Welcome to Osaka City! The City of Osaka is enjoying steady development as the hub of the Kansai region of Japan. It is a government-ordinance-designated city with a population of over half a million and is also the capital of Osaka prefecture. Osaka City is divided into twenty-four wards, the largest number of any city in Japan. It has a developed commercial area encircled by the JR Osaka loop line, as well as the historical buildings such as Osaka castle and Shitennoji Temple, and many tourist attractions including the Kaiyukan ® Aquarium and Universal Studios Japan . This booklet, Enjoy Osaka, is a living information guide book for foreign residents who have come to Osaka City from around the world. This booklet contains useful information in categories on many aspects of daily life including public procedures, housing, education, medical services, transportation and other contact offices to assist foreign residents’ in comfortable daily living in Osaka City. We sincerely hope the information in this booklet will be used effectively to support foreign residents to fully enjoy a comfortable and meaningful new life. ●The City of Osaka official website http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/ ●Living Information for Foreign Residents, Living Information website http://www.ih-osaka.or.jp/enjoy/en/ ●Osaka Visitor’s Guide website http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/ CONTENTS An Outline of Osaka A …1 C Transportation………21 City 1 Location of Osaka City ――― 2 1 Municipal Transportation ―― 22 2 History of Osaka City ―――― 3 (1) Subway ―――――――――― 22 3 The Emblem of Osaka City ― 3 (2) City Bus ―――――――――― 23 4 Population and Area of Osaka (3) Concession and Discount City ――――――――――――― 3 Tickets ――――――――――― 23 (4) Osaka Municipal Transportation B Preparing for Accidents…5 Information Center ――――― 24 and Emergencies 2 Railways ―――――――――― 25 1 Sudden Illness, Injuries ――― 6 (1) JR ――――――――――――― 25 (1) Calling an Ambulance ――― 6 (2) Other Private Railways ――― 25 (2) Emergencies at night and out of (3) Access to/from Kansai Airport ― 26 business hours ――――――― 7 2 Taxi ――――――――――――― 26 (3) Emergency Clinics ――――― 7 3 Transportation Information ― 27 (4) Information Service for Emergency 4 Railway Map ―――――――― 28 Hospitals & Clinics ―――――― 9 2 Fire ――――――――――――― 9 D Useful Information when… 29 3 Police ―――――――――――― 9 Entering Japan (1) Traffic Accidents ―――――― 10 1 How to use Telephones ――― 30 (2) Robbery etc. ―――――――― 10 (1) Domestic Call ――――――― 30 4 Earthquake ――――――――― 10 (2) International Call ―――――― 30 (1) Predictable Earthquakes in (3) Public Telephone ―――――― 30 Osaka ――――――――――― 10 (4) Major Telephone Companies for Long (2) In Case of an Earthquake ―― 11 Distance & International Calls ―― 31 (3) Everyday Measures ―――― 14 (5) Cellular Phones ―――――― 31 (4) Protect yourself from a Tsunami ― 15 (6) English Telephone Directories ― 32 5 Typhoon ――――――――――― 16 (7) Faxing ――――――――――― 32 (1) Typhoon and heavy rain brings 2 Postal Services ――――――― 32 massive disasters ――――― 16 (1) Domestic Mail Types & Rates ― 33 (2) Preparations for Typhoon ―― 17 (2) Japan Post Website ―――― 33 (3) When evacuating in times of 3 Banking Services ―――――― 34 typhoon ―――――――――― 18 (1) Opening a Bank Account ―― 34 (4) Everyday Measures ―――― 19 (2) Other Services ――――――― 34 6 “Know”and“Learn”in case of emergency ――――――――― 19 E What to Know Once in… 35 5 Re-entry Permission ―――― 47 Japan 6 Necessary Documents for 1 Registration of Foreign Applications ―――――――― 48 Residents ―――――――――― 36 7 Passport ―――――――――― 48 (1) Registration ―――――――― 36 (1) Loss of Passport ―――――― 48 (2) Renewal of Registration Card ― 37 (2) Transfer of Endorsement ―― 48 (3) When the Registration Card is ―――――― Lost or Damaged 37 G For Comfortable Living…49 (4) Returning the Registration Card ―――――――――――― 37 1 Finding Housing ―――――― 50 (5) Certificate of Registered (1) Counseling on Housing ――― 50 Matters ―――――――――― 37 (2) Basic Knowledge of Renting 2 Various Registrations ―――― 38 Housing ―――――――――― 50 (1) Reporting Marriage ――――― 38 ① Contract ――――――――― 50 (2) Reporting Divorce ――――― 39 ② House Rental Payment ―― 51 (3) Reporting a Birth ―――――― 39 ③ House Terminating the Contract ― 51 (4) Reporting a Death ――――― 39 (3) How to Apply for Private Housing ― 51 3 Medical Insurance in Japan ― 40 (4) Housing for Foreign Residents ― 52 4 Driver’s License ――――――― 40 ① Municipal Housing for Privately- (1) International Driver’s License ― 40 financed International Students ― 52 (2) Switching an Overseas Driver’s License ② Housing Support System for Foreign for a Japanese License ――――― 40 Business People ――――――― 52 (3) Change of the Address ――― 42 (5) How to Apply for Public Housing ― 52 (4) Renewing your Driver’s License ― 42 ① Municipal Housing ―――― 52 (5) Traffic Rules ―――――――― 43 ② Applications of Municipal Housing (6) Bicycles ―――――――――― 43 for Single Parent Families, Elderly Persons, and Families that have F Procedures for Staying &… 45 Persons with Disabilities. ――― 53 Passport ③ Housing for Osaka Municipal 1 Immigration Offices & Immigration Housing Corporation ――― 53 Information Center ―――――― 46 ④ Specific High-Quality Apartment (1) Immigration Offices ――――― 46 for Minkan-Smiling Tenants ― 53 (2) Immigration Information Center ― 46 ⑤ Prefectural Housing ―――― 54 2 Permission to Engage in an Activity ⑥ Osaka Prefectural Housing Other than that Permitted under the Corporation ――――――― 54 Status of Residence Previously ⑦ Urban Renaissance Agency Granted―――――――――――― 46 Housing (UR Housing) ―― 55 3 Change of Status of Residence ― 47 (6) Housing Assistance ――――― 55 4 Extension of Period of Stay ― 47 CONTENTS ① Rental Housing Assistance for ⑦ Child Allowance―――――― 68 Newlywed Couples ――――― 55 (2) Day Nurseries and ② Housing Loan and Interest Assistance Kindergartens ――――――― 68 for Households with Child ―――― 55 ① Day Nurseries ―――――― 68 2 Application For Utilities and ② Municipal Kindergarten ―― 69 Other Services ――――――― 56 (3) Counseling on Child Care ―― 69 (1) Water & Sewerage ――――― 56 ① Osaka Municipal Child Care ① Applying for/Discontinuing Water Counseling Center ―――― 69 Service ―――――――――― 56 ② Disease Immunization ② Water-related Troubles ―― 56 Schedule ――――――――― 70 ③ Sewerage Service Centers ― 56 2 The Period of Compulsory Education ④ Waterworks Bureau Offices / in Japan is 9 Years ――――――― 71 Service Stations ――――― 57 (1) Organization of The Education ⑤ Waterworks Bureau Customer System ―――――――――― 71 Center ―――――――――― 58 (2) Elementary and Junior High (2) Electricity ――――――――― 58 Schools ―――――――――― 71 (3) Gas ―――――――――――― 59 (3) High Schools ―――――――― 72 (4) Telephone ――――――――― 59 (4) Schools for Foreign Children ― 72 ① Telephone Installation / Removal / ① International Schools ――― 72 Other Counseling ―――――― 59 ② Others ―――――――――― 73 ② NTT West Foreign Customer Service ―――― Center (NTT Information) 60 I For Foreign Students…75 ③ NTT Internet Reservation Services ――――――――― 60 Information for Foreign Students ― 76 3 Waste and Recycling ―――― 61 (1) Scholarships ―――――――― 76 (1) Separation & Collection of Waste ― 61 (2) Accommodation ―――――― 76 (2) Inquiries regarding Waste ―― 63 El Sereno Kobaicho ――――― 76 (3) Employment Support Service for ―――― H Parenting & Education…65 International Students 77 (4) Osaka Citizen’s Fund for Foreign 1 For Expectant Parents ――― 66 Students ―――――――――― 77 (1) Child Care ――――――――― 66 (5) Counseling and Advice for ① Pregnancy ―――――――― 66 Foreign Students ―――――― 78 ② After a Birth ―――――――― 66 (6) Japanese Language Schools ― 79 ③ Lump Sum Birth Allowance ― 67 ④ ― Health Check up for Infants 67 J When You Are Ⅰll……83 ⑤ Preventive Vaccination ―― 68 ⑥ Medical Health Care Aid for Before Seeing a Doctor ―――― 84 Infants ―――――――――― 68 (1) Having an Examination ――― 84 (2) Medical Insurance System ― 84 ③ Lump-Sum Withdrawals ―177 ① Health Insurance ――――― 85 ④ Allowance for the Elderly Foreign ② National Health Insurance ― 85 Residents ―――――――――178 ③ Health Insurance System for (3) Social Insurance Office･Japan Health the Elderly ―――――――― 86 Insurance Association ―――――179 ④ Qualifying for Financial Assistance (4) Kaigo Hoken: The Long-Term Care with Medical Bills ―――――― 86 Insurance System ――――――180 ⑤ Obtaining Refund on Medicine ① Application for Nursing Care ―180 Expenses ―――――――― 87 ② Expenses borne by the ⑥ Excessive Medical Payments insured. ―――――――――180 Refund ―――――――――― 87 ③ Kaigo Hoken Insurance ⑦ Lump Sum Birth Allowance ― 88 Card ―――――――――― 180 ⑧ Allowance for Funeral Expenses ― 88 ④ Nursing Care Prevention ⑨ Cases Where the Medical Program ―――――――――181 Insurance is not Applicable ― 88 (5) Welfare for the Aged ――――181 (3) Health Services ―――――― 89 (6) Welfare for the people with physical ① Health Counseling ―――― 89 or mental disabilities ―――――182 ② Maternal and Child Health ― 89 ① Identification Booklet for people ③ Tuberculosis Prevention ― 89 with disabilities ――――――182 ④ AIDS ――――――――――― 89 ② Identification Booklet for people (4) Medical Consultation ―――― 91 with mental disabilities ―――182 (5) Hospitals in Osaka City where English/ ③ Nursing Booklet for the people Other Languages are Spoken ――― 92 with disabilities ――――――182 ④ Inquiries regarding the welfare of K Living Procedures…175 people with a physical or mental disabilities ―――――――――183 Taxes, Pension, Nursing Care (7) Support for Single Parent Insurance, Welfare ――――――176 Families ――――――――――184 (1) Taxes ―――――――――――176 (8) Ward Home Care Service Centers ① Income Tax ―――――――176 (Local Support Center) ――――184 ② Individual Municipal Inhabitant’s (9) Welfare Center for the Aged ―185 Tax――――――――――――176 ③ Consumption Tax/ Local L Living Advice………187