Health services
Several services are provided to new parents by local governments:
- home visit by a nurse, to give advice on the baby’s health—usually only in Japanese (in Wako, an interpreter will come too if you ask in advance);
- financial support for medical examinations for children younger than 12 months (conditions vary depending on the local government);
- health checks for babies—if the baby has gone through alien registration, the local public health center will send notices about free regular health checks when the child reaches 3 months, 10 months, 18 months, and 3 years; and
- medical expenses assistance programs for disabled children and children suffering from diseases or specific disorders.
Vaccinations
If your child has gone through alien registration, they can get some vaccinations for free. The local public health center will send notices and questionnaires in advance. ICO Room has translations of all these documents. If your child has already had some vaccinations in your home country, please bring the child's vaccination record and show it to the doctor.
The free vaccinations are:
- BCG (tuberculosis), once in the first two years;
- poliomyelitis, twice at an interval of at least six weeks between the ages of three and eighteen months;
- diphtheria, pertussis, and tenanus, three times at intervals of three to eight weeks between the ages of three months and four years, once in the 12–18 months after that, and once while in the sixth grade of elementary school (age 11–12);
- measles and rubella, once between the ages of 12 and 24 months; and
- Japanese Encephalitis, twice at intervals of six to 28 days between the age of six and ninety months, once after one year from the first shot, and once after one year from the second shot.
- Other vaccinations are optional.
A detailed guide to vaccinations in Japan (英語 本文) and a vaccine screening questionnaire (英語 予診票) are available from The Foundation of the Vaccination Research Center.
For more information, visit http://idsc.nih.go.jp/vaccine/dschedule/Imm11EN.gif.
Following your home country's vaccination schedule
If you prefer to follow your home country's vaccination schedule, check with one of the following clinics in Tokyo area—they may be able to provide the vaccinations you require:
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