Home/Work/Family and dependents/Children

Family · 児童手当 · jidō teate

Children in Japan: child allowance, birth and childcare benefits

A monthly allowance for every child until the end of high school, ¥500,000 at birth, paid childcare leave, free preschool from age 3 and nearly free medical care — all available to foreign residents who live in Japan. A tax deduction for a child starts only at 16. Below: what a working family gets, where to apply, and what changes if your child lives abroad.

Child allowance

All family rules

Checked against the Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Tax Agency and city office websites on October 7, 2026 · Health insurance · Dependent visa

A month per child under 3 — child allowance¥15,000

At birth, from health insurance¥500,000

Of wages for the first 180 days of childcare leave67%

Tax deduction for a child from age16

In short

What a family with children gets

  • Child allowance (児童手当, jidō teate): ¥15,000 a month under 3, ¥10,000 until the end of high school, ¥30,000 for the third and later children. No income limit.
  • Birth: ¥500,000 per baby from health insurance; a mother insured at work also gets the childbirth allowance.
  • Childcare leave: 67% of wages for the first 180 days, then 50%; if both parents take leave, up to 80% for 28 days.
  • Medical care and preschool: children’s treatment is nearly or fully free in Tokyo and Yokohama; preschool for ages 3 to 5 is free nationwide.
  • Taxes: a deduction for a child starts at 16 and is larger at 19–22. Children under 16 count only in resident tax.

Child allowance

Child allowance (児童手当): how much, who gets it and when

The state pays the allowance through the city office to the person raising the child. Since October 2024 there is no income limit. Foreign residents get it on the same terms if they are registered in Japan (住民票, jūminhyō).

Child’s age First and second child, a month Third and later children, a month
Under 3 ¥15,000 ¥30,000
From 3 to the end of high school (until March 31 after turning 18) ¥10,000 ¥30,000
  • Who is the “third child”. Children are counted from the oldest, including older brothers and sisters up to March 31 after they turn 22 if you still support them (a confirmation form, 確認書, is needed). The older child does not have to be a student.
  • When it is paid: 6 times a year — in February, April, June, August, October and December, each time for the two previous months.
  • How to get it: apply at the city office where you live within 15 days of the birth or of moving in. If you apply within those 15 days, the allowance starts from the month after the birth or move, even if the 15 days run into the next month. If you apply later, it starts only from the month after you apply, and the missed months are lost.
  • Tokyo adds more: the 018 Support program (018サポート) pays ¥5,000 a month (up to ¥60,000 a year) for every child aged 0–18, with no income limit. Payments in August, December and April; apply by November 1, 2026 to be paid in December, or by March 1, 2027 to be paid in April (check the program’s rules for months you missed). Other cities have their own programs — ask your city office.

Having a baby

The money at birth and during childcare leave

Everyone insured

¥500,000 at birth

The lump-sum childbirth payment (出産育児一時金, shussan ikuji ichijikin) is ¥500,000 per baby (¥488,000 before week 22 or at a clinic outside the compensation system). Company insurance pays it — also for a dependent wife — and so does National Health Insurance. The money can go straight to the hospital. Some cities add more: Yokohama, for example, pays up to ¥90,000 toward birth costs if you apply within a year of the birth.

If the mother is insured at work

Childbirth allowance

The childbirth allowance (出産手当金, shussan teatekin) is paid only to a mother who is herself insured at work — not to a dependent wife and not in National Health Insurance. It covers days without pay from 42 days before the birth (98 for twins or more) to 56 days after. Per day: two thirds of the average standard monthly remuneration for the last 12 months, divided by 30.

Childcare leave

  • Childcare leave benefit (育児休業給付金) — for people in Employment Insurance (雇用保険) with at least 12 insured months in the 2 years before the leave: 67% of wages for the first 180 days, then 50%. The maximum amount is reviewed every August.
  • Extra when both parents take leave (出生後休業支援給付, from April 2025): another 13% for up to 28 days if both take at least 14 days (the father within 8 weeks after the birth). With the 67% that makes 80% — about your whole take-home pay. If the other parent is a full-time homemaker or you are a single parent, one parent’s leave is enough.
  • Shorter hours (育児時短就業給付, from April 2025): up to 10% of the wages paid while you work shorter hours with a child under 2.
  • If a parent pays National Pension themselves (freelancer, sole proprietor, work without company insurance): the mother pays no premium for 4 months around the birth, and from October 1, 2026 both parents can be exempt until the child turns 1 (National Pension exemption during childcare, 育児免除) — the mother for up to 9 more months, the father for up to 12. No income test; the months count as paid. Apply at the city office or online (マイナポータル). More: pension.
  • A mother on the Dependent status who does not work gets only the ¥500,000 at birth (through your insurance) and the child allowance. Paid childcare leave can be taken by the working parent.

Medical care for children

Children’s treatment is nearly free

With health insurance, children under school age pay 20% of the cost of treatment and adults 30%. In many cities the city pays the rest. Two examples:

Where What is covered
Tokyo, preschool children (マル乳) The whole patient share, with no charge per visit (hospital meals are covered only if your ward pays for them)
Tokyo, ages 6–15 (マル子) Outpatient: at most ¥200 per visit under Tokyo rules; many wards pay that too
Tokyo, high school age — to March 31 after turning 18 (マル青) The same as マル子; in Shinjuku fully, with no income limit
Yokohama From June 1, 2026 — fully, to March 31 after turning 18, with no income limit and no charge per visit

To get the subsidy your child must be in health insurance and registered in the city. The city office issues the subsidy card. Whether your ward or city has an income limit, and what it covers, varies — ask your city office.

Preschool and daycare

Free from 3 to 5

Since October 2019, across Japan:

  • Ages 3–5: free at kindergartens (幼稚園), daycare centers (保育所) and certified centers for early childhood education and care (認定こども園). Meals are paid separately.
  • Ages 0–2: free only for households that pay no resident tax.
  • Unlicensed facilities: up to ¥37,000 a month (ages 3–5) and up to ¥42,000 (ages 0–2, households without resident tax only), if the city confirms your child needs care.
  • Tokyo: since September 2025 the Tokyo government helps cities and wards make licensed daycare free for the first child aged 0–2 as well, regardless of income. How it works in your ward — ask the city office. Other cities, Yokohama included, set their own fees for 0–2.

Tax deductions

A deduction for a child starts at 16

Age is judged on December 31. Conditions: a shared household budget, and the child’s income (所得) is no more than ¥580,000 for 2025 and ¥620,000 for 2026 — a salary of up to ¥1,230,000 and ¥1,360,000.

Age on December 31 Income tax Resident tax
0–15 none none (but the child raises the line below which you pay no resident tax)
16–18 ¥380,000 ¥330,000
19–22 ¥630,000 ¥450,000
23 and older ¥380,000 ¥330,000

If a child aged 19–22 earns more

From 2025 income there is a special exemption for specified relatives (特定親族特別控除, for relatives aged 19–22): the deduction does not vanish at once but shrinks in steps. Amounts by the child’s salary, with no other income:

Child’s salary, 2025 Child’s salary, 2026 Income tax FY2026 resident tax (on 2025 salary)
up to ¥1,500,000 up to ¥1,590,000 ¥630,000 ¥450,000
up to ¥1,550,000 up to ¥1,640,000 ¥610,000 ¥450,000
up to ¥1,600,000 up to ¥1,690,000 ¥510,000 ¥450,000
up to ¥1,650,000 up to ¥1,740,000 ¥410,000 ¥410,000
up to ¥1,700,000 up to ¥1,790,000 ¥310,000 ¥310,000
up to ¥1,750,000 up to ¥1,840,000 ¥210,000 ¥210,000
up to ¥1,800,000 up to ¥1,890,000 ¥110,000 ¥110,000
up to ¥1,850,000 up to ¥1,940,000 ¥60,000 ¥60,000
up to ¥1,880,000 up to ¥1,970,000 ¥30,000 ¥30,000
  • The special exemption for specified relatives starts above a salary of ¥1,230,000 for 2025 and ¥1,360,000 for 2026; below that the normal ¥630,000 / ¥450,000 applies.
  • The resident tax column is for the FY2026 tax (2025 income). Cities have not yet published the amounts for 2026 income as a table.
  • A child who studies and works part-time can get their own exemption for working students (勤労学生控除): their income for 2026 must be no more than ¥890,000 (a salary of ¥1,630,000). More: part-time work for students.
  • How to claim the deduction at work: year-end adjustment.

Your child’s health insurance

A dependent at work, or a separate premium in National Health Insurance

  • Company insurance: a child is a free dependent (被扶養者, hifuyōsha) if their expected income is under ¥1,300,000 a year (ages 19–22: under ¥1,500,000). If both parents work, the child goes under the parent with the higher annual income. Your employer files it within 5 days.
  • National Health Insurance (国民健康保険): there are no dependents — a per-person part of the premium is charged for each child. For preschool children it is automatically halved, and the child and childcare support contribution (子ども・子育て支援金) is not charged for children until the March 31 after they turn 18. Register a newborn within 14 days.
  • A child can be a health insurance dependent only if they live in Japan. The exception is a child studying abroad.

If your child lives abroad

A deduction is possible; the allowance and insurance usually are not

  • Tax deduction for a child aged 16–29 living abroad is possible: you need documents proving the relationship and records of bank transfers to the child for living or study costs; there is no minimum amount. Cash handed over in person does not count. Details: relatives abroad.
  • A study trip of less than a year does not make a child “living abroad”.
  • Child allowance is not paid for a child living abroad. The exception: the child went abroad to study, does not live with the parents, left no more than 3 years ago and lived in Japan for more than 3 years in a row before leaving.
  • Health insurance: a child living abroad cannot be added to Japanese insurance, except while studying abroad.

Deadlines

What to file after your baby is born

What When If you miss it
Birth registration (出生届) at the city office 14 days after the birth a fine is possible, and the other applications are delayed
Status of residence for a child born in Japan (在留資格取得) 30 days after the birth after 60 days the child is in Japan without status (overstay)
Child allowance (児童手当) 15 days after the birth or moving in it starts only from the month after you apply; missed months are not paid
Insurance: dependent at work / National Health Insurance 5 days (through your employer) / 14 days (at the city office) in National Health Insurance premiums are charged back to the start, and treatment before registration is fully yours
Extra birth subsidy, Yokohama (example) within a year of the birth no subsidy
018 Support, Tokyo November 1, 2026 (paid in December) or March 1, 2027 (paid in April) paid in a later round; check the program’s rules

Linked to your visa.

  • A child born in Japan to foreign parents needs an application for a status of residence (在留資格取得) within 30 days of the birth — free of charge. Usually it is the Dependent status.
  • A worker’s children come and live in Japan on the Dependent status (家族滞在). They may work only with part-time work permission (資格外活動許可), up to 28 hours a week.
  • A child who graduated from a Japanese high school can, under certain conditions, change to Long-Term Resident (定住者) or Designated Activities (特定活動) to work full time. Both require entry to Japan before age 18, continuous residence on the Dependent status and a job offer. Long-Term Resident also requires completing compulsory education (elementary and junior high school) in Japan. Designated Activities requires the supporting parent to stay in Japan as guarantor.

Dependent visa · Long-Term Resident

FAQ

Questions about children

Can’t find your question? Write to us — a real person replies.

Ask us a question

Can foreigners get the child allowance in Japan?

Yes. The child allowance (児童手当) is paid to the person raising the child if they are registered in Japan, whatever their nationality. It is ¥15,000 a month under 3, ¥10,000 until the end of high school and ¥30,000 for the third and later children, with no income limit.

Apply at the city office where you live within 15 days of the birth or of moving in. If you apply within 15 days, the allowance starts from the month after the birth or move; after that it starts only from the month after you apply, so a late application loses months. It is paid 6 times a year, in even-numbered months.

Health insurance pays a lump-sum childbirth payment of ¥500,000 per baby (¥488,000 in some cases), also for a dependent wife and in National Health Insurance. A mother insured at work also gets the childbirth allowance for the days off around the birth, and some cities add their own subsidy.

If you are in Employment Insurance with at least 12 insured months in the last 2 years, the childcare leave benefit is 67% of your wages for the first 180 days and 50% after that. If both parents take at least 14 days of leave, an extra 13% for up to 28 days brings it to 80%.

For ages 3 to 5, kindergarten and licensed daycare are free nationwide since October 2019, but meals are paid separately. For ages 0 to 2 it is free only for households that pay no resident tax; Tokyo also helps wards make it free for the first child. Ask your city office.

Only from age 16 (on December 31): ¥380,000 in income tax and ¥330,000 in resident tax, or ¥630,000 and ¥450,000 at ages 19 to 22. The child’s own income must stay under ¥620,000 for 2026 (a salary of ¥1,360,000). Children under 16 give no deduction.

Within 14 days, file the birth registration (出生届) at the city office; within 30 days, apply to immigration for the baby’s status of residence (usually Dependent); within 15 days, apply for the child allowance; and add the baby to your health insurance through your employer within 5 days, or to National Health Insurance at the city office within 14 days.

Sources

Where this information comes from

Rates, limits and deadlines on this page were checked against the official websites of the Children and Families Agency, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the National Tax Agency, the Japan Pension Service, Kyōkai Kenpo, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and city offices on October 7, 2026. Amounts are in Japanese yen. When a rule changes we update the page and the date above.

Results and examples are estimates, not your employer’s payroll. The amounts on your payslip and in your resident tax notice are the ones that count. For a complex case, talk to a licensed tax accountant (税理士) or a Labor and Social Security Attorney (社会保険労務士, sharōshi).

Moving to Japan with children?

Many people start with a language school: it gives you a visa and time to learn Japanese and find a job, and your family can join you later. Our help choosing a school and preparing the visa documents is free — the school pays us, not you.

Apply free
Students in yukata at a Japanese language school

Free for students