Life Stages
Maternal and Child Health Handbook (Boshi Techo)
What Japan's maternal and child health handbook is, how to obtain it as a foreign resident, what records it contains, and why keeping it is important for your child's care.
Pregnant foreign residents preparing to register their pregnancy in Japan, and parents of young children who need to understand what the handbook records.
What the handbook is and why it matters
The maternal and child health handbook (母子健康手帳, boshi kenkō techō) is a government-issued official document provided free of charge to all pregnant residents in Japan when they register their pregnancy. It serves as a continuous health record covering the mother’s pregnancy and the child’s health from birth through adolescence.
The handbook is used at every prenatal check-up, at the hospital during delivery, and at every well-child visit and vaccination appointment throughout childhood. It is the single most important health document for children in Japan — equivalent in function to a combination of antenatal records, birth records, and immunization card used in other systems.
How to obtain the handbook
Obtain the handbook at your municipal office (市区町村役所) by registering your pregnancy. The process:
- Visit the municipal office’s child welfare or health section (子育て支援課、保健福祉課 — names vary by municipality)
- Present your residence card (在留カード) and residence registration printout (住民票)
- Present a pregnancy confirmation from your OB/GYN clinic (母子健康手帳交付申請書 may also be needed — the office will provide the form)
- The handbook and prenatal check-up subsidy coupons are issued at the counter or by mail
If a multilingual version is available in your language, request it specifically. Many municipal offices have English versions; availability of other languages depends on the municipality and its foreign resident population.
What the handbook contains
The handbook has two main sections:
Mother’s section (妊娠・出産記録部). Records prenatal check-up findings at each visit (fundal height, fetal heartbeat, ultrasound findings, blood pressure, urinalysis results), delivery details (date, type, birth weight, Apgar score), and any complications.
Child’s section (子どもの成長・健康記録部). Records growth measurements (weight, height, head circumference) plotted against standard growth curves; developmental milestone checkpoints at 3–4 months, 6–7 months, 9–10 months, 1 year, 1 year 6 months, and 3 years; vaccination history for all scheduled vaccines; results of mandatory health examinations at 3 months, 18 months, and 3 years; dental check-up records; and any diagnosed conditions or hospital admissions.
The prenatal check-up coupons
Along with the handbook, you receive a book of subsidy coupons (妊婦健診補助券) covering MHLW-recommended prenatal check-ups (approximately 14 visits through the pregnancy). Each coupon covers the standardized tests at a specific stage. Bring the relevant coupon to each prenatal appointment — the clinic applies it to reduce your cost. The coupon book is tied to your municipality; if you move to a different municipality during pregnancy, contact the new municipality for guidance on continuing your coupon entitlement.
After birth: using the child section
The child section of the handbook is used at every medical appointment, vaccination, and health check until the child reaches middle school. Healthcare providers — pediatricians, public health nurses, and vaccination staff — record entries directly in the handbook. When changing pediatric clinics, the handbook provides continuity of records for the new provider.
Bring the handbook to every appointment for your child. Losing the handbook is a serious inconvenience; some municipalities will issue a replacement with partial records on application.
Last reviewed: September 2026
Key terms
| English | Japanese | Romaji |
|---|---|---|
| Maternal and child health handbook | 母子健康手帳 | boshi kenkō techō |
| Prenatal record | 妊娠経過記録 | ninshin keika kiroku |
| Child growth curve | 成長曲線 | seichō kyokusen |
| Vaccination record | 予防接種記録 | yobō sesshu kiroku |
| Developmental milestones | 発達の目安 | hattatsu no meyasu |
| Multilingual supplement | 多言語版 | tagen'go-ban |
| Municipal office | 市区町村役所 | shiku-chōson yakusho |
| Health visitor | 保健師 | hokenshi |
Common questions
- Is the boshi techo available in languages other than Japanese?
- Yes. Multilingual versions (多言語版, tagen'go-ban) of the boshi techo are available in approximately 14 languages including English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Filipino, Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and others. Availability depends on your municipality — ask at the counter when you register your pregnancy. Some municipalities distribute the multilingual version automatically; others issue the Japanese version by default.
- What if I registered my pregnancy in another country and then moved to Japan?
- You can register your pregnancy in Japan at any point by visiting your municipal office with your foreign pregnancy documentation (scan or doctor's letter confirming pregnancy). The municipal office will issue the boshi techo and check-up coupons. Previous prenatal records from abroad should be summarized and shared with your Japanese OB/GYN.
- Is the handbook required for school enrollment?
- The boshi techo is not legally required for school enrollment, but it contains the vaccination records that schools review for health management purposes. Schools may ask to see vaccination records; the handbook's vaccination section is a convenient and authoritative record.
- What happens to the handbook when the child grows up?
- The boshi techo covers the child's health from birth through the completion of school health examinations (typically around middle school age). After that period, it becomes a personal health record. Many adults keep it because it contains their complete early vaccination history, which may be requested by employers, educational institutions, or healthcare providers.
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026