Living in Japan

Jan 1, 2008

Taxes Dentists Doctors Embassies Getting your gaijin card Paying your bills Re-entry visa Sport Western Food


Taxes Income Tax Taxes during your first year in Japan will be quite low, with national income tax of ¥6-8,000 being deducted from your salary monthly. City Tax From June of your second year in Japan, you will also start to pay city taxes, based on your income for the previous financial year. ECC will automatically deduct this from your salary. For an ECC instructor city taxes typically range between ¥10-15,000 monthly.


Dentists-English speaking KOBE ITO, Keiichi D.D.S. – (078) 861-4713 – 2-1 Amagi-dori 7-chome, Nada-ku, Kobe KAMIMURA, Yasuhiro D.D.S. – (078) 232-0118 – Kamimura Dental Clinic Tekken Bldg. 3F, 8-1-30 Isogami-dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe TAKII, Motonari D.D.S. – (078) 331-8998 – 3rd Floor, Kanae Bldg. 4-8 Motomachi-dori 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe Takagi Dental Office – (078) 411-5600 – 1-11-19-203 Tanaka-cho, Higashinada-ku, Kobe YAMAGUCHI, Kazuhisa D.D.S. – (078) 321-2717 – Oriental Dental Clinic4-7 Nakayamate-dori 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe NAGOYA Dr. Ken Matsumoto – (052) 936-1307 – Columbia Dental Clinic, 3-20 Omatsu-cho, Higashi-ku Dr. Kuniaki Miyajima – (052) 681-4618 – Miyajima Dentistry, 11-11, Tamanoi-cho, Atsuta-ku OSAKA Ikehata Dental Clinic – (06) 6341-8148 – 1-3-16 Sonezaki Shinchi, Kita-ku, Osaka Kawamura Dental Clinic Umeda Office – (06) 6341-8148 – Umeda Tokai Bldg. 7F, 2-15-29 Sonezaki, Kita-ku, Osaka Noguchi Dental Clinic – (06) 6345-0561 – Shin Hankyu Bldg. 7F, 1-12-39 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka


Doctors English Speaking KANSAI – Kobe, Kyoto, Nara, Osaka AMDA (Association of Medical Doctors of Asia) provides medical information for foreigners. – Telephone: 06-4395-0555 – Consultation times: 9:00〜17:00(Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays) – English : Monday to Friday(9:00〜17:00) – Spanish : Monday to Friday(9:00〜17:00) – Portuguese, Chinese – Call for times KOBE BARRACLOUGH, Geoffrey M.D. – General Practitioner – International Clinic 8-3, Irifune 1-chome, Minatoku – (078) 801-8808, (Emergency Tel: (078) 801-7778) CHEN, Ken S. M.D. – General Practitioner – 6-2 Kitano-cho 2-chome, Chuo-ku, Kobe – (078) 242-4600 KYOTO OZAKI, Nobuyuki M.D. – General Practitioner – (075) 463-5061 – 69 Nakago-cho, Nishikyo, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604 SAKABE, Yoshio M.D. – Internist – (075) 231-1624 – Sakabe International Clinic Gokomachi dori Nijo Sagaru, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto NAGOYA Dr. Michael Alman – General Practitioner – International Clinic 8-3, Irifune 1-chome, Minatoku – 052-651-6496 Dr. Chikako Ariyoshi – General pediatrics and developmental and psychological diseases – Japanese Red Cross, Nagoya First Hospita 3-35, Michishita-cho, Namamura-ku – 052-481-5111 Dr. Yoshiaki Ito – Internal medicine – 414 Takama-cho, Meito-ku – 052-702-6001 Dr. Hiromi Kawahara – Thoracic and general surgery – AHI Hosipital, 987-31 Minamiyama, Komenoki-cho, Nisshin-shi, Aichi – 05617-3-7721 Dr. Hiroshi Mizuno – Gastric-intestinal – 4-14-3, Imaike, Chikusa-ku – 052-733-0300 Dr. Atsumi Shibata – Endocrinology – Nichimaru Nagoya Building 4th Floor, 1-3, Shin Sakae-machi, Naka-ku – 052-971-5627 Dr. Fumio Tachino – Internal medicine – International Clinic, Dai Nagoya Building 3rd Floor, 3-28-12, Meieki, Nakamura-ku – 052-541-9130 Dr. Shinji Takeuchi – Breast Surgery – 2-124-1 Hongo, Meito-ku – 052-771-6111 Dr. Tadashi Taki – Dermatology and Plastic Surgery – Ozone Dai Ichi Seimei Building 2nd Floor, 7-789-1, Higashi Ozone Hondori, Ozone, Higashi-ku – 052-712-1820 Dr. Kanichiro Tashiro – Gynecological oncology – Nichimaru Nagoya Building 3rd Floor, 1-3, Shin Sakae-machi, Naka-ku – 052-971-0930 Dr. Hajime Togari – Immunizations – Nagoya City Hospital Pediatrics Department, 1 Kawasumi, Mizuho-cho, Mizuoho-ku – 052-851-5511 Dr. Yasuyuki Yamada – Obstetrics and gynecology – Nagoya Seikei Fujinka,Naika, 4-137 Kusunoki, Kita-ku – 052-901-1313 Dr. Tsutomu Nakashima – Ear, nose and throat – Nagoya University Hospital, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku – 052-741-2111 OSAKA ITOH, Masahisa M.D. – General Practitioner – (06) 6364-6021 – Nakanoshima Shinryosho 5-15 Nishitenma 1-chome, Kita-ku, Osaka MIYAMOTO, Junichi M.D. – General Practitioner – (06) 6231-0650 – Miyamoto Naika1-8 Kitahama 3-chome, Chuo-ku, Osaka MIYAMOTO, Takako M.D. – General Practitioner – (06) 6222-2730 – Miyamoto Kitahama Clinic 41 Kitahama 3-chome, Higashi-ku, Osaka


Embassies/Consulates Australia – 06-6941-8601- Twin 21 Mid Tower 29F, 2-1-61 Shiromi,Chuo-ku, Osaka. Canadian – 052-972-0450 – Nakato Marunouchi Building, 6F, 3-17-6 Marunouchi, Naka-ku, Nagoya New Zealand – 06-6942-9016 – Twin 21 Mid Tower, 28F, 2-1-61 Shiromi, Chuo-Ku, Osaka United Kingdom – 06-62881-1616 – Seiko Osaka Building, 19F, 3-5-1 Bakuromachi, Chuo-ku, Osaka United States of America – 06-6315-5900 – 2-11-5 Nishitenma, Kita-Ku, Osaka.


Gaijin/Alien Registration Cards If you are a foreign resident, and you remain in Japan for over 90 days, you must apply for a Certificate of Alien Registration. This “Gaijin Card” is helpful in getting a bank account, an apartment, and a video rental card in Japan. It is your proof of residency. To get one, go to your local city, town or ward office. Bring your passport and two photo IDs. The photos must have been taken within the last 6 months and need to measure 4 cm by 3cm. Processing of your application takes a week or two and you will need to return and pick the card up. You must carry either your alien registration card, or passport, with you at all times. In larger cities, it is not so unusual to be randomly stopped by the police and asked to produce the card. The law is ambiguous about the polices’ right to do this but showing the card does make life easier. For those who view this as infringing upon human rights you might be interested to visit here.


Paying your bills Most convenience such as Lawson and 7/11 will accept payments for your telephone, gas and electricity bills. Alternatively, you can set up monthly deductions from your bank account.


Re-entry Visa Thinking about travelling abroad during your holidays? Make sure you have a re-entry visa. Foreigners working in Japan who leave on vacations, need to have a re-entry visa to return to Japan. This is a separate visa to that allowing you to work in Japan. Documents needed (1) Application for Re-entry Permit (2) Passport (3) Certificate of Alien Registration (4) Processing fee (3,000 yen for a single-entry permit, 6,000 yen for a multiple-entry permit) (5) Additional documents where necessary Kobe Immigration Bureau – Kaigan dori 29, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0024 – 078-391 6377 Kyoto Regional Immigration Bureau – Kyoto Chiho Dai-ni Godo Chosha 4F34-12 Higashi-Marutamachi, Marutamachi Kawabata Higashi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City – TEL 075-752-5997FAX 075-762-2121 – Monday-Friday 9:00am-12:00pm, 1:00-4:00 pm (closed on weekends) Nagoya Regional Immigration Bureau – 5-18, Shoho-cho, Minato-ku, Nagoya – 052-559-2151~2 – Monday-Friday 9:00am-12:00 pm, 1:00-4:00pm Nara Branch Office – 4-1, Higashikideracho 3-chome Nara cityNara Dai 2 Homu Sogo Chosha – Tel 0742-23-6501Fax 0742-23-6602 Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau – 1-29-53 Nanko-kita, Suminoe-ku, Osaka. – 06-4703-2100 – Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm


Sport Australian Rules Football Club – Osaka – Players wanted, open to all. Practice every Saturday at Osaka Castle Park. – Contact: Kimio, 06-976-6441 Bujinkan Kansai – Osaka/Kyoto – Marshall Dojos offering armed & unarmed training. – Osaka-090-6964-1146, Kyoto- 090-4288-3357 shigabudo@hotmail.com Cricket Club – Nagoya – Contact: Chris Bond, (Call between 5:00pm and 10:00pm) – tel. 052-799-2676, fax. 052-774-0483 Cricket Club – Osaka – Byron: 090-9168-4657 / Tony: 080-3108-1021 Kansai Ramblers – Kansai – Hiking once a month on Sundays. Check the Kansai Time Out for details of each month’s hike. – Call Fukunishi Morio 0729-88-0600 Kobe Regatta and Athletic Club – Kobe – www.krac.org – Tel: 078-231 2271 Kung Fu & Tai-chi – Kobe – www.johnskungfu.com – 090-3944-0865 Murphy’s Soccer Team – Osaka – email to Rod at roddo@gol.com Outdoor Japan – Osaka – Links to information on hiking, skiing, cycling & a host of other sports in Japan Paintball – Osaka/Kyoto – www.alpex.ne.jp Running – Hash Housh Harriers – Kansai – fullmoonhash – 0798-53-8052 Tennis Sundays – Osaka – emu-hiroshi@nifty.com Touch Rugby – Nagoya – Coed, experienced and non-experienced okay. Teams in Toyohashi, Gamagori and Nagoya are looking for players. Season starts in April. – Contact: Lance Watane, tel. 052-783-7271. FITNESS CLUBS OXY Hankyu – Osaka – Umeda – Kitano Hankyu Building 4F – 06-6357-3111 Tipness – Osaka, Umeda – OS Building 4F – 06-6363-3531 Tipness – Osaka, Namba – 06-6646-3531 Tipness – Osaka, Kyobashi – Keihan Mall 6F – 06-6352-3531 Tipness – Kobe – 078-360-1561 Club West – Osaka, Shinsaibashi – Big Step 5F


Western Food When homesickness sets in, look for Costco. You can visit their store in Amagasaki. It is within 20 minutes reach of Umeda, Osaka. Alternatively, order via a website – The flying Pig. Also check out the Foreign Buyer’s Club in Kobe. Click here

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