Rapid issuance of Individual Number Card is available for infants or new residents from overseas, etc.

Among those applying for the issuance/reissuance of their Individual Number Card, those in urgent need of a card will have it issued in approximately one week as a general rule. 

• Eligibility: Individuals that meet the government requirements such as infants or new residents moving from overseas.
• Location for procedures: Family and Resident Registration Section of your local ward office, Taxation and Resident Registration Section of Miyagino General Branch, or General Affairs Section of Akiu General Branch
• For further details including things to bring, please see the official website of the City of Sendai or make an inquiry.

Inquiries: Family and Resident Registration Section of ward offices, Taxation and Resident Registration Section of Miyagino General Branch, or General Affairs Section of Akiu General Branch

Relocation of Sendai Multicultural Center

Coinciding with large-scale renovations of the Sendai International Center, the Sendai Multicultural Center will be temporarily relocated and resume operation from February 17 (Mon).

• Relocation to: Sendai Park Building (Kokubuncho 3-6-1, Aoba-Ward) 
• The center will be closed from February 10 (Mon) to 16 (Sun) due to the moving work. If you wish to make a consultation during this period, please inquire at the Sendai Tourism, Convention and International Association (SenTIA).（TEL: 022-268-6260 Email: kokusaika@sentia-sendai.jp）
• The center is scheduled to relocate again into the new building of the Sendai City Hall in FY 2028. 
• For further information, please see SenTIA’s website( External link ) or make an inquiry

Inquiries: Sendai Multicultural Center TEL: 022-265-2471

Individual BCG Vaccination (against tuberculosis) will start from April 2025. 

　The BCG mass vaccinations provided at ward offices or other designated locations up until now will be changed into individual vaccinations from April 1, 2025. 

• Eligibility: Infants under the age of one (until the day before their first birthday) whose residence is registered in the City and have never contracted tuberculosis (Standard age for receiving a vaccination is from 5 to 7 months.) 
• Vaccination is provided once and no expenses are borne by the recipient.
• Location for vaccinations: Registered medical institutions providing vaccinations (Please confirm regarding the need to book at each medical institution directly.)
• For further information such as registered medical institutions providing individual vaccinations, please see the official website of the City of Sendai or make an inquiry.

Inquiries: Sendai City General Call Center, or the Infectious Disease Prevention and Planning Section 
TEL: 022-214-8452

Have you completed the application procedures in line with the revisions to the child allowance system in FY2024? 

The child allowance system has been expanded starting from the December 2024 payment (corresponding to the allowance for October and November.) 

• Those to whom any of the following apply may receive child allowance starting with the portion paid in December 2024 and onwards. 
  Those who are:

1. not provided child allowance (including special benefits) due to the income limitations of guardians. 
2. raising a child aged between 16 to 18 years old as of the end of March 31, 2025.
3. receiving the child allowance (including special benefits) and have a child of high school age for whom the City has not received notification of their childcare status.
4. raising 3 or more children aged anywhere between 0-22 years old as of the end of March 31, 2025.

• An application is required to receive the allowance. For further information including revisions to the system or eligibility, please make an inquiry.

Inquiries: Sendai Child Allowance Call Center 0570-008-363 (8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) 

Accepting Claims for Free Early Childhood Education and Care

• Eligibility: Those who have the new class 2 or 3 Childcare Certificate and are using extended childcare services at kindergarten and centers for early childhood education and care, non-certified childcare facilities, temporary childcare services, childcare services for sick children, or Sendai Sukusuku ("Healthy Growth") Support Project.
• Eligible period: October 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024
• Claim submission date: By January 20 (Mon), 2025
• For further details, please see the official website of the City of Sendai or make an inquiry.

Inquiries: Sendai City Free Early Childhood Education and Care Office　　TEL: 022-214-8978

Have you attended your Specified Health Check-up?

The period for attending the National Health Insurance Specified Health Check-up ends on January 31 (Fri). Please get your Specified Health Check-up done as soon as possible, if you have not already done so.

• Eligibility: Those who are enrolled in the National Health Insurance Scheme and are between 40-74 years old (as of March 31, 2025)
• The Specified Health Check-up Coupon has been distributed to eligible age groups via post.
• Please schedule your check-up at one of the designated medical institutions.
• Those who have lost their National Health Insurance qualification at the time of medical examination are not eligible.
• If you do not have the Specified Health Check-up Coupon on hand, please bring your Health Insurance Card to the Ward Office of your residence or General Branch and complete the reissuing procedures.

Inquiries: Home Health Section of Ward Offices, Public Health and Welfare Section of General Branches

Sending of Notice of Medical Expenses for National Health Insurance

In January 2025, the City of Sendai will send out a notice listing the total amount of medical expenditures paid between January and October of 2024; the total amount for November and December will be sent out in March 2025.

• The total amount of medical expenses paid is tax deductible. Please use the notice when filing for tax return.
• This notice cannot be re-issued. 

Inquiries: National Health Insurance and Pension Section of Ward Offices and Miyagi General Branch
Public Health and Welfare Section of Akiu General Branch

Enrollment into the National Pension System when turning 20

When a person turns 20 years old, they will receive a notification from the Japan Pension Service regarding "Notice of Enrollment into National Pension" informing them that they have been enrolled into the National Pension (excluding those who are already enrolled in the Employees' Pension Insurance system). The National Pension is not just for life post retirement, but also acts as a precautionary measure which secure payments for when one became disabled as a result of an accident or an illness; in the event that an enrolled person passed away, payments will be made to their family members. Please consult with us if you have difficulty paying premiums, as there are reduction and exemption options available (income will be subject to screening).
Inquiries: National Health Insurance and Pension Section of Ward Offices and Miyagi General Branch
Public Health and Welfare Section of Akiu General Branch

Notice regarding the paid amounts of the following insurance premiums: National Health Insurance, Advanced-age Medical Insurance, and Long-term Care Insurance

For those who paid National Health Insurance, Advanced-age Medical Insurance, and Long-term Care Insurance via account transfer in 2024, notices regarding paid insurance premium amounts will be sent out in late January 2025. These insurance premiums are counted for deductions of social insurance premiums for income tax and resident tax, so please make use of these notices when filing tax returns, etc.
For those who paid their premiums by deduction from pensions, please confirm the amount paid using the tax withholding slip issued by your pension insurer. 
Inquiries:【National Health Insurance/ Advanced-age Medical Insurance】National Health Insurance and Pension Section of Ward Offices and Miyagi General Branch, or Public Health and Welfare Section of Akiu General Branch
【Long-term Care Insurance】Long-term Care Insurance Section of Ward Offices, Disabled and Senior Citizens Welfare Section of Miyagi General Branch, or Public Health and Welfare Section of Akiu General Branch

Please be Sure to Prepare for Heavy Snowfall

Snowy season is coming soon. Please pay attention and cooperate with the following.

1. Check the weather forecast using television or radio, etc.
2. Be careful of injuries and accidents, and refrain from non-essential outings, as roads will be slippery during heavy snowfall.
3. Keep fire hydrants and surrounding areas near your house clear of snow, so as to avoid blocking fire extinguishing activities.
4. Do NOT dump snow onto roads, as it is a safety hazard which can cause traffic accidents.
5. Avoid parking on the streets to facilitate snow-removal activities.
6. As snowplows push snow aside on the road, the snow may pile in front of the gates of houses. We kindly ask for your understanding.
7. If you have elderly neighbors that are struggling with clearing snow, please give them a hand as a member of your community.
8. Bags of antifreeze agent to tackle freeze and snow accumulation on municipal roads will be distributed. Please make an inquiry regarding the distribution locations.

Inquiries: No.1 and 2 Crisis Countermeasures Section TEL: 022-214-3049
3 Disaster Suppression Section, Fire Bureau TEL: 022-234-1111
4 to 7 Road Maintenance Section TEL: 022-214-8381
8 Road Section of Ward Offices and Miyagi General Branch/ Construction Section of Akiu General Branch

Tax Notices

Inhabitant Tax Payments are Due on January 31 (Fri)

Please make your forth Inhabitant Tax payment for FY 2024 at your nearest financial institution by January 31 (Fri). If you pay by bank transfer, the transaction will be made on January 31 (Fri).
Inquiries: Tax Collection and Administration Section TEL: 022-214-1010

Welcome to SENDAI  Sendai City Shimin Library Guided Tour 

Library staff will guide you through the Sendai City Shimin Library using “easy Japanese”

• Date: January 26 (Sun), 11 a.m. to noon 
• Venue: Sendai City Shimin Library
• Eligible participants: Foreign residents living in Sendai. Capacity: Approximately 10 people (first-come first-served basis)
• The application will be accepted from 10:00 a.m. from January 6 via email. Send the participant’s information to the City filling in the name of the event, all participant’s name(s) (with the katakana reading) and their phone numbers.

Inquiries: Sendai City Shimin Library (2-1 Kasugamachi, Aoba-ku, 980-0821, TEL: 022-261-1585
Email: tosyokan@smt.city.sendai.jp）

Currently Accepting Applications for Municipal Housing(For Single-parent / Child-rearing households and households with multiple children)
―Applications Open Until January 16 (Thu)―

• "Application Guide for Sendai City Municipal Housing" will be distributed at the following locations from January 6 (Mon): Application Section of the Sendai City Construction Public Corporation (Sendai City Hall Kokubuncho Building 2nd Floor), Sendai Information Center (Sendai City Hall 2nd Floor), Information Desk of each Ward Office,
  General Branches, Family and Resident Registration Section of Sendai Station Service Center, Aoba Ward Office (AER Building 5th Floor), Certificate Issuance Center, Central Civic Center of each ward, and Lifelong Learning Promotion Center etc.
• How to apply: Choose one municipal housing unit from the chart, fill out the application form attached to the Application Guide and mail the form using the provided envelope by January 16 (Thu). If the number of applications exceeds the capacity, decisions will be made via lottery.
• Earliest move in date: March 28 (Fri), 2025 (tentative)
• Eligibility: Individuals who fulfill all of the following requirements from 1 to 3

1. Those who are facing difficulties in their current housing situation.
2. Those whose household falls into any of the following categories:
   Single-parent household that the applicant themselves is raising a child younger than the age of 20, a household including preschooler, or 3 or more children younger than the age of 18 are living together.
3. Those who reside or work in Sendai City.
   There are other conditions such as that one's income must be under a certain amount. For more details, please see the Application Guide.

The application requirements differ for the following individuals: those who resided in areas under evacuation orders by the 2011 nuclear disaster, evacuees who resided in designated support areas based on the Children and Victims Support Act, or victims of domestic violence and crimes. Please inquire for further details.
Inquiries: Application Section of Sendai City Construction Public Corporation
TEL: 022-214-3604