Contents 1 INFORMATION FOR EVERYDAY LIFE .................................................................................................... 4 1-1 Utilities: Water, Electricity and Gas ........................................................................................................................................ 4 1-1-1 Water ................................................................................................................................................................................... 4 2-1-2 Electricity and Gas (Main Service Providers) ..................................................................................................................... 4 1-2 Mail and Telephone Services .................................................................................................................................................... 5 1-2-1 Mail Services ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5 1-2-2 Telephone Services ............................................................................................................................................................. 5 1-3 Waste Disposal ........................................................................................................................................................................... 6 1-3-1 Waste and Recyclables Collection ...................................................................................................................................... 6 1-3-2 Reducing the amount of waste ............................................................................................................................................ 6 1-4 Health ........................................................................................................................................................................................ 13 1-4-1 Hospitals and Clinics ........................................................................................................................................................ 13 1-4-2 Public Health Centers ........................................................................................................................................................ 14 1-5 Child Care ................................................................................................................................................................................ 15 1-5-1 Pregnancy and Childbirth .................................................................................................................................................. 15 1-5-2 Nursery Schools / Licensed Childcare / Small Childcare Facilities / Family Childcare Facilities / Workplace Childcare Facilities 15 1-5-3 Kindergartens .................................................................................................................................................................... 15 1-6 Education .................................................................................................................................................................................. 16 1-6-1 The Japanese Education System ....................................................................................................................................... 16 1-6-2 Elementary and Junior High Schools ................................................................................................................................ 16 1-6-3 High Schools and Universities .......................................................................................................................................... 16 1-7 Housing ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 17 1-7-1 Looking for Housing ......................................................................................................................................................... 17 1-7-2 Public Housing .................................................................................................................................................................. 17 1-7-3 Private Rental Housing ..................................................................................................................................................... 17 1-8 Transportation ......................................................................................................................................................................... 18 1-8-1 Traffic Rules ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 1-8-2 Bicycle Parking Restrictions ............................................................................................................................................. 18 1-8-3 City Bus and Subway ........................................................................................................................................................ 18 1-8-4 Aonami Line ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 1-8-5 Yutorito Line ..................................................................................................................................................................... 18 1-8-6 Linimo ............................................................................................................................................................................... 18 1-9 Taxes ......................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 1-9-1 Japanese Taxes .................................................................................................................................................................. 20 1-9-2 Personal Municipal and Prefectural Tax ........................................................................................................................... 20 1-10 Community Life ....................................................................................................................................................................... 21 1-10-1 Neighborhood Associations/Neighborhood Council ......................................................................................................... 21 1-10-2 Implementation of Public Nonsmoking Areas .................................................................................................................. 21 2 EMERGENCIES ............................................................................................................................................. 22 2-1 Fire, Illness & Injury ............................................................................................................................................................... 22 2-1-1 Fire .................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 2-1-2 Illness & Injury ................................................................................................................................................................. 22 2-1-3 Emergency Calls to the Fire Department (119)................................................................................................................. 22 2-1-4 Fire Prevention .................................................................................................................................................................. 22 2-2 Traffic Accidents and Crime .................................................................................................................................................. 23 2-2-1 Traffic Accidents............................................................................................................................................................... 23 2-2-2 Encountering Crime .......................................................................................................................................................... 23 2-2-3 Emergency Calls to the Police (Dial 110) ......................................................................................................................... 23 2-3 Natural Disasters ..................................................................................................................................................................... 24 2-3-1 Preparedness and Countermeasures .................................................................................................................................. 24 2-3-2 Obtaining Information During a Disaster .......................................................................................................................... 24 2-3-3 Designated Emergency Assembly Points and Designated Evacuation Shelters ................................................................ 25 2-3-4 Evacuation Behavior Basics .............................................................................................................................................. 25 2-3-5