Foreign residents living in Japan for over three months and not covered under any health insurance scheme will now have to enrol in the country's health insurance programme, reported the Japan News.
According to a proposal by the Japanese Health, Labour and Welfare Ministry, all foreigners will have to pay their national health insurance premiums up front for coverage under the national health insurance scheme managed by prefectural and municipal governments.
Through this initiative the government is keen to include all foreigners in Japan under the national health insurance programme, as those who are enrolled receive payment slips by mail and use them to pay their premiums. The national health insurance scheme is part of the social safety net and is managed by prefectural and municipal governments. The programme enrols people who are self-employed, jobless or under non-regular contracts.
In fiscal 2023, national health insurance covered 970,000 foreigners, who accounted for 4% of the total. The government plans to include foreigners into the scheme when they move to Japan and register with a local government. They will have to pay a lump sum towards the cost for a year’s worth of coverage.