In Nagoya, the system of garbage sorting and collection is strictly categorized. Specified plastic bags (Burnable refuse, Non-Burnable refuse, & Recyclable Refuse) can be purchased at supermarkets and convenience stores. Pamphlets about the garbage sorting system are available in 5 languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese & Korean) at the 3F Information Service Corner of the Nagoya International Center.

If you work or study full time you may find it difficult to visit your local ward office when you need to. However, Nagoya City Ward Offices & Branch Offices are open on the some Sundays during the month.

If you alreay have a foreign driving license the path to converting to a Japanese license is split into 3 parts: an inspection of documents followed by a vision and colour recognition check, a knowledge test, and a practical driving test.

If you posses an International Driving Permit or have a driving license from a certain country, provided you meet certain conditions you can legally drive on the roads in Japan. If you don’t meet the conditions, you will need to get a Japanese driving license – either converting a valid foreign license or applying from scratch.

Large-sized garbage or sodai gomi　粗大ごみ is waste larger than 30 x 30 x 30 cm and if requested can be collected by Nagoya City for a fee. However, the City will not collect PC hard drives, laptops, PC monitors, air conditioners, regular TVs, refrigerators, or washing machines.

Plan to get in shape this year? Give your New Year resolution a kick-start at one of these low-cost weekly aerobics lessons in Nagoya City.

Don’t be stuck with huge bags of garbage in your apartment until the New Year. Make a note of the last and first garbage collection days of 2010.

A video guide to sorting plastic and paper recycling waste in Nagoya City. Produced by the City of Nagoya.

There are over 130 municipal sports facilities in Nagoya City – including sports centers (with volleyball, badminton, basketball, and futsal courts), tennis courts, baseball fields, athletic fields, football and rugby fields, gateball fields, and baseball stadiums. All are available for amateur sports use by the public at very reasonable rates. Making a reservation is easy.

Up September 2011 all children aged 15 or under (born after April 2, 1996), including those children living abroad, that met the eligibility requirements were entitled to receive child-rearing payments. However from October 1, with the exception of those children abroad for study purposes, children that are not currently resident in Japan will not be eligible to receive child-rearing payments.

People residing, working, or attending school in Aichi prefecture can borrow books from Nagoya municipal libraries

Nagoya City has 14 outdoor public pools open just for the summer season.
On July 20, all 16 outdoors pools are open free of charge! Don’t forget your swimming cap!

There are 16 ward offices and 6 branch offices serving the City of Nagoya. If you work or study full time you may find it difficult to visit your local ward office when you need to. However, Nagoya City Ward Offices & Branch Offices are now open on the 1st Sunday of the month (2nd Sunday in May and January) between 08:45 and 12:00

Three changes to Nagoya City garbage collection will come into effect from Friday, April 1.

The Higashiyama, Meijo, Tsurumai, and Sakuradori lines will be running ALL NIGHT on December 31!

Tweet   In November two schemes were launched – one national, one local – both with the aim of encouraging consumers to get into the habit of recycling electrical goods that previously were regarded as useless garbage as soon as they became defunct.   Cash in Your Mobile たんすケータイあつめタイ ＼(^o^)／ Did you know that on [...]

Tweet From April 1, 2010 the Nagoya City city tax offices will be restructuring. Inquiries and processing of city tax (shizei市税) will only be accepted at the 3 main offices and 3 branch offices listed below.   Offices are open Monday to Friday 08:45 – 17:15); closed on weekends & holidays. – Residents of Higashi, [...]

Tweet ■Nagoya City Public Elementary School Enrollment Applications 小学校入学に関する手続きについて Were you aware that children of foreign nationality can enroll in public elementary schools? If you live in Nagoya City and would like your child to attend a Nagoya City public elementary school from April 2010, you can apply at your local ward office’s citizen’s section [...]

My first child is due in December, is there any financial support available from the government?

The “kyuyo-shotoku-gensen-choshu-hyo” (給与所得源泉徴収票) or “income tax withholding statement” can be obtained from your place of work. Statements for the previous tax year are usually available in January each year.

I recently became unemployed. Can I claim unemployment benefits?

Tweet ★What’s all the hoo-hah? Updated: March 4, 2010 According to the Immigration Guideline Changes (March 2009), you would be required to present proof of enrolment “social insurance” if you want to renew your visa. So your visa would be linked to enrolment in government-approved health insurance (kokumin kenko hoken, shakai hoken, or shigaku kyosai). [...]

Tweet Are you paying into a Japanese pension scheme? Planning not to be in Japan when its time to claim it? Did you know that foreign nationals that have paid into a National Pension scheme国民年金, the Employees’ Pension Insurance厚生年金, or Kyosai Kumiai共済組合, can receive a lump sum pension refund, known as the “Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment [...]

Tweet ■Supplementary Income Payments The Japanese government is planning to provide Supplementary Income Payments (teigaku-kyufukin) to all residents, including registered foreign nationals. Only those foreign nationals that have completed Alien Registration and are registered with their local municipality by February 1, 2009 will be eligible; those with Temporary Visitor status or those who are staying [...]

My husband and I have just had a baby. We want to visit our relatives in our home country as soon as possible. How can we get a passport for the baby?

The Long-Term Care Insurance System involves the whole of society and is run by the social insurance system to ensure long-term care for elderly. According to their needs people or families needing long term care are able to choose from medical and welfare services.

The National Pension Scheme, Employees’ Welfare Pension Insurance, and Withdrawing from the Pension Program

Public Health Centers are governmental agencies responsible for public health, but they do not provide medical treatment themselves. Each ward has one Public Health Center, the main duties of which are to provide medical and dental advice; control infectious diseases; provide vaccinations; ensure environmental sanitation; prevent noise and odor pollution; undertake inspections to prevent food poisoning; and control the cat and dog population.

All foreign nationals intending to remain in Japan for 90 days or more (or 60 days in the case of infants born in Japan) must follow alien registration procedures and obtain an alien registration card. Foreign nationals 16 years of age and older must carry their alien registration card with them at all times.