Living Guide
for Foreign

Residents

English① Resident Registration for Non-Japanese residing in Honjo・・・・・・・・・・ １② Obtaining certificates on Saturday/Sunday/national holiday・・・・・・・・・ ４③ Indivisual Number Card System（My Number）
・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ ５④ Taxes・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ ７⑤ National Health Insurance (NHI) ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ ９⑥ National Pension・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 1 ２⑦ Long-Term Care Insurance (Kaigo Hoken) ・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 1 ３⑧ Health Checkup/Consultation, Vaccination・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 1 ４⑨ Garbage disposal・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 1 6⑩ Water supply・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 2 ０⑪ General consultation for citizens・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 2 ２⑫ Honjo International Friendship Association・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 2 5

Honjo City

１ Resident registration for non-Japanese
Non-Japanese residents who meet either condition below are also
covered by Basic Resident Register System in the same way as theJapanese residents. By completing resident registration, they are
eligible to receive the services provided by Honjo City.
① medium- to long-term resident living in Japan for over months② Special Permanent Resident③ person granted permission for temporary refuge or provisionalstay④ person staying in Japan due to birth or loss of nationality

２ Address Change
When you change your residential address, you must go to the city
office to complete the notification procedure. In case you areunable to do it yourself, you must write a letter of attorney and send
the attorney with the letter.
○ Moving into Honjo
When you move into Honjo City from a foreign country or other cityor town in Japan, you must complete the moving-in notification
procedure at the city office within 14 days from the moving date.
< Moving in from a foreign country >Please bring the following documents.
① Residence Card(Zairyu card) or Special Permanent Resident
Certificate② passport

③ marriage certificate, birth certificate, or an official documentthat proves parent-child or marital relationship※ In case the official document is written in a foreign
language, its Japanese translation is required to be attached.

< Moving in from other city or town in Japan >Please bring the following documents.
① moving-out certificate or Individual Number (My Number)
Card issued by the city or town of your previous address② the notification card of Individual Number in case you do nothave Individual Number Card
③ Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate○ Notification of Address Change
When you change your address within Honjo City, you must notify
it of the City as well. Please complete the procedure at the city
office within 14 days from the date of change.
〈Required documents〉① Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate② Individual Number Card or the notification card ofIndividual Number Card
○ Moving out of Honjo
When you move out of Honjo City to other city or town in Japan,
you must complete the procedure and receive the certificate ofmoving out at the city office.
The certificate of moving out issued by Honjo City must be handed
in to the municipal office of your new address.
〈Required documents〉① Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate② Individual Number Card
○ Change in household members or their status
In case of a change in household members or their status, please
complete the procedure at the city office within 14 days from thedate of change.

〈Required documents〉① Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate② marriage certificate, birth certificate, or an official documentthat proves parent-child or marital relationship※ In case the official document is written in a foreign language,
its Japanese translation is required to be attached.

３ Certificate of residence (Juminhyo)
When you need to obtain a copy of the certificate of residence, you
yourself or your household member can apply for it at the city office.
〈Required document〉
Resident Card,etc

４ Other information○ Residence Card
For renewing Residence card, please go to either Immigration
Services Agency of Japan as below.
■ Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Saitama Branch office
5-12-1, Shimo ochiai, Chuo-ku, Saitama-shi, Saitama 338-0002
First floor, Saitama Legal General Government building☎ 048 -851- 967■ Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Takasaki Branch office26-5, Takamatsu-cho, Takasaki-shi, Gunma 370-0829
First floor, Takasaki Legal Compliance office building☎ 027-328-1154○ Special Permanent Resident Certificate
For updating Special Permanent Resident Certificate, please go
to the city office. Please contact Civil Affairs Division, Honjo City
Hall or Immigration Services Agency of Japan for further details
and required documents.

A copy of the certificates above can be obtained on Saturday,
Sunday, or national holiday as well. Please contact the division in
charge listed above, and make a reservation.
□ How to make a reservation
Call the division in charge during office hours (8:30-17:15) on
weekday, and make a reservation by giving them the following
details. Resevation should be made one-to-five days before thedate you wish to receive the copy. If you wish to receive the copyat Honjo City Hall, call the Honjo office. To receive it at Kodama
branch, please call the Kodama office.
① Your name, address, date of birth, and phone number② detailed information on the certificate you need (i.e. type ofresidential certificate, your seal registration number, type oftax-related certificate)③ Time and date you wish to receive it at the city office□ When/Where to receive
Please visit the control room of Honjo City Hall, or Kodama
General Branch between 8:30am and 5:15pm (excluding
noon-1:00pm).

③Indivisual Number Card System（My Number）
For inquiries:
Civic Affairs Division (Shimin-ka), Honjo City Hall

☎ 0495-25-1113

Civic Affairs and Welfare Division (Shimin fukushi-ka),
Kodama General Branch ☎ 0495-72-1333

Japanese Individual Number System has been adoped in October,2015. Unique twelve-digit number is assigned to an individual
residing in Japan including non-Japanese residents. Individual
Number (My Number) is important as it is required when you
complete tax or social insurance procedures at varioius spots
including your workplace, bank, post office, city hall.
□ Notification card
The noticfication card of Individual Number includes your name,address, date of birth, gender, and individual number. As this is
an important document, please do not lose it. If your name oraddress is changed, please bring the following documents andcomplete the procedure at the city office.
① Notification card of Individual Number② Your ID card (One card is sufficient if it carries your photo on it.
Otherwise, two different cards are required.)□ Individual Number Card
Individual Number Card is a plastic card with an IC chip
embedded. Your name, address, date of birth, gender, individual
number, and your face photo are included in the card. It can beused as your identity card. If your name or address is changed,
please bring the following documents and complete the procedure
at the city office.
· How to apply for Individual Number Card
Application can be filed by postal mail or online by using apersonal computer or smartphone.

· How to receive your Individual Number Card
A grant notification from Honjo City will be sent by post.
Please go to the designated place written in the notification toreceive the card.
The card can not be issued on the same day as the application.
Please contact Civic Affairs Division, Honjo City Hall or Civic
Affairs and Welfare Division, Kodama General Branch for details
including the required documents or commission fees.
※Caution
Individual Number is important as it proves your identity.
Please protect your number from an abuse or crime.

For inquiries:
Individual Number (My Number) Section, Civic Affairs Division,
Honjo City Hall

☎ 0495-25-1246
Office hours: Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:15pm

④Taxes
For inquiries:○ About taxe amout or taxation☎ 0495-25-1122

Taxiation Division (Kazei-ka), Honjo City Hall

Civic Affairs and Welfare Divison (Shimin fukushi-ka),
Kodama General Branch☎ 0495-72-1333○ About tax payment or consultation
Tax Collection Division (Shuno-ka), Honjo City Hall

☎ 0495-25-1120

Civic Affairs and Welfare Divison (Simin fukushi-ka),
Kodama General Branch☎ 0495-72-1333

１ Civil life and taxes
Non-Japanese residents in Japan are eligible to receive various
public services provided by the city or town they live in the same
way as the Japanese residents.
Therefore, all the citizens are obiligated to pay local taxes
including resident tax, property tax, city-planning tax, and lightvehicle tax (if you own a property or light vehicle).

Also, when you

and your family receive a medical examination or treatment at a
hospital, the expense will partially be covered by National Health
Insurance.
After receiving the payment slip of taxes, please make sure tocomplete all the payments before due dates.

If anything is unclear,please consult with the city office earlier.

Non-Japanese residents

are eligible to receive public services provided by local government
just as the Japanese residents are.

The services are supported thetax revenue that you are required to pay. Again, the right to receive
public services are guaranteed for both Japanese and non-Japanese
residents in Japan. And both Japanese and non-Japanese residents
must fulfill their obligations including tax liability.

If you areneglect to pay taxes without receiving a public consultation provided
by the city office, the local government must take a strong action tocollect unpaid taxes.

２ Tax collection■ Taxes collected by the city
① Resident Tax
Imposed on the income of both company-employed andself-employed residents② Property Tax/City-Planning Tax
Imposed on an ownership of a land, house, or building in
Honjo③ Light Vehicle Tax
Imposed on an ownership of a motorcycle or light vehicle■ Collection places
Commercial bank, Shinyokinko bank, Credit union, Labor bank,
Agricultural cooperative, Postal savings bank (Yucho bank), Post
office, Convenience store
Tax Collection Division (Shuno-ka), first floor, Honjo City Hall
Civic Affaires and Welfare Division, Aspia, Kodama General
Branch１ Two types of public medical insurance programs
A:

Employee’s Health Insurance for company emplyees and theirfamilies
B: National Health Insurance operated by local governments for
those who are not eligible to type A above※ All residents in Japan are enrolled in either program.
Otherwise, you have to pay full amount of your medical
expense as it will not be covered by the insurance.

２ Eligibility for National Health Insurance
Non-Japanese registered residents who reside in Honjo City forthree months or longer are required to enroll in National Health
Insurance.

３ Enrollment/Withdrawal of National Health Insurance
When you move into Honjo City or withdraw from Employee’s
Health Insurance, you must enroll in National Health Insurance.
Please complete the procedure at the city office within 14 days fromthe date of those events occur. In case of the withdrawal from
Employee’s Health Insurance, please bring the release letter orresignation certificate issued from the company you worked for.
<How to use National Health Insurance Card>
Please show the Card at a hospital or clinic where you receive
medial treatment, and pay deducted amout of your medical expense
as it is partially covered by the insurance.

When you move out of Honjo City, or enroll in Employee’s Health
Insurance, your National Health Insurance will automatically be
expired. Please return the card to the city office.

４ National Health Insurance Tax
The insured of National Health Insurance are obligated to pay
National Health Insurance Tax. The payment slip is delivered
under the name of the head of a household.
※ The head of the household is responsible to pay the NHI tax
when a household member is NHI-insured even if the head is not
NHI-insured.
The tax amount is calculated based on the household circumstances
including the previous year's income of the insured, property tax,
and the number of NHI-insured members in a household.
If you neglect to pay the NHI tax, you will not be able to receive theinsurance coverage or benefits of NHI.
Please refer to “Taxes and Tax Payment” in this booklet for thepayment procedure.

５ Benefits of National Health Insurance① Subsidy for medical checkup
For the NHI-insured aged 35 or older who have been enrolled in
NHI for 6 concecutive months or longer without failing to pay the
NHI tax, the medical checkup will partially be subsidized.
② Child bith allowance
When a NHI-insured person gives a birth, the child birthallowance will be paid to the person.
※ The allowance will not be paid from NHI if it is paid from
Employee’s Health Insureane.

③ Funeral allowance
When a NHI-insured person dies, the allowance will be paid to thehost of the funeral.
※ The allowance will not be paid from NHI if it is paid from
Employee’s Health Insureane.

６ Health promotion project (Hanipon Challenge)
Lectures or workshops to support citizens’ health (so called Hanipon
Challenge) are arranged. Challenge points will be given to thecitizens who join those lectures or workshops, or receive medical
checkups. Accumulated points can be redeemed to a gift item.

７ Subsidy for high medical expense
If your medical expense paid to the same hospital/clinic forone month exceeds the amount designated based on yourincome, the exceeded amout will be reimbursed.
If you are subject to the reimbursement, you will receive a
letter for its application. The letter will be sent 3-4 months
after your payment at the hospital/clinic.
If the medical expense is too high due to a hospitalization orother reasons, please consult with Insurance Division(Hoken-ka), Honjo City Hall to receive the certification ofceiling amout.

National Pension is one of the social security systems that
supports the elderly especially when they have become physicallychallenged or lost their families.
Registered residents aged between 20 and 59 are required to enroll
in National Pension and to pay its premiums. When you visit thecity office for the resident registration procedure for example, please
complete the enrollment procedures of National Pension as well.
(Your passport is required for the procedure.)
If you have paied pension premiums and are to leave Japan withno intension of returning, you could receive either premium
reimbursement or withdrawal lump-sum. Please check it with
National Pension Division(Shimin-ka) of the city office.
※ If you have been enrolled in Employees’ Pension, you do not needto join National Pension.

１ What is Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI)?
Long-Term Care Insurance is a system to assist the elderly who
are physically challenged and need help with their everday
activities. Through LTCI, the elderly are supported by entire
society besides their families, and citizens’ anxiety from aging would
be reduced. People aged 40 or older are required to enroll in thisinsurance.

２ Eligibility for receiving LTCI benefit

In order to receive the benefit of LTCI, the eligibility of the insured
needs to be certified. Eligibilities are as follows.
① persons aged 65 or older who are physical challenged, and havedifficulties in everyday activities of daily living② persons aged between 40 and 64 who suffer from one of the 16
approved diseases

３ LTCI for non-Japanese residents
Registered non-Japanese residents residing in Honjo City for 3
months or longer are require to enroll in LTCI. Even if theirresiding period is less than 3 months, they could enroll in LTCI ifthey are expected to reside in Honjo for 3 months or longer according
to their purpose of stay or other reasons. If your address or name ischanged after being enrolled in LTCI, please bring the LTCI card to
the city office and complete updating procedure.

１ Children's health■ When you get pregnant, please receive Maternal and Child
Health Handbook (Boshi techo) at the following divisions of thecity office.
· Civic Affairs Division (Shimin-ka), first floor, Honjo City Hall
· Health Promotion Division (Kenko suishin-ka), Honjo City
Health Center· Civic Affairs and Welfare Division (Shimin fukushi-ka)■ Services to promote children’s health○ Baby-care consultation
Public health nurses and nutritionists are available for various
consultations on baby care or food.
○ Health checkup/vaccination for babies< Checkup and counsultation >① Health checkup: for babies aged 3-4 months, 18 months, and 3
years
Health consultation: for babies aged 9-10 months, and 2 years※ Information letter on health checkup and consultation will besent to you one month before your child reaches designated ages
above.
< Vaccinations at a hospital >※ A form for vaccination will be provided by a city official.
fill it out and bring it to a hospital.

Please２ Adults’ health■ Health checkup, medical examination and health consultation
Please check the Honjo City’s information letter or website fordetailes about the health checkup or medical examination.

< Medical examinations >Lung cancer, Tuberculosis, Gastric cancer risk, Chest X-ray,
Gastric cancer, Colorectal cancer, Uterine cancer, Brest cancer,
Prostate cancer, Periodontal disease, etc.
The expense for one of the examinations above per person per year
will be subsidized by the city.

Household garbage and trash are divided into categories including"Burnable", "Unburnable", and "Harmful". Please put them out
according to the rules of time (Honjo area: by 8:30am, Kodama area:
by8:00am), date, and place.
For the burnable and unburnable, please put them into a"city-approved garbage bag".
※ City-approved garbage bags are available at supermarkets andconvenience stores in the city.
Please check the collection dates with the "household garbage
collection dates" section of Honjo City’s website,

１ Burnable garbage[ Please put it into a city-approved bag, and put out to the designatedcollection site. ]· food waste, plastics (trays, packs, music CDs, shampoo containersetc.), leather goods (bags, shoes, etc.)※ Please drain the liquid of the food waste for disposal.
※ Something long like tree branches should be cut into about 25cm
long so that they can be put into a city-approved bag.

２ Unburnable garbage[ Please put it into a city-approved bag, and put out to the designatedcollection site. ]· metal products (pots, kettles, frying pans, etc.), tablewares,
cutleries (scissors, shavers, etc.), mirrors, light bulbs (nonmercurial), etc.
※ For the cutlery, please wrap its cutting edge with a thick paperfor disposal as it is dangerous.

３ Harmful garbage[ Please put it into a bag or box as there is no city-approved bags
available. ]·batteries, mercury-containing products (fluorescent tubes, bulbs,
thermometers, blood pressure monitors, etc.)※ Please wrap a fluorescent tube or thermometer with a thick
paper for disposal as it is dangerous when it breaks.

４ Recyclable waste[ Please put it into the designated collection box placed at thecollection site. ]·PET bottles, cans (of a beverage, spray, confectionary, etc.), bottles(of a beer, dressing, jam, etc.)※When disposing of PET bottles, cans, glass bottles, please rinsethem quickly.
※ Spray cans should be pierced to release the gas and prevent
ruptures.
※ Rusted cans, broken bottles, and dirty cans/bottles are notrecyclable. Please put them out as the unburnable waste.
※Resyclable waste is collected at Honjo City Hall or community
centers as well.

５ Papers, clothes, and metal products[ Waste collection activity by a school or child-association ]Newspapers, cardboards, milk cartons, magazines, clothes, beveragecans (aluminum, steel) are collected by those activity.
※ Your kind cooperation to the activity is highly appreciated.
※ Newspapers and cardboards should be separated, and bundledwith a string or put into a bag.

６ Oversized waste[ The waste or discarded articles that do not fit into a city-approved
bag are not collected at the designated garbage collection site.
Please bring it to Koyamagawa Clean Center for disposal. ]·furniture, bed, futon, bicycle, fan heater, bookshelf, etc.
※ When the waste brought at a time weights 100kg or less, nocharges required. When it weights over 100kg, the charges of
40yen per 10kg should be paid.)
If you can not bring it in yourself, you could ask the city office or agarbage collecter to pick it up and bring it to the clean center. (Thefee is required.)※ A list of approved garbage collecters is available on the City's
website.

７ Small-sized electric appliances[ Please put them into the collection boxes placed in Honjo City Hallor Kodama General Branch, or ask Linette Japan Co., Ltd. to pickthem up for disposal. ]· telephone set, mobile phone, camera, personal computer, gamemachine, hair dryer, DVD player, calculator, radio, etc.
※ Discarded articles should be smaller than the collection box
size (30cm×15 cm).
※ Linette Japan picks up a box of wastes for free of charge, if apersonal computer is included in the waste. Otherwise, thedisposal cost of 1,500yen per box is required.

８ Garbages not collected at a designated site
For recyclable waste including a refrigerator, freezer, washingmachine, clothes dryer, television set (with both liquid crystal andplasma display), and air conditioner, please discard according toeither way as follows.

① ask a home electronic appliance store for pickup. The fees forrecycling and transportation will be charged.
② ask a city-aproved collecter for pickup. A list of collecters isavailable on the City’s website.
③ bring it yourself to the designated place for disposal. In thiscase, please buy a recycling ticket at the post office or Yucho
Bank in advance.
④ ask the city office for pickup. Transportation fee will becharged. Please check it with the city office in advance.

Fire extinguisher, gas cylinders, tires, concrete blocks, andchemicals should not be disposed of with either four steps above.
Please ask a shop or disposal company.
※ Caution
Every garbage collection site is managed by the residents of its
surrounding area. Please follow the rules and keep it clean so as
not to bother the residents.
If anything unclear, feel free to ask your neighbors or the city office.

１ How to start water usage
When you start using the water, please call Water Division(Suido-ka), Honjo City Hall in advance and inform them of yourname, address, and usage starting date.
※ Please note that the Division is closed on Saturdays, Sundays,
and national holidays.

２ Water fee payment
The payment slip is sent to a household every other month. The
payment can be completed at a bank, credit bank, credit union, laborbank, agricultural cooperative association, post office (or Yucchobank), convenience store, or Water Division/Sewer Division of Honjo
City Hall, or Water section of Kodama General Branch as prined on
the payment slip.
Automatic bank debit is also available. Please ask at the bankcounter about the procedure.

３ How to stop water usage
Please call Water Division (Suido-ka/Suido-chousya), Honjo City
Hall earlier.
※ Please give them your name, address, stopping date, and yourcustomer number on the payment slip you receive.

※ Caution
Please note that the following behaiviors cause the suspension ofyour water usage.
① Failiure to inform Water Division of your water usage② Unpaid water fees

< FAQs >Q: Why does no water come out from a faucet of my house?
A: You have not informed Water Division of your water usage.
Or you have not opened the stop tap right next to the water
meter at your house.
Q:

Why has the amout of my water fee sharply gone up this monthcompared to last month?
A: Close all the faucets in your house to see if the water meter isstill running.
If the meter is still running, you may have a leaking.
If anything unclear or any troubles, please contact Water Division(Suido-ka/Suido-chousya)Free consultation on general issues is available for designated datesof each month at Honjo City Hall. Your personal matters or secrets
are protected. So please feel free to visit. A reservation might berequired depending on the subject. Please check about it with thecity office.
※ Counselors are Japanese speakers.
Please bring your interpretor if needed.

１ Subjects and monthly schedule of consultations in Honjo① Government【3rd Thurs】 ※ 1② Legal【1st-4th Wed】 ※ 2③ Real estate【2nd Fri】④ Pension/Labor 【2nd Thurs of even-numbered months】⑤ Tax【2nd Tues】⑥ Human Rights 【2nd Tues (★1) & 4th Tues】 ※ 3·Consulation hours: 1pm-4pm·Maximum reservations per day: 6·Place: Cnsultation room for citizens, first floor, Honjo City Hall
For ★ 1 above, Meeting room #3, first floor, Kodama General
Branch<For inquiries>·Regarding subject ①, ②, ③, ④, and ⑤
Civic Affairs Division (Shimin-ka), Honjo City Hall ☎0495-25-1113·Regading subject⑥
Citizen-activity promotion Division (Shimin katsudo suishin-ka),
Honjo City Hall☎0495-25-1118

Please note that your reservation date for consultation is subject tochange.
※1 The counsultation on administrative services at the city officeincluding various procedures or applications.
※2 The consultation on legal issues including a marriage, divorce,
lending or borrowing money, traffic accident, and labor issue.
※3 The consultation on the violation of human rights(discrimination, prejudice, bullying, abuse, hate speech,
discrimination based on gender identity or sexual orientation).
Reservation is not necessary.

２ Other consultation counters○ Saitama Information & Support (SIS), Saitama International
Association
Third floor of Urawa Godo Chosha, 5-6-5, Kita Urawa, Urawa-ku,
Saitama-shi, Saitama
Interpretation service over the phone.
When you have adifficulty in communicating with a city officer for example, you
could ask them for language assistance.
■ Phone number: 048-833-3296■ Open hours: Monday to Friday (9:00-16:00)■ Supported languages: Japanese, English, Chinese, Spanish,Portuguese, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese■ URL: http:/www.sia1.jp/foreign/advice○ Human Rights Bureau, Ministry of Justice
Telephone consultation regarding human rights protection isavailable for non-Japanese-speaking residents in Japan.
■ Telephone number: 0570-090911■ Open hours: Weekdays (excluding year-end and New Yearholidays) 9:00am-5:00pm■ Languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Portuguese,
Vietnamese※ Besides human rights, other issues regarding consumption
behaivior, child-raising, education, nursing care, female-specfic
problems, domestic violence, or personal anxiety and so on can be
consulted.
If you are in trouble or worried about something, please feel free
to receive a consultation. Detailed information is available on
the website or public newsletter of the city.

１ Honjo International Friendship Association
Honjo International Friendship Association is engaged in theactivities that promote the exchange between Japanese andnon-Japanese residents in Honjo.
Various activities such as a bus tour, cooking class, and Christmas
party are arranged.Classes for various foreign languages including
English, Portuguese,Spanish, Chinese, and Korean are also open toanyone. Some events are admission free for association members.
The members could enjoy many opportunities to meet various people
and make friends. So, please join if you are interested.

２ Annual fee for membership
Annual fee is required to join the membership. If your family is amember, your annual fee will be deducted.
※ Your membership starts on the day you have paid the fee, andcontinues until upcoming March 31.
※ Activity information will be sent to members by post or email.
○ Letter subscriber: ¥2,000○ E-mail subscrber: ¥1,500○ School student:¥1,000 (junior high school student or above)○ Menbers’ family: ¥1,000

３ Japanese language class
If you are interested in learning or brushing up your Japanese
language skill, let's study at the classes organized by the association.
It also makes a good opportunity to meet various people and makefriends. The class is free, and open every week.
Time & date: Wednesdays, 7:00pm-8:30pm
Venue: Hanipon Plaza (1-1-1, Ginza, Honjo-shi)
Please bring a notebook and pen or pencil.
※ If you wish to join the class, please call Honjo International
Friendship Association Office at 0495-25-1158. (The office islocated in Honjo City Hall.)