Job Discussion Forums

[G Cthulhu]

[Glenski]

I can't understand how anyone would be able to get by paying the same premium for Japanese National Health Insurance. Here's how it goes.

The first year you work in Japan, the government has no record of your previous salary. You have none as far as they are concerned, so you end up paying about 2000 yen/month.

After that, the government has a record, so they adjust the insurance premiums. For single people, the rate soars to something like 20,000 yen/month. This is for someone who made the basic, baseline, standard salary of 250,000 yen/month (reported income, of course, otherwise the government wouldn't know how to adjust the insurance premiums). I have never heard of anyone ever paying the same amount (2000) for subsequent years. Never. If there is something unusual about that person's salary history or location (the adjustment also takes place depending on what part of the city where you live, and what city it is), please let us know. If there is NOTHING unusual about it, they that person is extremely lucky and should be considered an exception to the rule. You have to pay more after your first year.

[TokyoLiz]

Glenski wrote

[As Das Fads]

Thanks for the information.

[TokyoLiz]

Just had a good look.

[yamanote senbei]

Yeah, Global looks good at first but when you add in the premiums for Kenko Kokumin Hoken, which your ward office will tell you you must also be enrolled in, you'll find that you'll be paying much more and getting much less than if your employer put you on Shakai Hoken as required by law.

Nova JMA is now being serviced by Global after Nova's Japanese insurance company got cold feet.

[TK4Lakers]

2. When do we receive our first pay check? How much should I budget for the first month or so?

You won't recieve your first paycheck until after about 8 weeks (the last day of the 2nd month). It really sucks and it seems unfair, but that's the way Interac works. I initially brought $5000 USD, and even that wasn't enough. I ended up having to take a $2000 loan from Interac. Most of my money went to the apartment: key money, deposit, and furniture/etc. It depends what your living situation will be, you might want to ask your branch about it.

3. For the ALTs out there, how likely is it that Interac can offer LC work in the evenings?

From my understanding, being an LC is better than an ALT. I believe you get better pay and its more competitive. I don't think one can become an LC unless you've worked for Interac for some time, or unless you are very qualified. Not positive though. The LC in region (Ibaraki prefecture) works at the branch office.

4. How often do we have to report to the branch office (Tokyo, Chiba, Hammamatsu)?

Not sure around that area, but I've never had to visit the branch office thus far in Ibaraki, being 5 months into the job. Everything is done by email, mail, and phone calls.

5. Which phone option do you guys recommend - pay as you go, or get J-phone/DoCoMo right away?

Get a cell phone right away. You can find cheap, even zero-yen cell phones on sale. Becareful about the plan though, you don't want to get ripped off. My plan right now is about 5000 yen a month which is pretty cheap for Japan...a lot of my Japanese friends pay more than 10,000 yen a month.

7. Silly Question Time - I'm 5'4", which I believe isn't too big in Japan, so I can probably get clothes there. However, I have serious gaijin feet - 25.5 cm. Are my shoe-shopping expeditions doomed to failure in the Kanto region? Any women help me out here?

I'm out in the countryside, and so there's like one shoe store out here, but it has shoes up to about size 28. I don't think you'll have problems, just ask around and search.

[yamanote senbei]

[TK4Lakers]