Children's Medical Subsidy in Japan: Free or Cheap Healthcare for Kids

Quick answer (30 seconds): On top of National Health Insurance, Japan has a children's medical subsidy (kodomo no iryōhi josei) run by your city/ward that often makes a child's doctor and dental visits free or just a few hundred yen. It covers (all or part of) the 30% co-pay that insurance leaves. Registered residents qualify regardless of nationality in most municipalities — but the age limit and any income test vary a lot by city (some cover kids to the end of junior high, many to 18). You apply at the city office and receive a recipient certificate (jukyūsha-shō) to show with the insurance card at the clinic.

Disclaimer: General information, not legal advice. This is a local benefit — the age limit, income conditions, and exactly how much is covered differ by municipality and change. Confirm the rules where you live with your city/ward office.

What it is (and how it differs from other support)

• Children's medical subsidy (kodomo no iryōhi josei): covers the child's out-of-pocket medical cost (the 30% insurance leaves), so visits are often free or a small flat fee. This is what this guide is about.
• Not the same as child allowance (jidō teate): that's a monthly cash payment per child (a different application).
• Not the same as National Health Insurance: insurance is what makes everyone pay 30%; this subsidy then covers that remaining 30% for kids.

Who qualifies

• A child registered as a resident in the municipality, enrolled in health insurance.
• Most municipalities do not restrict by nationality — foreign-resident children qualify the same way.
• Age limit varies widely: commonly up to the end of junior high school (around 15) or up to 18; a few areas differ. Some cities have an income limit; many now have none.