insurance
Municipal Office / City Hall
市区町村役場 (shiku chōson yakuba)
The municipal office (市区町村役場, shiku chōson yakuba) is the local government office where residents handle administrative matters including address registration, National Health Insurance enrollment, long-term care insurance, My Number card applications, and family register procedures. For foreign residents, it is the primary administrative entry point in Japan and the required first stop upon arrival for healthcare access.
All foreign residents staying in Japan for more than three months must register their address at the municipal office, which triggers the process of enrolling in the appropriate health insurance plan.
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Municipal Office / City Hall |
| Japanese (日本語) | 市区町村役場 |
| Chinese (中文) | 市区町村政府 |
| Korean (한국어) | 시구청 |
| Portuguese | Prefeitura / Câmara municipal |
| Spanish | Ayuntamiento / Oficina municipal |
| Filipino | Opisina ng munisipyo |
| Thai | สำนักงานเขต / ศาลาว่าการเมือง |
| Vietnamese | Ủy ban nhân dân quận / thành phố |
| Romanization | shiku chōson yakuba |
Learn more in the guide:
Read the guide →Last reviewed: September 2026