what it is
My Number (マイナンバー) is a 12-digit individual ID used for tax, social security, and increasingly banking. After you register, you receive a notification by mail of your number within a couple of weeks. Give your My Number to your employer for payroll/tax and to your bank when asked, but never post it publicly or give it to unsolicited callers. It's sensitive like a tax ID.
The My Number Card, apply for it
The physical My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) is optional but worth getting: a photo IC card that serves as official ID, lets you pull jūminhyō and tax documents from any konbini, speeds online government services, and is being merged with the health-insurance function (the "MyNa" health card). Apply at the ward office, online, or by mail; the card takes a few weeks to be ready for pickup.
2025–26: card integration & the health-card change
If you move again later
Moving within Japan is a two-step dance: file a move-out notification (転出届, tenshutsu todoke) at your old municipality (or online with a My Number Card), get the moving-out certificate, then file a move-in (転入届) at the new one within 14 days. Update your address with immigration, your bank, employer, and anywhere your Residence Card address matters.
When you eventually leave
On permanent departure you file a move-out notification too, and critically, if you'll claim the pension lump-sum refund, appoint a tax representative (納税管理人) before you go (see the pension guide). Settle residence tax, close or notify your bank, and return your Residence Card at the airport on the way out.
After the visit, checklist
- ☐ Residence Card now shows your address (back side)
- ☐ Enrolled in health insurance + pension
- ☐ My Number notification on the way (apply for the card if you want konbini pickup)
- ☐ A few jūminhyō copies in hand for bank/phone
- ☐ (Families) Child Allowance + child medical subsidy applications filed
Frequently asked questions
What do I need to do at the ward office when I arrive in Japan?
File your move-in notification (転入届) to register your address, which prints it on the back of your Residence Card. While there: enrol in National Health Insurance and National Pension if you're not on your employer's Shakai Hoken, collect your My Number, and (for families) apply for the Child Allowance and child medical subsidy. Bring your Residence Card and passport, and grab a few jūminhyō copies.
What is My Number and who do I give it to?
My Number (マイナンバー) is a 12-digit individual ID used for tax, social security, and increasingly banking. After you register your address, you receive a notification by mail. Give it to your employer for payroll/tax and to your bank when asked, but never post it publicly or give it to unsolicited callers. It's sensitive like a tax ID.
Should I get a physical My Number Card?
It's optional but worth it. The My Number Card (マイナンバーカード) is a photo IC card that serves as official ID, lets you print your jūminhyō and tax documents from any konbini (saving ward-office trips), speeds online government services, and is being merged with the health-insurance function. Apply at the ward office, online, or by mail; it takes a few weeks to be ready.
What is a jūminhyō and why do I need copies?
The jūminhyō (住民票) is your authoritative proof of address, Japan's version of 'bring a utility bill,' but official. You'll be asked for it repeatedly in your first months (bank, phone, employer), so request several copies (~¥300 each) at the ward office to avoid return trips. Once your My Number Card is active, you can print copies from konbini machines.