Childrearing and Education

Parenting (Childbirth/Childcare)

Pregnancy and childbirth

When you learn that you are expecting a child, visit your local ward office’s Mutual Community Support Division for necessary paperwork and procedures. You should also get a health checkup for pregnant women at a hospital/clinic. See the page for the procedures you need to undertake after giving birth. → Click Here

1. The Maternal and Child Health Handbook (母子健康手帳//Boshi Kenkō Techō)
You will receive a Maternal and Child Health Handbook, which provides a way to monitor and manage the health of both the mother and child, and keep a record of your pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. The handbook is available in English, Chinese, Tagalog, Thai, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, and Vietnamese, and contains check-up and vaccination vouchers.

2. Childbirth/Childcare Support Benefits
Expecting mothers and those raising children who have notified the City of their pregnancy or childbirth are eligible to receive benefits to help pay for items to be used for childbirth or childcare, or to use parenting support services. Contact the Mutual Community Support Division of the Public Welfare Department of your local ward office (see pages 41 and 42) for more information.

3. Health Check-ups
Take your child for check-ups to make sure they are growing up healthy and strong.

General Health Checkup for Newborns (One-month-old newborns)

When: At least 28 days old and up to the day before 6 weeks after birth
Where: Medical facility
How: Present your Maternal and Child Health Handbook and your Supplemental Information Booklet for the Maternal and Child Health Handbook.

General Health Checkup for Newborns

When: Twice until the day before the child’s first birthday
Where: Medical facility
How: Present your Maternal and Child Health Handbook and your Supplemental Information Booklet for the Maternal and Child Health Handbook.

Health Checkup for 4-Month-Old Children / Health Checkup for 18-Month-Old Children / Health Checkup for 3-Year-Old Children

The City of Hiroshima will send you an official notification about these health check-ups.

4. Financial Assistance for Child Medical Expenses

Financial assistance for child medical expenses is available for children until the 3rd year of junior high school or until March 31 following their 15th birthday. Assistance is provided for inpatient care until the 3rd year of junior high school, and for outpatient care until the 3rd year of elementary school.
Those earning over a certain amount are not eligible for financial assistance. From January 2025, eligibility for financial assistance for outpatient care will be extended from until 6th year of elementary school to until 3rd year of junior high school.

5. Child Allowances

Parents and guardians raising children up to the 3rd year of junior high school or until March 31 following their 15th birthday may be entitled to Child Allowances. Additionally, those raising children up to high school (until March 31 after the child’s 18th birthday) are also eligible for receiving child allowances from October 2024. For further information, contact your local ward office’s Welfare Division.

Nursery Schools and Kindergartens

In Japan, compulsory education starts from 6 years old. There are a variety of pre-school facilities for children not old enough to attend school, including nursery schools and kindergartens.

1. Nursery Schools (保育園//Hoikuen), etc

Nursery schools and other similar facilities look after children whose parents or guardians cannot care for them at home during the day because of work, illness, or other similar reasons.

Generally, if you want your child to attend one of these facilities, you should apply by the 10th day of the month before the month your child will start going. However, this does not apply if you wish to enroll your child in March or April.

For further information about applications and fees, contact your local ward office’s Welfare Division for the nursery school (etc.) you wish your child to attend.

Nursery schools (保育園//Hoikuen)
Age of child: Children ages 0 until they enter elementary school
Description: Facilities with 20 or more children

Certified Child Care Centers (認定こども園//Nintei-kodomo-en)
Age of child: Children ages 0 until they enter elementary school
Description: Facilities that provide both nursery school and kindergarten services

Small day-care services (for children aged 0 to 2)
Age of child: Children ages 0 to 2
Description: Facilities with 6-19 children

Daycare facilities established in places of business
Age of child: Children ages 0 to 2
Description: Facilities created by companies to provide daycare for their employees’ children / Facilities also accept children from the local community

2. Kindergartens (幼稚園//Yōchien)

Kindergartens are educational facilities for children before entering elementary school. There are two types of kindergartens: municipal and private.

Municipal kindergartens are for children aged 4 to 5 (Moto-machi, Ochiai, and Funakoshi Kindergartens also accept 3-year-olds). Applications for children aged 3 to 4 are accepted in October for the following year. However, if a kindergarten has spaces, you can apply at any time. For more information about municipal kindergartens, contact the Teacher Supervisory Division I of the Board of Education (Tel: 082-504-2784).

Most private kindergartens accept children aged 3 to 5. For more information about private kindergartens, contact the kindergarten you wish to send your child to directly.

Education

Compulsory education in Japan consists of elementary school (6-12 years old) and junior high school (12-15 years old). Those who want to continue their education take tests to go on to senior high school (3 years) and university (4 years), or junior college (2 years), etc. For all schools, the school year begins in April and ends the following March. There are national schools, public schools (prefectural, and municipal) and private schools.

Elementary school, junior high school, and special needs schools

Students can enter municipal elementary, junior high, and special needs schools regardless of their level of ability in Japanese; however, classes are conducted in Japanese. Schools students can enter are determined by their place of residence. There are no tuition fees, but a portion of lunch and educational material costs are required.

● Municipal Elementary and Junior High Schools
The Citizens Affairs Division of your local ward office, or the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469)

● Municipal Special Needs Schools
Youth Consultation Center (Tel: 082-504-2197)

📝 Struggling with school fees?
The City of Hiroshima provides school expense subsidies (就学援助//Shūgaku Enjo) to households struggling to send their children to school because of financial difficulties. For further information, contact your school or the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469).

📝 After-school care for elementary school students
After-school Kids’ Clubs are for elementary school students whose parents cannot look after them at home after school finishes because of work or other reasons. For further information, contact the Children’s Outlook Bureau After-School Care Division (Tel: 082-242-2014), or the Community Revitalization Division of your local ward office.

📝 Repeating elementary or junior high school studies
If you didn’t graduate elementary or junior high school, or didn’t achieve the grades you wanted, there are evening classes for those aged 15 and over who want to repeat their studies. Hiroshima Municipal Futaba Junior High School and Hiroshima Municipal Kan-on Junior High School offer junior high school level courses. If you would like to enroll in evening classes, contact the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education School Affairs Division (Tel: 082-504-2469).

Senior high school

In Japan, more than 98% of students go on to senior high school. Students must pass an entrance exam to go to senior high schools (some schools accept students based on recommendations). If a child has not graduated from junior high school in Japan but can prove that they have equivalent academic ability, they may take the senior high school entrance exam.

There are public (national, prefectural, and municipal) senior high schools and private senior high schools. These schools have different curricula, courses (general, industrial, commercial, agricultural, or integrated, etc.) and class hours (such as full-time, part-time (day or evening), and correspondence).

For information about municipal senior high schools, contact the Hiroshima Municipal Board of Education Teacher Supervisory Division II (Tel: 082-504-2704).

For further information about other senior high schools, contact the following places:
● National school: Hiroshima University High School Tel: 082-251-0192
● Prefectural schools: Hiroshima Prefectural Board of Education, Education Reform Division Tel: 082-513-4992
● Private schools: Association of Hiroshima Prefecture Private Junior and Senior High Schools Tel: 082-241-2805

Universities, junior colleges and professional training colleges

To enter a Japanese university, junior college, or professional training college, you must pass an entrance exam, like for high school. If you have not graduated from a Japanese junior or senior high school, but you can prove that you have equivalent academic ability, you can take an entrance exam. For more information, contact the educational facility you wish to go to directly.

International schools

The Hiroshima International School, which teaches in English, and the Hiroshima Korean School, which teaches in Korean, are two international schools in Hiroshima City. International schools are categorized as Miscellaneous Schools (各種学校//Kakushu Gakkō). They offer curriculums equivalent to those of Japanese kindergarten, elementary, junior high, and senior high schools. Their graduates may be eligible to go on to Japanese universities. For more information, contact the school directly.
● Hiroshima International School Tel: 082-843-4111
● Hiroshima Korean School Tel: 082-261-0028