Objective

Child Allowance benefits are given to individuals raising children in order to help ensure that families can lead stable lives. These benefits are an investment in the healthy development of the children who will take on the challenges of the next generation.

Eligibility requirements

Individuals that are raising children who have not yet graduated from junior high school (eligibility period is from 0 years old ~ March 31 after the child’s 15^th birthday).

The following rules and conditions apply to those who meet the above requirements:

1)    As a general rule, individuals/families must be raising children living in Japan to qualify. (Individuals/families with children studying abroad must meet established requirements in order to qualify.)

2)    In the event that the child’s parents/guardians are separated as a result of divorce proceedings, priority will be given to the parent/guardian with custody of the child.

3)    In the event that the parents of the child are living abroad, the designated guardians of the child will receive child allowance benefits.

4)    If the child in question is being cared for by a guardian that is a minor, that guardian will receive child allowance benefits.

5)    As a general rule, if the child is being cared for by a child welfare institution or has been placed in foster care, benefits will be paid to the institution or foster parents, respectively.

Benefit amounts

Category	Benefit amount (per child, per month)
Children aged 2 and below	15,000
Children above age 3 that have not yet entered elementary school	Differs based on number of children (see below)
First/second child	10,000
Third child	15,000
Children attending junior high school	10,000

 

Benefit disbursement schedule

The first payment period will be calculated starting the month after the applicant is approved to receive benefits. Benefits are paid out 3 times a year, in February, June and October. The amount disbursed will be calculated based on the length of the most recent payment period, and will be transferred directly into the recipient’s designated bank account.

Payment period	Disbursement Month	Note
Oct-Jan	February	Disbursement dates will vary by municipality.
Feb-May	June
Jun-Sept	October

 

–   Applicants whose income is greater than the eligibility limit can still receive a stipend of 5,000 yen a month if they are raising children in Japan. (Hereafter, child allowance benefits and this stipend will be referred to jointly as “child allowance benefits, etc.”

–   In the case of individuals/families with 3 or more children, a child is considered the “third child” if they are the third child out of children in the family that have not yet graduated high school (children who are not yet 18 years old by March 31 of the fiscal year). For example, the last child in a family with children aged 19, 10 and 6 would be considered the second child in the family when calculating child allowance benefits.

Income Restrictions

Individuals or families with incomes higher than those listed in the applicable portion of the table are not eligible to receive child allowance benefits as outlined above. They may, however, apply to receive a monthly stipend of 5000 yen per child.

Chart of Income Restrictions by number of dependents (other than the child in question)

Number of dependents	Net income	Estimated gross income
0	6,220,000	8,333,000
1	6,600,000	8,756,000
2	6,980,000	9,178,000
3	7,360,000	9,600,000
4	7,740,000	10,021,000
5	8,120,000	10,421,000

 

l  Estimated gross incomes in this chart are calculated based on net income restrictions.

Application procedures

 

If you meet the eligibility criteria to receive child allowance benefits due to a birth or a child’s change of residence, you will need to submit an application form (認定請求書 nintei seikyuu sho） at the appropriate window of your local municipal office. Government workers should enquire at their place of employment.

If your municipality determines that you do not meet the necessary criteria, you will be ineligible to receive child allowance benefits. Individuals and families that qualify will receive benefits for a period beginning the month after their successful application and ending when the criteria for eligibility are no longer met.

Please be advised that, as a general rule, those who submit late applications cannot claim benefits they would have received had they applied earlier.

Eligible individuals who submit a late application due to extraordinary circumstances (change in residence, natural disaster, etc.) will receive benefits based on an eligibility period that begins the day of the extraordinary event (e.g. moving date, date of the natural disaster, etc.).

Supplementary Documents to Submit with Application

1)    If the applicant is employed:

–  a copy of the applicant’s health insurance card

2)    If the has applicant changed residences since Jan 1 of the current year:

– a proof of earnings statement for child allowance benefit recipients (児童手当用所得証明書 kodomo teate you shotoku shoumeisho)

3)    Other documents (in the case of applicants not living with the child in question)

 

Family Status Reports (現況届 genkyou tokoke)

Families receiving child allowance benefits must submit a family status report by the end of June each year in order to continue receiving benefits.

This report must be submitted to determine whether or not a family is eligible to receive child allowance benefits.　Please note that families that do not submit a family status report will not receive benefits as of June of the current year.

Supplementary Documents to be Submitted with Your Family Status Report

– Applicants that are employed must submit a copy of their health insurance card, and may be required to submit additional documents.

–  Individuals that did not live in their current municipality on January 1 of the current calendar year must submit a proof of earnings document issued by the municipality to which they were previously registered.

–  Applicants may be asked to submit additional documents not listed here.

For more information, please contact:

Your local municipal office

OR

Mie Prefectural Government, Department of Health and Welfare, Children and Family Affairs Bureau, Parenting Support Division, Household Support Group

〒514-8570

Tsu-shi, Komei-cho 13

Tel: 059-224-2271

Fax: 059-224-2270

Email: kodomok@pref.mie.jp