Hi everyone! I am studying abroad in Tokyo currently (I am based in the U.S.) and will be leaving in early May. I have been here since January.
I have mistakenly not paid my health insurance. When I first noticed this, I was worried, but because I have insurance through my school, I thought I shouldn’t worry too much about it—but now, lots of time has passed.
I don’t want to cause myself issues with Japanese immigration or other government entities, as I am planning on returning for a few weeks this summer and might eventually (a few years from now) want to return to live and work here.
What do you recommend I do? Can I pay the previous months late? Or do I just need to start now and I’ll be covered from now on? I don’t know Japanese, but have Japanese friends I can lean on for help if I need to talk to someone (although I’m hoping I can fix this with a nothing but a コンビニ trip and my pasmo 😅)
Any help is much appreciated!
4 comments
If you go to your ward or city hall (preferably with the help of your Japanese friends) they should be able to sort it out for you. Don’t forget to explain that you’re a student (so you get lower premiums) and you’re going to leave next month.
You will have to pay previous months, though. Quoting [this page](https://blog.gaijinpot.com/understanding-the-japanese-health-insurance-system-part-1-2-how-much-does-it-cost/),
>It’s important to note that if you don’t sign up for health insurance straight away, you will still be charged for the months that you lived in Japan but did not pay, even if you did not go to the doctors in that time.
As a student, you might actually qualify for exemption. You’d still need to do some paperwork to apply the exemption. Ask your ward office about applying for an exemption.
[Number 3.](https://www.ic.tmu.ac.jp/english/study_abroad/health_insurance.html)
If you are leaving in May and are already covered by your school… I wouldn’t enrol in the system now. You would have to pay the months starting from January. Not paying wouldn’t have any negative impacts if you are leaving the country in May, as far as I am aware of.
Since you’re studying abroad, the best course of action is to talk with your school.
When I studied abroad, the school helped us with the registration at the ward hall, and this included applying for exemption for paying health insurance and pension. It’s very possible that you did this as well, if your school helped you when arriving.