Job Discussion Forums

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

I don't know about anyone else, but moving to a new city (or even within a city) is a headache for me, and I don't ever relish the thought, even if there is a benefit such as the one with insurance.

Apsara · Joined: 20 Sep 2005 Posts: 2142 Location: Tokyo, Japan

We moved because we were living in a 30 sq. m. apartment and it was driving us crazy- we moved to a much bigger place, so it was very worthwhile.

I have moved numerous times in my life though, both in NZ and Japan, so don't see it as that much of a headache, especially if I am moving somewhere better, which has usually been the case. Moving just to avoid back payments would be a bit extreme though.

gwynnie86 · Joined: 27 Apr 2009 Posts: 159

Thank you, everyone.
This may seem a silly question but... Interac say they will "automatically" enrol me onto Inter Global. How do I go about enrolling on the National Health Insurance ? I mean... do I ask Interac or do I have to sort it out myself?

seklarwia · Posted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:43 pm Post subject:

I think you just send a response email to the Interac employee who sent the Interglobal stuff saying you do not want to be enrolled as you are planning to get NHI. They will keep doing a gentle sales pitch about it, but you can ignore it from that point on. Then at training to you will sign a form containing two tick boxes; one saying you want to join Interglobal and the other saying you plan to get NHI.

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

And, if they or any other employer says you must have insurance before you set foot in Japan, that's false. You will not have to start work the day you arrive or even a day or so later in most cases. You need that time to find the office and apartment and learn what the employer wants from you. That first day can easily be spent going to the ward office to sign up for insurance and your required alien card. Some employers will also take you to the bank they want you to use and help you set up an account there. They'll need to do that before your first paycheck, at least.

seklarwia · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:22 am Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

tipo · Joined: 18 Apr 2007 Posts: 23 Location: Japan

gwynnie86 you might want to contact the Interac Branch of the General Union and see what the Branch Chair has to say regarding this issue. The contact details are: [email protected] It might be worth a try.

seklarwia · Posted: Wed Jan 27, 2010 2:36 pm Post subject:

Glenski · Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 12844 Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

TokyoLiz · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1548 Location: Tokyo, Japan

Interglobal has a top up plan that covers the 30 percent that the Japanese national health plan doesn't, and all the other bits that the full plan has (repatriation in event of serious illness, payout for permanent disability, compassionate flight home, etc.)

Has anyone got another top-up plan to recommend?

Akatsuka123 · Joined: 09 May 2010 Posts: 21

I'm ressurecting this post.

So, after reading through, am I right in thinking NHI doesnt = Shakai Hoken?

Also, I've been told that I've been automatically enrolled onto Interglobal too. I also have 2 contradictory emails, as below.

One email states although enrolled onto Interglobal, if I tell Interac within one month of arrival (ie at training) that I wish to enter onto NHI and leave Interglobal, I will NOT have to pay anything.

Another email states I DO have to pay for the days I have been in Interglobal once I leave IF I have been enrolled for more than 11 days (which I will have been).

I've emailed and asked for clarification, but no replies yet. If Interglobal is free for the 1st month, I might as well join, if not, I want out AND I want out now...

Any thoughts??

southofreality · Joined: 12 Feb 2007 Posts: 579 Location: Tokyo

NHI is Kokumin Kenko Hoken, which is something that anyone with a status of residence permitting them to stay in Japan at least a year can enroll in, employed or not. Shakai Hoken is typically insurance only for people who are employed full-time and their family members.

If you're going to be in Japan a year or more, enrollment in some public health insurance plan is required by law. Perhaps someone else can chime in here, but supposedly you'll have to show you've been enrolled in some public health insurance scheme at the time of visa renewal or face the consequence of non-renewal.

seklarwia · Posted: Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:15 pm Post subject:

I believe that rule got dropped a while back. The rule was suppose to come into play, this year. When I renewed, I went armed with the receipt card that my yakusho has sent me only a couple of weeks prior... not even a peep of a question about my insurance status.

None of the people who went to renew more recently (summer arrivals) got asked to prove their insurance status either.

@Akatsuka:
Unless they have changed how they do things, you can cancel by emailing them back and telling them you do not wish to be enrolled. You will have to pay for any time you have been enrolled, but since I emailed them as soon as I got the email with all the info and the application form (which I didn't fill), I never received any email saying that I had been enrolled; only that I would be automatically enrolled if I didn't send any response. I sent my response and was not pestered further and have since only received one infomail about the top-up plan the following December.