How Much Does It Cost to Give Birth in Japan ?
Expenses During Pregnancy
and For Childbirth
Expenses during Pregnancy
Pregnancy tests (initial pregnancy test)：
5,000 to 10,000 yen (depending on the hospital and examination.)
The second and subsequent examinations：
About 5,000 to 8,000 yen. Examinations that require a blood test will cost about 10,000 to 15,000 yen.
5,000 to 10,000 yen (depending on the hospital and examination.)
The second and subsequent examinations：
About 5,000 to 8,000 yen. Examinations that require a blood test will cost about 10,000 to 15,000 yen.
Expenses for Childbirth
Natural Childbirth：
Natural childbirth is a way of giving birth by letting nature take its course. Generally, this childbirth will not be covered by your insurance. You will be responsible for the entire cost. The cost is about 400,000 to 800,000 yen. There is also a hospitalization fee to pay.
Cesarean Delivery：
Cesarean delivery is a surgical delivery of a baby by making an incision to the abdomen of a pregnant woman and removing the baby from the mother’s belly. Cesarean delivery can be covered by health insurance, but it costs about 200,000 yen. There is also a hospitalization fee to pay.
Natural childbirth is a way of giving birth by letting nature take its course. Generally, this childbirth will not be covered by your insurance. You will be responsible for the entire cost. The cost is about 400,000 to 800,000 yen. There is also a hospitalization fee to pay.
Cesarean Delivery：
Cesarean delivery is a surgical delivery of a baby by making an incision to the abdomen of a pregnant woman and removing the baby from the mother’s belly. Cesarean delivery can be covered by health insurance, but it costs about 200,000 yen. There is also a hospitalization fee to pay.
The Subsidy for Prenatal Medical Examination Expenses
(Medical Examination Coupons)
Pregnancy and childbirth are not health problems, so public health insurance will not cover them. (It can cover treatment when morning sickness is severe and for cesarean section surgery.) Basically, you will be responsible for all the pregnancy and childbirth expenses.
However, if you notify your pregnancy to the Child Care Support Division, “子育て支援課 kosodate shienka”, of the municipality of your residential registration, “住民票 juminhyo”, you will receive subsidy tickets (medical examination coupons) for about 14 prenatal examinations along with the "Mother and Child Health Handbook", 母子手帳 boshitecho. You might be able to receive these coupons even if you are not registered or have overstayed. You will pay less with these coupons. The content and amount of the subsidy varies depending on each municipality.
However, if you notify your pregnancy to the Child Care Support Division, “子育て支援課 kosodate shienka”, of the municipality of your residential registration, “住民票 juminhyo”, you will receive subsidy tickets (medical examination coupons) for about 14 prenatal examinations along with the "Mother and Child Health Handbook", 母子手帳 boshitecho. You might be able to receive these coupons even if you are not registered or have overstayed. You will pay less with these coupons. The content and amount of the subsidy varies depending on each municipality.
If You Don’t Have Money to Pay for Childbirth
(Hospitalization Assistance Program)
If a pregnant woman cannot pay the cost of giving birth for economic reasons, the
“hospitalization assistance system”, 入院助産制度 nyuin-josan-seido, is available.
With this assistance, you can be hospitalized for childbirth at a low cost. You can use the assistance even if you do not have a health insurance or if you have overstayed. You will need to consult at the Child Care Support Division of your municipality before the hospitalization.
“hospitalization assistance system”, 入院助産制度 nyuin-josan-seido, is available.
With this assistance, you can be hospitalized for childbirth at a low cost. You can use the assistance even if you do not have a health insurance or if you have overstayed. You will need to consult at the Child Care Support Division of your municipality before the hospitalization.
Monetary Supports You Can Receive for Childbirth and Childcare
Lump-Sum Allowance for Childbirth（出産育児一時金 shussan-ikuji-ichijikin）
Childbirth will not be covered by health insurance because it is not an illness. However, health insurance will subsidize the cost of childbirth.
Eligible Person:
If you have health insurance or national health insurance, or if you are dependent of the person with health insurance (if you live with, and have been financially taken care of by, the person), you can receive this allowance when you give birth. You can also receive the allowance even if you are more than four months (85 days) pregnant and had a miscarriage or stillbirth.
If you are a technical intern trainee and have health insurance, you can receive this allowance.
If you have been covered by health insurance for more than a year when you quit your job, you can receive the allowance if you have given birth within six months of your retirement date.
You can also receive the allowance when you temporarily return and give birth in your home country while you have health insurance. However, if you return and give birth after your period of stay, you cannot receive it.
The amount:
420,000 yen per child
Procedure:
When you go to the hospital for delivery, apply at the reception. Many hospitals have a "direct payment system". The money will be paid directly from the insurance to the hospital with the system. Therefore, you only have to pay the difference if the childbirth costs more than 420,000 yen. If it costs less than 420,000 yen, you will receive the difference.
Eligible Person:
If you have health insurance or national health insurance, or if you are dependent of the person with health insurance (if you live with, and have been financially taken care of by, the person), you can receive this allowance when you give birth. You can also receive the allowance even if you are more than four months (85 days) pregnant and had a miscarriage or stillbirth.
If you are a technical intern trainee and have health insurance, you can receive this allowance.
If you have been covered by health insurance for more than a year when you quit your job, you can receive the allowance if you have given birth within six months of your retirement date.
You can also receive the allowance when you temporarily return and give birth in your home country while you have health insurance. However, if you return and give birth after your period of stay, you cannot receive it.
The amount:
420,000 yen per child
Procedure:
When you go to the hospital for delivery, apply at the reception. Many hospitals have a "direct payment system". The money will be paid directly from the insurance to the hospital with the system. Therefore, you only have to pay the difference if the childbirth costs more than 420,000 yen. If it costs less than 420,000 yen, you will receive the difference.
Childbirth Allowance （出産手当金 shussan-teate-kin）
If you work and have health insurance, you can receive a "childbirth allowance 出産手当金 shussan-teate-kin " when you take a leave of absence from work to give birth.
Eligible Person:
You are eligible if you have health insurance, are absent from work due to childbirth, and are not paid by the company. However, it is limited to only 42 days before delivery (98 days for multiple pregnancies) to 56 days after delivery.
Technical intern trainees with health insurance can also receive this allowance.
You can continue to receive the allowance if you have already received the allowance by one day after your retirement date and if you have been covered by health insurance for more than a year at the time you ended your employment. You are also eligible to receive it even if you have left Japan.
The amount:
You will receive two-thirds of the “standard daily salary” (the amount of salary on a day before taking leave) for the number of days of leave taken.
Procedure:
Ask your company to help you with the application process before taking a maternity leave. If your company will not help you with the application process, you can apply directly at the Health Insurance Association.
Eligible Person:
You are eligible if you have health insurance, are absent from work due to childbirth, and are not paid by the company. However, it is limited to only 42 days before delivery (98 days for multiple pregnancies) to 56 days after delivery.
Technical intern trainees with health insurance can also receive this allowance.
You can continue to receive the allowance if you have already received the allowance by one day after your retirement date and if you have been covered by health insurance for more than a year at the time you ended your employment. You are also eligible to receive it even if you have left Japan.
The amount:
You will receive two-thirds of the “standard daily salary” (the amount of salary on a day before taking leave) for the number of days of leave taken.
Procedure:
Ask your company to help you with the application process before taking a maternity leave. If your company will not help you with the application process, you can apply directly at the Health Insurance Association.
Childcare Leave Benefit （育児休業給付金 Ikuji-kyugyo-kyufukin）
You can receive money while you are absent from work to raise your child until the age one year old. The amount you receive depends on your salary before the leave.
Eligible Person:
If you have employment insurance (雇用保険 koyo-hoken) and are absent from work using the childcare leave system, you can receive employment insurance until your child is one year old.
Technical intern trainees with employment insurance may also receive Childcare Leave Benefits.
Persons with a fixed labor contract period, such as technical intern trainees, must meet certain conditions in order to take childcare leave and receive the benefit. The conditions are that you have worked for the company for at least one year before taking childcare leave and have an employment contract until the child is one year and six months old.
The amount :
Up to 180 days of receiving benefits, you will receive 67% of your salary before the leave. After that, you will receive 50% of your salary before the leave. Every 2 months, you will receive the money for two months at a time.
Procedure:
Ask your company to apply for you at Hello Work. If your company will not apply for you, you can apply at Hello Work directly.
Eligible Person:
If you have employment insurance (雇用保険 koyo-hoken) and are absent from work using the childcare leave system, you can receive employment insurance until your child is one year old.
Technical intern trainees with employment insurance may also receive Childcare Leave Benefits.
Persons with a fixed labor contract period, such as technical intern trainees, must meet certain conditions in order to take childcare leave and receive the benefit. The conditions are that you have worked for the company for at least one year before taking childcare leave and have an employment contract until the child is one year and six months old.
The amount :
Up to 180 days of receiving benefits, you will receive 67% of your salary before the leave. After that, you will receive 50% of your salary before the leave. Every 2 months, you will receive the money for two months at a time.
Procedure:
Ask your company to apply for you at Hello Work. If your company will not apply for you, you can apply at Hello Work directly.
Infant Medical Expenses Subsidy （乳幼児医療費助成 nyuyouji-iryohi-josei）
When a child is examined or treated at a hospital, the municipality in which the child lives (the municipality of the Resident Registration) will subsidize part or all of the cost.
Eligible Person:
Children with health insurance or national health insurance.
The age limits of children and contents of the subsidy vary depending on the municipality.
Amount:
The amount of subsidy varies depending on the municipality. In some municipalities, you don't have to pay any medical expenses, but in some municipalities, you have to pay some.
Procedure:
When a child is born, apply to the Child Care Support Division of your municipality and get an "Infant Medical Certificate 乳幼児医療証 nyuyouji-iryoushou". When your child visits the hospital, show the certificate along with the insurance card. You can begin using this subsidy starting from your child's 1st month medical examination, so apply in time.
Eligible Person:
Children with health insurance or national health insurance.
The age limits of children and contents of the subsidy vary depending on the municipality.
Amount:
The amount of subsidy varies depending on the municipality. In some municipalities, you don't have to pay any medical expenses, but in some municipalities, you have to pay some.
Procedure:
When a child is born, apply to the Child Care Support Division of your municipality and get an "Infant Medical Certificate 乳幼児医療証 nyuyouji-iryoushou". When your child visits the hospital, show the certificate along with the insurance card. You can begin using this subsidy starting from your child's 1st month medical examination, so apply in time.
Child Allowance （児童手当 jido-teate）
From your child’s birth to graduation from junior high school, each child will receive a monthly fee of 10,000 to 15,000 yen. As a general rule, children must live in Japan to receive this benefit.
Eligible Person:
Custodian (father, mother, and others) raising children up to the age of 15 (until graduating from junior high school).
Amount:
The money will be given in four month payments each time in June, October and February.
Procedure:
You can apply to your municipality (the municipality with your resident card) within 15 days of giving birth. If you apply late, you will not be able to receive the child allowance for the previous months.
Eligible Person:
Custodian (father, mother, and others) raising children up to the age of 15 (until graduating from junior high school).
Amount:
- 0 to under 3 years old : 15,000 yen per month
- From 3 years old to graduation from elementary school (1st and 2nd child) : 10,000 yen per month
- From 3 years old to graduating from elementary school (3rd and subsequent child) : 15,000 yen per month
- Junior high school students : 10,000 yen per month
The money will be given in four month payments each time in June, October and February.
Procedure:
You can apply to your municipality (the municipality with your resident card) within 15 days of giving birth. If you apply late, you will not be able to receive the child allowance for the previous months.
Child Rearing Allowance （児童扶養手当 jido-fuyo-teate）
If you are a single-parent family, or if the father or the mother has a severe disability, you can receive about 10,000 to 40,000 yen depending on your income. As a general rule, children must live in Japan.
Eligible Person:
A mother or a father of a single-parent family who is raising a child up to the age of 18 (until the March 31st after turning 18), a person who is raising the child on behalf of the parents, or when a father or mother has a severe disability.
Amount:
The amount depends on the number of children and your income. Every 2 months, you will receive the money for two months at a time.
Procedure:
Apply to the Child Care Support Division (子育て支援課 kosodate-shienka) of your municipality.
Eligible Person:
A mother or a father of a single-parent family who is raising a child up to the age of 18 (until the March 31st after turning 18), a person who is raising the child on behalf of the parents, or when a father or mother has a severe disability.
Amount:
The amount depends on the number of children and your income. Every 2 months, you will receive the money for two months at a time.
Procedure:
Apply to the Child Care Support Division (子育て支援課 kosodate-shienka) of your municipality.
