Child Allowance (after October 2024)（児童手当）

Eligibility（支給対象）

Those with an address in Higashihiroshima City who are raising children up to the age of high school (until the first March 31 after their 18th birthday) (the main earner of the family)

The ‘main earner of the family’ refers to the parent or guardian of the child with the higher income and the higher level of maintaining the child’s livelihood.

Payment amounts (monthly amount for each child)（支給額）

• The payment amount for children under the age of 3 will be until the month when the child turns 3.
• ‘After the third child’ refers to the third child who is raised, until the first March 31 after his/her 22nd birthday (the child allowance payment is until high school age, but the multiple child allowance also applies to university students (until the first March 31st after the child’s 19th to 22nd birthday)).
• There is no income limit.

Payment Dates（支給時期）

As a rule, payments are made to the recipient's bank account six times a year in even-numbered months:
December (October and November), February (December and January), April (February and March), June (April and May), August (June and July), October (August and September)

* The payment date is the 15th of each payment month. However, if that day falls on a Sunday, Saturday, or national holiday, the date will be the weekday immediately preceding this.

The following rules apply to the Child Allowance system!

1. In principle, the allowance is paid if the child lives in Japan. The allowance cannot be paid to children living overseas.
   However, children who do not have an address in Japan because they are studying abroad and meet certain requirements are eligible for the allowance.
2. If the parents are living separately due to divorce negotiations, etc., the allowance will be paid preferentially to the person living with the child (proof that divorce negotiations are underway is required).
3.  If the parents live overseas, and they designate someone to raise the child in Japan, the allowance will be paid to that person (the person designated by the parents).
4.  If the guardian raising the child is themself a minor, the allowance will be paid to that minor guardian.
5. If the child is in an institution or entrusted to foster parents, as a rule, the allowance will be paid to the founder of the institution or the foster parents, etc.

How to apply（申請方法）

Certification request（認定請求）

When your child is born or you move to Higashihiroshima City from another city or town, please submit a certification request (application) as soon as possible. (If you are a public servant, submit your application to your workplace.)

In principle, child allowance will be paid from the month following the month in which you applied.

If the date of birth or date of moving (scheduled date of moving out of your previous address) is close to the end of the month, even if the application date is in the following month, it will be paid from the month of application as long as it is within 15 days of the day after the date of birth or planned date of moving out. (※ the 15-Day Special Rule)

Please note that if you apply late, you will not be able to receive the allowance for the delayed month.

Required documents for certification request application（認定請求に必要なもの）

• (If raising a child under the age of 3) Documents showing the claimant's health insurance qualification information (a copy of the qualification confirmation letter, a copy of the qualification information notice, a copy of the health insurance certificate (up to December 1, 2025), a screenshot of the insurance information confirmation screen on the My Number Portal, or a pension enrollment certificate)
  * Not required for those who are not members of the Public Servant Mutual Aid Association, but please bring them if possible.

• A copy of a bankbook (regular deposit) in the applicant's name

• A document to confirm the applicant's and spouse's personal numbers
  (a My Number card, My Number notification card, etc.)

• A document to verify the identity of the applicant (driver's license, etc.)
• A passport if the applicant’s address is overseas as of January 1st of the review year
  * There are other documents that you may need to submit as necessary.

1. When the number of children being raised increases due to the birth of a second or subsequent child, or when there are no more eligible children because you are no longer raising a child
   Procedures must be completed within 15 days from the day after the change occurred. The same procedures are required when a child enters or leaves a facility.
2. When moving out of Higashihiroshima City
   Submit a ‘Notification of Termination of Reason for Receiving Benefits’ to Higashihiroshima City, and apply for certification in the city or town where you are moving to, within 15 days from the day after the planned date of moving out.
3. When changing the child's main carer (the main earner of the family) due to adoption, divorce, etc.
   The new main carer must apply for certification within 15 days from the day after the change occurred.
4. When the recipient moves out of Japan
   If the recipient moves out of Japan due to a job transfer or other reason, and the spouse, etc., continues to live in Japan with the child, the spouse, etc. must apply for certification within 15 days from the day after the planned move.
5. When the recipient becomes or ceases to be a public servant
   When the recipient becomes or ceases to be a public servant, formalities must be completed by Higashihiroshima City and the place of employment within 15 days from the day after the change.
6. When the recipient moves to a different address from the child
   If the recipient continues to have custody of the child, an ‘Application for Separate Custody’ must be submitted.
7. When the recipient dies
   The child's guardian must apply for certification within 15 days from the day after the death.
8. When the address of the recipient, spouse, or child changes
   A ‘Notification of Change’ must be submitted.
9. When the name of the recipient, spouse, or child changes
   A ‘Notification of Change’ must be submitted.
10. When there is a change in the household situation to which the child belongs due to marriage, divorce, etc.
    A ‘Notification of Change’ must be submitted.
11. When the recipient's public pension plan changes (including when the recipient becomes a civil servant)
    A ‘Notification of Change’ must be submitted.
12. When there is a change in telephone number or when the transfer account is changed to another account in the recipient's name
    When there is a change in telephone number, formalities must be completed.
    In addition, the formalities for changing the account must be completed by the end of the month prior to the month in which the allowance is paid.
13. If you continue to receive benefits (when receiving child allowance after June)
    Only those who fall under the following category are required to submit a Notification of Current Status (submitted every June)
    i) Those whose address on their resident registration is not in Higashihiroshima City due to spousal violence, etc.
    ii) Those who are in the process of divorce negotiations and living separately from their spouse in Japan
    iii) Those who are raising a university-aged child who has not continued their education but has found employment and have submitted a Confirmation of Custody and Living Expenses (see 15.)
    iv) Those who have received a notice to submit a report from the city
    The Notification of Current Status is to understand the situation as of June 1st every year and to confirm whether the requirements for continuing to receive child allowances etc. from June onwards (custody and protection of children, same household relationship, etc.) are met.
    Please note that if you are required to submit the notification and do not do so, you will not be able to receive allowances from June onwards.
    
    How to submit a Notification of Current Status
    At the end of May, a ‘Notification of Current Status’ envelope will be sent to recipients who need to submit one.
    Please fill in the necessary information, attach the necessary documents, and return it in the reply envelope by the end of June. (Please check the document sent for details.)
14. Donations
    If you would like to donate all or part of your Child Allowance to the city instead of receiving it, and have it used to support the healthy development of local children, there is a procedure for making a donation. Please contact us if you are interested.
15. When raising children of university age
    If you are raising three or more children of university age or younger and have a child eligible for the child allowance, you must submit a confirmation letter regarding custody and living expenses.
    If you do not submit this, your university age children will not be eligible to be counted for the multiple child allowance.
    If you no longer raise one of your children, you must submit a Notification of Change. This can be done at any time.
    If your child is going on to a junior college or vocational school, their planned graduation date will be before the first March 31st after their 22nd birthday, so if you continue raising your children after graduation, you will need to submit a request for confirmation as shown above again.

Children and Family Support Division  General Child Raising Section (Kodomo Katei-ka Kosodate-somu-gakari, こども家庭課 子育て総務係) : 082-420-0941

Location: 2F Main building