Health Insurance for Baby (Add as Dependent — Employer Insurance)

The 5-day deadline is short, so contact your employer while you are still preparing the birth registration. You can be seen by a doctor before the card or eligibility certificate arrives, though the paperwork at reception is more involved

If the baby visits a doctor before the card or Certificate of Qualification arrives, pay out-of-pocket first, then bring it to the clinic for reimbursement

Register the baby under the parent with the higher income. If both parents have employer insurance, add to the higher earner's plan

Once the health insurance card or Certificate of Qualification (資格確認書) arrives, apply for the Child Medical Expense Subsidy (医療証) at your municipal office

The baby's My Number notification typically arrives several weeks after birth. If you don't have it at the time of application, the dependent registration will still be accepted — notify your company or insurer once the My Number is confirmed

The notification goes through your employer, and it can be filed electronically, by post, or in person at the counter (submitted to the administration centre or the pension office for your area)

If the higher-earning parent takes childcare leave and that temporarily reverses which of you earns more, you do not need to move the child to the other parent's insurance for the duration of the leave

To be a dependant, the person must have an address registered in Japan. Someone without Japanese nationality who is staying under Designated Activities for medical treatment or for long-term sightseeing does not qualify