The advent of the COVID-19 coronavirus has brought a lot of uncertainty and has affected the daily lives of people all over the world. It goes without saying that this has resulted in heavy financial repercussions for the average person, with people losing jobs or significant amounts of income due to business closures, reduced working hours, or worse yet, company layoffs.
To support Japanese residents during this time, the government has set up as fund dubbed the “special payment” to be distributed to all Japanese residents. Each eligible resident, from senior citizens to babies, will be provided ¥100,000 from the fund.
To learn how to receive your special payment, read our guide below.
Table of Contents
- Who is eligible for the special payment?
- Who can apply for the special payment?
- When can I apply for the special payment?
- How do I apply for the special payment?
- How do I fill out the application form?
- Can I apply in person?
- When can I expect the payment?
- How to avoid and report fraud, scams, or other suspicious activities
- I have more questions
Who is eligible for the special payment?
Anyone who is a registered resident of Japan as of April 27th, 2020 is eligible. This means you have a Residence Card (在留カード zairyū kādo) and are entered in the Basic Resident Registry of any Japanese municipality.
This includes:
- Residents who have moved out of their previous municipality but have not registered at their new municipality by this date.
- Residents who moved to Japan but have not yet registered their address for the first time by this date.
- Residents who left Japan but returned as of this date. In these cases, please register at your municipality first before applying.
- Babies who were born on this date.
- Persons who passed away on or after this date are also eligible.
This does NOT include:
- Those who are in Japan temporarily or those who are not registered residents at any municipality, such as tourists and illegal residents.
- Babies who were born after this date.
Who can apply for the special payment?
In practice, only the head of the household is eligible to receive the special payment on behalf of the entire family.
A proxy or a legal representative can also apply for and receive the special payment on behalf of the applicant (head of the household), but the applicant must still provide identification for themselves as well as their proxy/legal representative. This also applies to cases where the head of the household is physically handicapped and needs assistance.
When can I apply for the special payment?
The start date for applications is determined separately by each municipality. To find out the date for your municipality, check this guide by Tokyo Past 3, which has a compilation of the application date for each municipality within the Greater Tokyo area.
*Applications will be accepted within three months of the start date set by the municipality.
How do I apply for the special payment?
To receive the special payment, you can:
- Submit the application form you receive from the municipal office (or download them online) by post. Or take the same to the municipal office if you live far from the nearest bank (or financial institution) where you have an account. Don’t forget the necessary attachments before submitting!
- Submit an application online if you have a My Number card (limited to the head of the household’s card). In this case, photo attachments can be uploaded to verify your application.
*Please make sure that you have previously updated your address with the post office.
How do I fill out the application form?
The applications are in Japanese only, which may make it tough for some people. We’ve translated the forms into English to help you fill out the form.
Download an English translation of the Application Form
Forms may be different depending on your area. Use these as a guide to help you fill out the application for your city.
Can I apply in person?
In principle, applications for the special payment are done either by post (using the application form you receive from your municipality) or online (for those who have a My Number card).
However, in cases where the applicant lives far from the nearest bank (or financial institution) where they have an account, the applicant should take their application form to the municipal office to receive the special payment.
When can I expect the payment?
The payment date is determined separately by each municipality. To find out the date for your municipality, check this guide by Tokyo Past 3, which has a compilation of the payment dates for each municipality within the Greater Tokyo area.
How to avoid and report fraud, scams, or other suspicious activities
To avoid fraud, please do NOT give out the following information to anyone:
- your PIN number
- your account number
- your passbook
- your cash card
- your My Number card
If you receive any suspicious messages, requests, or offers such as:
- telling you to use an ATM
- paying a bank transfer charge after receiving your special payment
- applying through a link in an email
as much as possible, please do not respond, open, or otherwise engage with them. Instead, please report the incident to any of the following:
- Consumer Hotline 188
- Novel Coronavirus Benefits Consumer Hotline 0120-213-188
- the municipal office
- the nearest police station
- Police Consultation Hotline #9110
*We cannot guarantee the availability of English support, please try to request it when you call.
I have more questions
If you have any other questions related to the special payment, please call the Special Payment Call Center at 0120-260020 (toll-free) between 9:00 and 18:30.
