Thursday, June 20, 2024

[ANNOUNCEMENT] Closing the group

IMCY decided to close the group completely by the end of August 2024.

We started the group in 2013 and had various workshops and meetings. However, as many of our admin members moved out of Yokohama, our children grew up, and we couldn't find new members who can take over the admin role, we stopped holding meetings and just continued as an online group. 

Regarding the current situation, the group is no longer active and we decided to close our facebook group and gmail account. We are planning to keep this blog as archives for a while.

We appreciate the support from all the people who were involved in our activities. 

Sunday, June 4, 2023

[WELFARE] Medical Subsidy for Infants and Children for Everyone from August 2023

The city of Yokohama is going to offer medical subsidy for all the infants and children under high school age (0 to 9th graders) from August 2023. Basically medical expense for children of those ages will be free.  

*Now (until the end of July, 2023), if the income of the caregiver of a child (over 3 years old) surpasses the income limit of the subsidy system, they lose the certificate. 

For those who don't have or have lost the right to use the medical subsidy certificate for children of the city of Yokohama need to reapply to receive the new certificate

Those who are subjected must have already received a white envelop from the city with the announcement , application form and a return envelop. If you are eligible (see the conditions as follows) and haven't received the envelop, contact your local ward office. 

-You have a child or children under 10th grade. 

-You don't have the certificate.

-You live in Yokohama now and have a health insurance card.

-You don't live on welfare. 

-You don't receive subsidy from the medical subsidy system for heavily disabled persons or/and medical subsidy system for single-parented household. 

-You don't receive medical service based on Child Welfare Act.


How to apply

To receive the certificate by the end of July, apply before June 30th, 2023

1) Via electronic application system (of the city of Yokohama)

If you haven't used the application system before, you need to sign up. 

Scan the QR code on the face page of the white paper marked 別紙1on the top right corner. Fill in the form, and attach a photo of the health insurance card of your child. 

2) By post

Fill in the application and send it back in the yellow envelop (no postal stamps needed). A photocopy of the health insurance card of your child needs to be enclosed. 

Monday, May 16, 2022

[WELFARE] Changes in Child Allowance System

 


There will be some changes in the laws concerning Child Allowance on June 1st, 2022. Those who have children under 15 years old must have received this yellow envelop. 

From this year,

1) Basically you will not have to turn in the present condition form for Child Allowance.

2) If your income exceeds the limit, you will not receive the special allowance. 


1) About the present condition form(現況届)

If you receive the form AFTER JUNE 1st, it is NECESSARY TO TURN IN THE FORM.

a) Those who are under divorce process and live separately with their spouse

b) This whose actual address is different from the one registered in the Jyumin-hyo (residence card), due to violence from the spouse etc.

c) Those whose child doesn't have Jyumin-hyo

d) In case the guardian(s) of the child is a corporation or in case the recipient of the allowance is a facility or a foster parent

5) Other cases in which the present condition needs to be confirmed

*If you are one of a), b), c), d) and don't received the form, contact the local government


 If none of a), b), c), d) applies to you, BASICALLY YOU WILL NOT NEED TO TURN IN THE FORM unless your children's condition has changed. The local government will confirm the condition on referring the Basic Resident Registration system etc.

Please report if there's any change in the following issues:

1) If your spouse's Jyumin-hyo is outside Yokohama or/and the address of the child/children has changed (including moving outside Japan).

2) On your marriage or common-law marriage, you have come to support a child/children (in case your spouse or partner has a child/children). 

3) On your divorce,  you have lost the spouse who supported the child/children together.

4) You have no children for whom to receive the allowance anymore (in case you stopped supporting the child/children).

5) Your pension has changed (ex. from Employer's Pension to National Pension).

6) The recipient of the allowance or his/her spouse has become a civil servant. 


2) About the Limit of Income(所得の基準額)

If the recipient's income exceeds the limit in the numbers in the table B, s/he will not receive the allowance from October 2022 (the allowance for June to September). 

@If your income becomes below the limit again after the allowance stopped, you will need to apply to the allowance by yourself again.

@The number of the dependents includes the spouse and dependent family members (excluding the children supported by a foster family or in a facility) and non-dependent children who shared the same livelihood on December 31st in the previous year. 


  



Sunday, June 13, 2021

[WELFARE] Child Allowance Present Condition Form 2021

 If you have children under 15 and receive Child Allowance, you are supposed to turn in Jido Teate, Genkyo Todoke (児童手当・特例給付現況届) , Child Allowance Present Condition form by the end of June in order to continue to receive the allowance for another year.  



Haven't received it yet?

If you have children under 15 and have not received the envelop, you might need to check if your registration was properly done when you moved in to Yokohama. 



In the envelop, you find:

1) A white one-sided sheet (how to fill in the form)
2) A white sheet with your name and address on (the child allowance present condition form to fill//turn in)
3) A green sheet (the announcement of the present condition form)
4) A blue-green sheet (Q&A and income limitation)
5) A green envelop (to send it by post but you need to buy an 84 yen postal stamp)


What are different from the last year's?

You don't need the inkan stamp.

*in this context, "you" refers to the recipient of the envelop, usually one of the caretakers who earns more than the other(s).
*"My Number" stands for the social security and tax number (system).


1) HOW TO FILL IN THE FORM




Date of application  ex) June 15th, 2020 = 令和 3  6 月 15 日
Always in  yy-mm-dd order in Japan. The year 2021 is Reiwa 3.
Recipient information area
The recipient's name (who earns the most in your household)
Sex: Male 男 Female 
Birthdate (may already be printed) Circle 昭和(showa) if you were born before January 8th, 1989. Circle 平成(heisei) if you were born after. 
Address (may be already printed), if the current address isn't what is printed here, erase with two parallel lines and fill in the correct address
Telephone numbers (upper line: home, lower line: mobile phone number)
Address on January 1st, 2020: Circle and if outside Yokohama, write the address in the ( )  (横浜市内 inside Yokohama, 横浜市街 outside Yokohama, 国外 overseas)
*If outside Yokohama, fill in the prefecture, city, and ward names of your previous residence
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職unemployed その他 others (  )
Office name and number
Employee or not: 被用者=Employee
Pension Type: (1) Employee's Pension (2) National Pension (including no.3)  (3) Others 
*If you are a member of the Mutual Aid Pension, draw a circle in the parenthesis
(  ) Private School Mutual Aid  (  ) Pension Fund Association for Local Government Officials (  ) National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid   (  ) Other types of Mutual Aid
(Upper)Do you have a spouse? Circle Yes: 有 No: 
If no, you don't have to fill in the Spouse area.
(Lower)Do you (financially) support your spouse? Circle Yes: 有 No: 
When filling in the information of your spouse below, you need his/her accordance as in Convenant clauses and agreement.
Spouse's information area
Name of the spouse
Birthdate of the spouse
Address: Do you live together with your spouse? Circle Yes:同居 No:別居 If No, fill in the address in the [ ].
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職 unemployed その他 others
Address on January 1st 2019. Circle 横浜市 inside Yokohama 横浜市外 outside Yokohama 国外 overseas
Office name and number
Children information area
Children whom the recipient takes care of (guard) and who were born after April 2nd, 2002
(write the full names of your children)
Relationship (child  grandchild etc.)
㉕Birthdate
㉖Residence(同居 together 別居 separated)
Living (must be 同一same if it's your child. In case of caretakers other than the parents, 維持maintaining)


*Please fill in all your children from 0 year old to 18 years old (considered as 18 years old till March 31st after turning 18).
*Need another document if you live separately with your children. 
*In case your children are studying abroad, write down the date of departure. Need another document to submit, too.

2) SUMMERY OF THE WHITE SHEET (FORM)
What is written on the bottom

*You cannot change the recipient with this form. 

*If you have more than six children, you have two sheets of this form. Please submit both.


Convenant clauses and agreement
(1) I agree with that the city of Yokohama searches the recipient and his/her spouse's income information for official records or documents at other executive agencies or using My Number system in order to judge the necessary conditions to provide Child Allowance. 
(2) In case the necessary information cannot be confirmed by official records, I will turn in necessary documents.

Caution: To continue to receive Child Allowance, you need to turn in this Present Condition form.
In two years without turning in the form, you will lose the right to receive the allowance.

The backside
The copy of your insurance card is basically no longer necessary by using the national information network except for those who belong to the Mutual Aid association.

If the recipient is a member of the Mutual Aid association or has a Mutual Aid membership card (insurance card)

The example of the Mutual Aid associations
-Japan Post Mutual Aid
-Public School Mutual Aid
-The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid (limited to branches like universities)

*Those who have a card of Private School Mutual Aid don't need to attach the copy.

 
Please attach the photocopy of the recipient's card. *Not the one of your children.
Make sure to hide the numbers of your insurance card.

3)SUMMERY OF THE GREEN SHEET



 





[IMPORTANT]You need to turn in the present condition form: in case it wasn't submitted, you will not receive the allowance of June and after.
Deadline: Wednesday, June 30, 2021

How To Submit
You can submit by post or online using "My Number" card. To avoid contact due to the Covid-19, please refrain from visiting the ward office if not necessary. 
 
The department of Child and Youth will contact you in case you need to submit other documents.


By Post

Use the green envelop enclosed in the letter. Please put the right amount of postal stamp. You can also make use of registered mail system of the Japan Post if you wish.


Through the e-apply system 

You can submit online 24/7. You need your "My Number" card. 
1) Access to Pittari Service (writer's note: it seems to be only in Japanese)

2) Search "児童手当"

3) Choose "令和3年度現況届" and apply
Type the registration number printed under the bar code on the paper application form you have received. 

If you need your "My Number" card, check out the website of the city of Yokohama. Please note that it will take time to issue the card. 

[on the BACK]
Income Check of the Recipient's Spouse
To confirm who is the main supporter of your household (=who earns more), the income of the recipient's spouse must be checked and the accordance is needed.

Prescription of Child Allowance
If you don't submit the form, you will lose the right to receive Child Allowance in two years. You will have to re-apply at your ward office in that case.

How much Child Allowance you will receive
The amount changes according to your income.
The monthly amount per child
Child Allowance (under the income limit):
under 3 y-old 15000 yen
3-12 (elementary school), 1st &2nd child 10000 yen, after 3rd child 15000 yen
12-15 (junior high school) 10,000 yen
Special Benefit (over the income limit): 5000 yen regardless of age


When you use this system, you need:
-"My Number" card
-A computer or smartphone (some smartphones are not applicable to this system)
-An IC card reader/writer if you use a compter
-The application form (you need the number under the barcode to sign up)

For questions about how to use the e-apply system (toll free) 0120-95-0178
For questions about the allowance 045-641-8411 (faximille 045-641-8412)


4) SUMMERY OF THE BLUE-GREEN SHEET 

 
 












Q&A
Q1. I heard that if I earn more than 12,000,000 yen par year, I can't receive the allowance.
A1. There's no such rule for this fiscal year (June 2021 to May 2022). The government has been considering the change after June 2022. We will announce on our website if we received the order from the government.
Q2. I have sent false information online by mistake. 
A2. Please resend an application with correct information. 

Q3. When will I receive the result.
A3. We will send out the result from the end of July. It may take time depending on your condition.

Q4. I send the form by post and I want to know if it has arrived or not.
A4. You can call us (045-641-8411) and we will track your application but it usually takes about two weeks (after the arrival of your form) to be able to track where your application form is. We recommend that you use the registers mail system of Japan Post when you send it.

Q5. Do I need to attach the copy of my health insurance card?
A5. Basically, no. If "XXX 共済組合 組合員証" is written on your insurance card, you need the photocopy (Private School Teachers Mutual Aid 私立学校教職員共済 is an exception).

Q6. Do I need to turn in the certificate of my pension enrollment?
A6. No. From this year, it is no longer needed.

Q7. I want to change the recipient to my spouse. 
A7. It is possible if your spouse's income in 2020 was more than yours. If you wish to, please write "受給者変更希望" (Wish to change the recipient) clearly on the right top of the present condition form.  After examining the condition and the change is considered acceptable, we will send you the application form later.  

Q8. Does "income" mean the amount on the tax announcement or on the withholding tax slip?
A8. If your income is only salary, "income" means your "salary income (after deduction)".  



[on the Back]



Point: Income Limit 
If your income is over the income limit, you will receive Special Benefit (5000 yen/child/month) regardless of the age and the number of children.
The recipient is a caretaker who support most of the expense of the child (basically the one who earns more). If your spouse earns more etc. you need to change the recipient (the department of Child and Adolescent will let you know).

The income limit differs according to the number of dependent family members and the deduction.
*Let me skip the income limit system!*





Thursday, November 26, 2020

[EVENT] Christmas in Yokohama 2020

 



Red Brick Warehouse Christmas Market 2020

December 4th to December 25th
11:00-21:00 (Last entry by 20:30)

Their official page has opened:

This year, they need to limit the number of visitors so you will need a reservation ticket to enter.

Weekdays: Admission free / Re-entry accepted / for 60 minutes each time

Weekends and Dec.23rd to 25th: 300 yen (free for elementary school children and younger but need to be accompanied by adult(s)) , for 60 minutes each time and no re-entry 

Even though you get the ticket you may need to wait to enter if it is crowded.

Reservation and more information about entrance:

Thursday, August 13, 2020

[PLAYGROUP] Hodogaya International Lounge Foreign Mothers' Gathering "Piccolo" restarts.

  Hodogaya International Lounge's foreign mothers' gathering "Piccolo" has been closed since March but finally it will reopen in September 2020.

But there are some changes:

-The gathering is reduced to once a month.

-You need to sign up each time.

-The number of families is limited to 10 (basically a child and the caretaker in each "family") and up to 5 local Japanese families among them. 


<HOW TO SIGN UP>

Call or email to Hodogaya International Lounge and give them your name, your child's name and your phone number. It's first-come-first-served basis and the sign-up must be made by two days before each meeting. 


The event may be changed or canceled regarding the current situation. 

For more latest information, visit their official page.

Saturday, May 30, 2020

[WELFARE] Child Allowance Present Condition Form 2020

You may have already received a yellow envelop from the city; it's the season of the Jido Teate, Genkyo Todoke (児童手当・特例給付現況届) , Child Allowance Present Condition form to continue to receive the allowance for another year.  


Haven't received it yet?

If you have children under 15 and have not received the envelop, you might need to check if your registration was properly done when you moved in to Yokohama. 



In the envelop, you find:

1) A white one-sided sheet (how to fill in the form)
2) A white sheet with your name and address on (the child allowance present condition form to fill//turn in)
3) A green sheet (the announcement of the present condition form)
4) A blue-green sheet (how to apply over the Internet using your "My Number" card)
5) A white double-sided sheet about the temporary allowance for Coved-19
6) A green envelop (to send it by post but you need to buy an 84 yen postal stamp)


What are different from the last year's?

1) If you are NOT a member of the mutual-aid association, you DON'T need to attach the copy of your insurance card.
2) You will receive the temporary allowance this fiscal year due to the outbreak of Covid-19. No need to sign up for this. The recipient of the special benefit is not the case.


*in this context, "you" refers to the recipient of the envelop, usually one of the caretakers who earns more than the other(s).
*"My Number" stands for the social security and tax number (system).


1) HOW TO FILL IN THE FORM


Date of application  ex) June 15th, 2020 = 令和 2  6 月 15 日
Always in  yy-mm-dd order in Japan. The year 2020 is Reiwa 2.
Recipient information area
The recipient's name (who earns the most in your household)
Family name stamp if you have, or the recipient's signature.
Sex: Male 男 Female 
Birthdate (may already be printed) Circle 昭和(showa) if you were born before January 8th, 1989. Circle 平成(heisei) if you were born after. 
Address (may be already printed), if the current address isn't what is printed here, erase with two parallel lines and fill in the correct address
Telephone numbers (upper line: home, lower line: mobile phone number)
Address on January 1st, 2020: Circle and if outside Yokohama, write the address in the ( )  (横浜市内 inside Yokohama, 横浜市街 outside Yokohama, 国外 overseas)
*If outside Yokohama, fill in the prefecture, city, and ward names of your previous residence
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職unemployed その他 others (  )
Office name and number
Employee or not: 被用者=Employee
⑬ Pension Type: (1) Employee's Pension (2) National Pension (including no.3)  (3) Others 
*If you are a member of the Mutual Aid Pension, draw a circle in the parenthesis
(  ) Private School Mutual Aid  (  ) Pension Fund Association for Local Government Officials (  ) National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid   (  ) Other types of Mutual Aid
⑭(Upper)Do you have a spouse? Circle Yes: 有 No: 
If no, you don't have to fill in the Spouse area.
(Lower)Do you (financially) support your spouse? Circle Yes: 有 No: 
When filling in the information of your spouse below, you need his/her accordance as in Convenant clauses and agreement.
Spouse's information area
Name of the spouse
Birthdate of the spouse
Address: Do you live together with your spouse? Circle Yes:同居 No:別居 If No, fill in the address in the [ ].
Occupation: Circle  会社員 employee 自営業 self-employed 公務員 civil servant 無職 unemployed その他 others
Address on January 1st 2019. Circle 横浜市 inside Yokohama 横浜市外 outside Yokohama 国外 overseas
Office name and number
Children information area
㉔Children whom the recipient takes care of (guard) and who were born after April 2nd, 2002
(write the full names of your children)
Relationship (child  grandchild etc.)
㉖Birthdate
㉗Residence(同居 together 別居 separated)
Living (must be 同一same if it's your child. In case of caretakers other than the parents, 維持maintaining)

*Please fill in all your children from 0 year old to 18 years old (considered as 18 years old till March 31st after turning 18).
*Need another document if you live separately with your children. 
*In case your children are studying abroad, write down the date of departure. Need another document to submit, too.

2) SUMMERY OF THE WHITE SHEET (FORM)
What is written on the bottom

*You cannot change the recipient with this form. 

*If you have more than six children, you have two sheets of this form. Please submit both.


Convenant clauses and agreement
(1) I agree with that the city of Yokohama searches the recipient and his/her spouse's income information for official records or documents at other executive agencies or using My Number system in order to judge the necessary conditions to provide Child Allowance. 
(2) In case the necessary information cannot be confirmed by official records, I will turn in necessary documents.

Caution: To continue to receive Child Allowance, you need to turn in this Present Condition form.
In two years without turning in the form, you will lose the right to receive the allowance.

The backside
The copy of your insurance card is basically unnecessary except for those who belong to the Mutual Aid association.

1. The recipient is a member of
-Private School Mutual Aid
-Japan Post Mutual Aid
-The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid (limited to branches like universities)

or other Mutual Aid associations

 
Please attach the photocopy of the recipient's card. *Not the one of your children.

2. The recipient is a member of Mutual Aid Pension (as declared on the surface) but the health insurance is National Health Insurance.
Please receive a certificate from your office.
*Your office (company) will fill in the form on the bottom.

3)SUMMERY OF THE GREEN SHEET


 




[IMPORTANT]You need to turn in the present condition form: in case it wasn't submitted, you will not receive the allowance of June and after.

What To Submit
-A present condition form
-A photocopy of your health insurance card or pension certificate etc. ONLY IF your membership is mutual-aid.

The department of Child and Youth will contact you in case you need to submit other documents.


Deadline
Tuesday, June 30th, 2020
*ATTENTION: Confirm the business hours of your local ward office if you wish to turn it in at the counter.

How to Submit
1) By Post: Use the green envelop enclosed in the letter. Please put the right amount of postal stamp. You can also make use of registered mail system of the Japan Post if you wish.

2) At the Counter: You can bring it to your ward office, こども家庭支援課 (kodomo katei shien ka/the department of Child and Family Support).

3) Through the e-apply system (please read the blue-green paper for more information)

[on the BACK]
Income Check of the Recipient's Spouse
To confirm who is the main supporter of your household (=who earns more), the income of the recipient's spouse must be checked and the accordance is needed.

Prescription of Child Allowance
If you don't submit the form, you will lose the right to receive Child Allowance in two years. You will have to re-apply at your ward office in that case.

How much Child Allowance you will receive
The amount changes according to your income.
The monthly amount per child
Child Allowance (under the income limit):
under 3 y-old 15000 yen
3-12 (elementary school), 1st &2nd child 10000 yen, after 3rd child 15000 yen
12-15 (junior high school) 10,000 yen
Special Benefit (over the income limit): 5000 yen regardless of age
Point: Income Limit 
If your income is over the income limit, you will receive Special Benefit (5000 yen/child/month) regardless of the age and the number of children.
The recipient is a caretaker who support most of the expense of the child (basically the one who earns more). If your spouse earns more etc. you need to change the recipient (the department of Child and Adolescent will let you know).

The income limit differs according to the number of dependent family members and the deduction.
*Let me skip the income limit system!*



4) SUMMERY OF THE BLUE-GREEN SHEET 



 


In the city of Yokohama, you can turn it in over Myna Portal.
You need your "My Number" card and IC card reader/writer. Please visit the website below for more information.

Myna Portal URL: https:/app.oss.myna.go.jp/Application/search?orgCode=14100

Or search "ぴったりサービス", .
From the top page, choose 神奈川県・横浜市 (Kanagawa prefecture, Yokohama city),
then search 現況届, and choose 児童手当等の現況届.

From June, 2020, you don't need to attach the copy of your insurance card unless you are a member of one of the Mutual-Aid associations. If you have a National Health Insurance card and are a member of the Mutual-Aid association, you need to attach the certification of your pension.

[on the Back]

When you use this system, you need:
-"My Number" card
-A computer or smartphone (some smartphones are not applicable to this system)
-An IC card reader/writer if you use a compter
-The application form (you need the number under the barcode to sign up)

For questions about how to use the e-apply system (toll free) 0120-95-0178
For questions about the allowance 045-641-8411 (faximille 045-641-8412)




5) SUMMERY OF THE TEMPORARY ALLOWANCE DUE TO COVID-19

 

The government decided to provide temporary allowance for families with young children regarding the outbreak of Covid-19.
-No application is required for those who receive the regular child allowance.
-If you don't wish to receive this temporary allowance, contact the department of Child and Youth by June 10th, 2020.
-This temporary allowance is added to the regular allowance for the month of April 2020.
-10,000 yen per child.
-Those who receive the special allowance (5000 yen per child/month) are not the subject of this allowance.
-The allowance will be distributed from June 15th.
-The subjects are children who are under 16 (on March 31st, 2020) and were born before March 31st, 2020.
-Those who lived outside Yokohama on March 31st, 2020 will receive the allowance from the local government of their previous address.