This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
In Japan, many of children’s vaccinations are provided by the city, ward, town or village where you live as “routine vaccinations” (teiki sesshu). If your child gets them within the set age range and within the city, ward, town or village where you live, they are covered by public funds (taxes) (for example, in Yokohama City, vaccinations within the eligible period are free). Children of foreign nationality are also eligible. This article explains the types, timing and how to get them.
The Short Answer: How Your Child Gets Vaccinated
- You receive a pre-vaccination questionnaire (yoshinhyo: a form on which you write your child’s health condition and other details before the vaccination) and information from the city, ward, town or village where you live. If it does not arrive, or if you have just moved here, ask the vaccination counter of your city, ward, town or village
- Following the information from your city, ward, town or village, choose a hospital or clinic where your child can be vaccinated and make an appointment
- On the day, a parent or guardian goes with the child, bringing the Maternal and Child Health Handbook (boshi kenko techo: a handbook that records the child’s health), the pre-vaccination questionnaire and something that shows the child’s address and date of birth
- After a doctor’s examination (pre-vaccination check), your child is vaccinated. Ask for the vaccination to be recorded in the Maternal and Child Health Handbook
When the documents arrive and how the procedures work differ depending on the city, ward, town or village.
(Sources: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations”, Immigration Services Agency (ISA) “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 4: Childbirth and Child-rearing, and as an example, Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children”)
Articles on child-rearing and education will be collected in The Basics of Child-rearing and Education in Japan.
Two Kinds of Vaccinations: Routine and Voluntary
| Type | What it is | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Routine vaccinations | Vaccinations set by law (the Immunization Act). The city, ward, town or village informs the people who are eligible | Covered by public funds if received within the set age range and within the city, ward, town or village where you live (for example, free in Yokohama City) |
| Voluntary vaccinations | Vaccinations you choose to get in addition to routine vaccinations (for example, mumps (epidemic parotitis) and seasonal influenza; also when getting a routine vaccine after the eligible age has passed) | As a rule, you pay for them yourself |
- Children’s routine vaccinations (a category called Category A diseases) are recommended for all eligible children
- If your child passes the age for a routine vaccination, in many cases it becomes a voluntary vaccination (you pay for it yourself). Be careful not to let the age pass
- Some cities, wards, towns and villages have their own programs that help with the cost, for example when the age has passed (for example, Yokohama City)
(Sources: MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information: Frequently Asked Questions” Q2, ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 4, 4-3 Vaccinations)
Types and Timing of Children’s Routine Vaccinations
These are the children’s routine vaccinations listed by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. “When to start” shows the standard age. For the detailed schedule (intervals and number of doses), check the Maternal and Child Health Handbook, the information from your city, ward, town or village, or the medical institution that gives the vaccination.
| Vaccine | Diseases it prevents | Approximate time to start | Number of doses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotavirus vaccine (oral vaccine) | Rotavirus infection | From 2 months of age | 2 or 3 doses (depending on the type of vaccine) |
| 5-in-1 combined vaccine | Diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough), tetanus, polio and Hib infection | From 2 months of age | 4 doses (3 initial doses + 1 booster) |
| Pediatric pneumococcal vaccine | Pneumococcal infection in children | From 2 months of age | Initial doses + booster (the number depends on the age in months at the start) |
| Hepatitis B vaccine | Hepatitis B | From 2 months of age | 3 doses |
| BCG vaccine | Tuberculosis | From 5 months of age (standard: 5 to 8 months of age) | 1 dose |
| MR vaccine | Measles and rubella | At age 1, and in the 1 year before entering elementary school | 2 doses |
| Varicella vaccine | Varicella (chickenpox) | From age 1 | 2 doses |
| Japanese encephalitis vaccine | Japanese encephalitis | From age 3 (Phase 2 at age 9) | 3 doses in Phase 1 + 1 dose in Phase 2 |
| DT vaccine | Diphtheria and tetanus | From age 11 | 1 dose |
| HPV vaccine | Human papillomavirus infection (cervical cancer, etc.) | Girls equivalent to grade 6 of elementary school to grade 1 of high school (standard: from age 12) | 2 or 3 doses (depending on the age at the start) |
- For the rotavirus vaccine, the first dose is to be given by 14 weeks and 6 days of age (a first dose at 15 weeks of age or later is not recommended). When your baby is born, check the information from your city, ward, town or village early
- The RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) vaccine given to pregnant women is also a routine vaccination (1 dose between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy, to protect the newborn baby from RSV infection)
(Sources: MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information” List of Vaccines, and the page for each vaccine (Rotavirus, 5-in-1 combined, Pediatric pneumococcal, Hepatitis B, BCG, MR, Varicella, Japanese encephalitis, DT, HPV, RSV))
If you want to see the whole schedule on one page, the “Immunization Schedule in Japan” (PDF) by the Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) is a helpful reference.
How to Get Vaccinated: Questionnaire, Appointment and What to Bring
1. The Questionnaire and Information Arrive
The city, ward, town or village is to inform the parents or guardians of children eligible for routine vaccinations in advance about the types of vaccinations, when and where to get them, and points to be careful about. As a rule, this is done by an individual notice to each person.
For example, in Yokohama City, the city sends information and pre-vaccination questionnaires to your home around the time your child turns 2 months, 1 year, 3 years, 9 years and 11 years old, 1 year before entering elementary school, and before entering junior high school (HPV vaccine, for girls only).
Some cities, wards, towns and villages send notices through Mynaportal (the national government’s online administrative service site) or use a “digital pre-vaccination questionnaire” instead of a paper one.
(Sources: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 2, Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children”)
2. Choose a Hospital or Clinic and Make an Appointment
As a rule, vaccinations are given as “individual vaccinations” at hospitals and clinics that cooperate with the city, ward, town or village (it is also allowed to hold “group vaccinations” at a venue on set days). Check where vaccinations are available in the information you received or on the website of your city, ward, town or village. To search, type “(name of your city, ward, town or village) 予防接種” (yobo sesshu: vaccination).
(Source: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 5)
For how to use hospitals, please also read How to See a Doctor in Japan: Choosing Between Hospitals and Clinics, What to Show at Reception, the Medical Questionnaire, Payment and Medicine.
3. What to Bring on the Day
For example, according to Yokohama City’s information, you bring the following. This may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village, so check the information you received.
- Maternal and Child Health Handbook (or something that shows the record of past vaccinations, such as a vaccination certificate)
- Something that shows your child’s name, date of birth and address (My Number Card, your child’s medical expense subsidy card, etc.)
- Pre-vaccination questionnaire (fill it in at home beforehand)
As a rule, a parent or guardian goes with the child for the vaccination. If the parent or guardian cannot go and someone else such as a grandparent goes with the child, a letter of authorization (a paper stating that you entrust the matter to the person going instead of you) may be required.
(Sources: Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children”, MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations”)
4. Do I Have to Fill in the Questionnaire in Japanese?
The pre-vaccination questionnaire is an important paper on which you write your child’s health condition, illnesses, allergies and so on. Some cities, wards, towns and villages provide samples of the questionnaire in foreign languages (for example, Yokohama City has samples in English and Chinese, and you copy the answers onto the official questionnaire while looking at the sample). The national government asks cities, wards, towns and villages to make efforts to inform people of foreign nationality in multiple languages as well. If you do not understand something, ask the counter of your city, ward, town or village or the medical institution that gives the vaccination.
(Sources: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 2 (3), Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children”)
Points to Be Careful About Before and After Vaccination
- As a rule, vaccinations are given when your child is in good health. Your child cannot be vaccinated if, for example, they have a clear fever or a serious acute illness
- If your child seems different from usual, consult the doctor giving the vaccination about whether your child can be vaccinated
- After the vaccination, wait inside the medical institution for a while and go home after confirming that there is no change in your child’s condition
- If you notice any worrying symptoms after the vaccination, first consult the doctor at the medical institution where your child was vaccinated
- “Simultaneous vaccination,” getting 2 or more vaccines on the same day, is possible when a doctor considers it necessary
Decide which vaccines to get, and whether your child can be vaccinated given their health condition, after talking with a doctor.
(Sources: MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information: Frequently Asked Questions” Q4 and Q6, MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 18, ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 4, 4-3)
When You Are in Trouble: Common Questions
What If We Came to Japan from Abroad or Moved from Another City, Ward, Town or Village?
First, consult the vaccination counter of the city, ward, town or village where you live (for example, in Yokohama City, you receive the questionnaires for vaccinations not yet received at the ward office counter). At that time, bring the record of past vaccinations (the Maternal and Child Health Handbook or records of vaccinations received in your home country) and something that shows your child’s name, date of birth and address.
Vaccinations received abroad may be counted as doses received, based on the doctor’s judgment and the consent of the parent or guardian. Consult the counter of your city, ward, town or village or a doctor about which vaccinations your child should get.
(Sources: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 8, and as an example, Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children” FAQ Q4)
For the moving-in notification, please read Moving-in Notification and Resident Record: Go to Your City, Ward, Town or Village Within 14 Days After Your Address in Japan Is Decided (What to Bring, Steps and When You Move).
Where Can I Get a Maternal and Child Health Handbook?
The city, ward, town or village gives the Maternal and Child Health Handbook to people who have submitted a pregnancy notification. It is designed so that you can record vaccinations not only in infancy but also at elementary, junior high and high school age. The national government’s (Children and Families Agency) “Maternal and Child Health Handbook Information Support Site” has information on child-rearing. If your child does not have a Maternal and Child Health Handbook, consult the counter of your city, ward, town or village.
(Sources: ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 4, 1-1, MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 16)
What If My Child Has Passed the Age for a Routine Vaccination?
If your child passes the age for a routine vaccination, in many cases it becomes a voluntary vaccination (you pay for it yourself). However, if your child could not be vaccinated because of special circumstances, such as long-term treatment for a serious illness, they may be able to receive it as a routine vaccination, as a rule within 2 years after those circumstances end (there is an upper age limit depending on the vaccine). Some cities, wards, towns and villages also have their own programs that help with the cost. First, consult the counter of your city, ward, town or village.
(Sources: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 19, MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information: Frequently Asked Questions” Q2)
What If We Want to Get Vaccinated in Another City or at Another Hospital, for Example While Staying with Family?
Routine vaccinations are basically received within the city, ward, town or village where you live. If you want your child vaccinated outside it, for example while staying at your family home for childbirth (satogaeri) or during a long hospital stay, consult your city, ward, town or village in advance. Depending on the city, ward, town or village, there are methods such as applying in advance and getting the cost refunded later (reimbursement). If your child is vaccinated without consulting them, you may have to pay the cost yourself.
(Sources: MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” Part 1 General Provisions 20, Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children” FAQ Q2)
What If a Serious Health Problem Occurs After a Vaccination?
There is the “Relief System for Injury to Health with Vaccination,” which provides benefits such as medical expenses and disability pensions when health damage occurs from routine vaccinations and others. After an application is made, a national council reviews it. The counter for consultation and claims is the city, ward, town or village where your child’s resident record was when the vaccination was received.
(Sources: MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information” On Relief for Health Damage, MHLW “Relief System for Injury to Health with Vaccination”)
I Was Asked for the Vaccination Record When My Child Entered Nursery School or School
The Maternal and Child Health Handbook serves as the vaccination record. For example, Yokohama City advises keeping the vaccination record (such as the Maternal and Child Health Handbook) carefully for life, because it may be needed when entering school or going abroad. For enrolling a child of foreign nationality in elementary or junior high school, please read How to Enroll Your Foreign National Child in Elementary or Junior High School in Japan: Procedures, What to Bring and Costs at Public Schools.
(Source: as an example, Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children” FAQ Q7)
Primary Sources Used for This Article
- MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information”
- MHLW “Vaccination and Vaccine Information: Frequently Asked Questions”
- MHLW “Guidelines for Implementing Routine Vaccinations” (revised October 1, Reiwa 8)
- MHLW pages for each vaccine (Rotavirus, 5-in-1 combined, Pediatric pneumococcal, Hepatitis B, BCG, MR, Varicella, Japanese encephalitis, DT, HPV, RSV)
- MHLW “Relief System for Injury to Health with Vaccination”
- ISA “Guidebook on Living and Working” 8th edition (Chapter 4: Childbirth and Child-rearing)
- Japan Institute for Health Security (JIHS) “Immunization Schedule in Japan”
- Children and Families Agency “Maternal and Child Health Handbook Information Support Site”
- Yokohama City “Vaccinations for Children”
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
