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The City offers free consultations on National Insurance, Pension, Real Estate, Law, Human Rights, Consumer Affairs and Government every month. Please contact the International Relations Section of City Hall (0242-39-1202) or the International Association (0242-27-3703) for details.

(Information from Shisei Dayori)

Alien Registration

Foreign Nationals staying in Japan for a period of more than 90 days (60 days for babies born in Japan) are required to register in person at the Alien Registration section of city hall.

Details =>

Aoi Card

Aizu Wakamatsu City offers residents the Aoi Card. Aoi means mallow, the flower designated to symbolise Aizu Wakamatsu City and Aizu Wakamatsu City services. The Aoi card is several services on one piece of plastic. One is a points service when used at participating shops in the city. Points you earn through your purchases can be redeemed as discounts once you have collected enough. The theatre, Fugado, is included in this scheme. As another service, the card can be used to draw cash at your bank. A third service allows you to receive a part subsidy on your medical bills after you have paid for treatment. Furthermore, the card can be used as identity at City Hall when you apply for copies of your alien registration etc. The scheme began in 2002.

Please contact the International Relations Desk in City Hall for information and assistance regarding the Aoi Card 0242-39-1202 cir@aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp

Birth / Death Registration

When a child is born in Japan, you are required to register the birth. See the Children section for more information on how to do this.

When a person dies, regardless of the nationality of the deceased, the bereaved family or friend must report the death to the city, town or village office within 7 days.

Necessary documents are Notification of Death (a Death Certificate prepared by a doctor must accompany the notification) and Foreign Registration Certificate.

City Hall

The phone number of the Aizu Wakamatsu City Hall is 0242-28-1111. If you require assistance in English, please dial 0242-39-1202 and ask for Yuko Watanabe (International Relations Division).

For information about the sections of City Hall, please consult the directory at
http://www.city.aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp/j/sinsei/ka-tel.htm

List of Embassies, Consulates, Tourist Offices in Japan

Go to List =>

Signatures are rarely used in Japan. Iinstead a carved stamp bearing the family name is used. The terms inkan and hanko have basically the same meaning, although inkan is used in more formal circumstances. You can have a hanko made at a hanko store. They usually take your name and change it into katakana, but you can decide whether you want it in Japanese or English.

There are two types of hanko:

<Unregistered Hanko>
This hanko is used for everyday transactions such as receiving registered mail or parcels, filling out application forms, banking, etc.

<Registered Hanko>
This hanko is used for legal transactions like buying or selling cars or real estate.

To register a hanko, bring your hanko and alien registration card to the city hall. You will receive a registration card which proves the authenticity of the hanko. It will cost 150 yen. If a situation arises where you will have to use your registered hanko, you will probably also need a registration certificate. To get this certificate, bring your registration card and 200 yen to the city hall.

For information about entering Japan and customs restrictions please have a look at the Narita Airport Customs website. It comes up in Japanese but follow the English link and you can receive up-to-date information on laws governing immigration. If you need further information please do not hesitate to contact the International Association for advice.

http://www.narita-airport-customs.go.jp/

The only Immigration Office in Fukushima Prefecture is located in Koriyama City. The telephone number is (0249) 36-3231. For further details, please see the Passport/Visa section.

Established in April 1993, the International Relations Section concerns itself with translation and interpretation, assisting foreign residents in adjusting to living in the city, and co-ordinating sister-city relationships.

The city newsletter, Shisei Dayori, also has an English version available. There are lots of articles on events and opportunities, along with local interest stories. If you would like to get the English version of Shisei Dayori, please contact the International Association, or Ms. Yuko Watanabe at the International Relations Section (Tel. 0242-39-1202) NOTE: The Aizu Wakamatsu International Association does not publish the same information as Shisei Dayori.

Please see the Aizu Wakamatsu City Hall webpage for more details.
http://www.city.aizuwakamatsu.fukushima.jp/

It is possible to get various legal advice for free. Once a month there is a session organised by City Hall called Muryou Houritsu Soudan. Contact the International Association or the International Affairs Division of the City Hall (Yuko Watanabe Tel. 0242-39-1202) for details of the next session and interpreting assistance.

The Aizu Wakamatsu Branch of the Prefecture Gou Dou Chou Sha (Prefectural Office Branch) can handle legal advice concerning traffic accidents. This is also a free service and it is open Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm. The telephone number is 0242-29-5225. No appointment is necessary, but it might be sensible to telephone if you are working a tight schedule. There is counselling by telephone at 0242-21-1295. If you require any further information or interpreting assistance, please contact the International Association or the International Affairs Division of the City Hall (Yuko Watanabe Tel. 0242-39-1202).

Did you know there is a LABOUR CONSULTATION Service for foreign workers? Foreign workers in Japan are protected by laws concerning labor standards (Labor Standards Law, Minimum Wage Law, Industrial Safety and Health Law, and Workman's Accident Compensation Insurance Law) the same as Japanese workers are. If you are having trouble with your working conditions, or have any questions about labor conditions, please contact the Fukushima Labor Office at 024-536-4602. English consultation is available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Marriage
Japan follows a marriage certification system.

The procedure must be followed when a Japanese national and a foreign resident are registering for marriage. The following documents are required:

• Marriage certificate (issued by the authorities of the home country, the embassy in Japan, etc, A Japanese translation of the certificate if the certificate is written in a foreign language, including the name, address and seal of the translator.)
• Certification of Alien registration.
• Notification Form (a) Marriage between Japanese and foreign national: 2 copies (b) Marriage between foreign nationals: 1 copy. The report must be witnessed by 2 adults. Their signatures and name seals are required.
• A foreign national without a name seal may sign their name.

If your spouse is a Japanese citizen, report the marriage to the public office where the spouse's family register is kept. If you are both foreign nationals report the marriage to the city, town, or village office for the locality where you reside. Remember to also register your marriage with the embassy of your home country here in Japan.

Divorce

Japanese Law is applied when either husband or wife is a Japanese national permanently residing in Japan. Report the divorce to the city, town or villiage office where you reside, or if your spouse is a Japanese citizen report to the city office where their family's register is held. Also, don't forget to contact your home country's embassy.

The Mayor of Aizu Wakamatsu, Ichiro Kanke, likes to hear what you have to say about the City in person. Therefore, once a month, he holds a consultation called "Fureai no Hi". Appointments are not necessary but visitors will be met on a first-come first-serve basis. You can arrange for an interpreter to be present by contacting the International Relations Desk 0242-39-1202 (Yuko Watanabe).

Information from Shisei Dayori

Usually you are involved in the National Pension plan through your employer. Some people pay into it as an individual.

If you have paid your yearly contribution as a lump-sum, you can receive a slight discount. You must pay all by 30th April to qualify for this discount. You can pay through banks, the post office, or directly at the Aizu Wakamatsu Shakai Hoken Jimusho. Enquiries to the Aizu Wakamatsu Shakai Hoken Jimusho Jimusho can be made at 0242-27-6951.

If you become a member of the national pension plan, you will receive a pension booklet and payment slips. Payments are the same for everyone.

Short-term foreign residents who are members of the plan for six months or longer are eligible for a partial lump-sum refund upon leaving the country. This refund must be applied for within two years of leaving the country. Application forms are available in various languages at the National Pension section of city hall. See the JET Programme page http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/Documents/2006pensionrefund.html for more information.

(Information from Shisei Dayori.)

For those of us who are foreign nationals and live in Fukushima Prefecture, an application for a renewal or change of visa must be submitted in person to either the Sendai Immigration Office in Miyagi Prefecture, or the Koriyama Branch of the Sendai Immigration Office. Here are a few hints for renewing your Japanese visa, or applying for a new one.

*Types of Visa/Permit Available =>

The address of the Koriyama Immigration Office is:
963, Ni cho-me 32-2, Asahi-cho, Koriyama-shi. Tel (0249) 36-3231
Hours: Monday to Friday 9am-12pm, 1pm-4pm. Closed on weekends and holidays.

From Koriyama station, take a bus to Koriyama City Hall. It is about a 5 minute walk from the bus stop "Koriyama shiyakusho".

If you have problems with your sewer connection, contact your landlord or the city sewer system department.

Some older homes have non-flush, drop-style toilets which use septic tanks. These homes are serviced by large trucks that come periodically to vacuum out the tanks. Your landlord might make arrangements for this service. If no provisions have been made for this service, ask your landlord to make some recommendations of good companies. (This service should be performed at least once a year.)

As a general rule, people working in Japan are required to pay taxes. The taxation period is from January 1st to December 31st. Some companies will estimate the amount of income tax (shotokuzei) and subtract it from your monthly salary.

For those of you who must file a tax return on your own, please note that the last day to file your "Final Return on Individual Income Tax" is March 15th. If you don't know whether you need to file a tax return or not, here are some guidelines:

• If your yearly salary is less than Y20,000,000 you do not have to file a return. Your taxes should be automatically deducted from your salary by your employer.

• If your salary was paid from sources outside Japan, you must file a return.

• If you received income other than your salary that totals Y200,000 you must file a return.

These are only basic guidelines, so please contact your local tax office (Zeimusho) or the International Association if you need more information. Also, you can look up some information on the following website: http://www.nta.go.jp

People who have lived in Japan for longer than one year must also pay local taxes (juminzei) to the government of the area in which they were residing as of January 1st of that year. The first payment of prefectural and city taxes in the fiscal year is usually in June. The next three deadlines are August 31st, October 31st, and January 31st.

Automobile Tax / Lightweight Vehicle Tax

If you plan to scrap your car, transfer ownership, or if you are leaving Aizu Wakamatsu City, please come to the public offices below and register the changes. The automobile tax and lightweight (Keicar) car tax are levied on owners who have cars on April 1st. If the above procedures are not completed, you will still receive tax notices as the taxation office will not be aware of the fact you are no longer in possession of the automobile. The amount of tax for automobiles will be calculated on a monthly basis, but the lightweight car tax will be charged for one whole year. For example, in the case you scrapped your lightweight car but did not complete the procedure by March 31st, you cannot make any excuses not to pay tax for that car. There are two places that will carry out these procedures for you.

If you have a lightweight car or motorbike (less than 251cc), please contact
Zeimu-ka Shimin-zei Gakari at 0242-39-1223.

Any other car or motorcycle, please contact
Aizu Chiho Shinkokyoku KenZei-Bu, 29-5261 for further information.

Call the city waterworks bureau before you move in to request water service. Make sure you contact the bureau when you move as well.