JICA Scholarship
| Frequent Questions & Answers
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| JICA Homepage for Long - Term Participants: Q&A |
July 2004 |
| 1. |
Temporary Leave to Travel Home and / or to a Third Country |
| (1) |
How To Apply |
| Question 1: |
I am planning to make a short trip home for a private reason. What documents should I submit to JICA to get permission for leave? Are they same as the ones for “Overseas Research”?
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| Answer 1: |
The form is differed to the ones for Overseas Research. Please submit “Request for Temporary Leave” form to your JICA program officer.
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| Question 2: |
Should I submit any document to JICA to apply for temporary leave? |
| Answer 2: |
Please clarify details of your travel plan (date, period, place to visit and stay, reason for the trip etc.) and gain your supervisor's signature for permission in the request form "Request for Temporary Leave", and submit it to your JICA officer.
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| (2) |
Payments For the Expenses (Allowances, Arrangement of Air Tickets, etc) |
| Question 1: |
Can I expect any financial support from JICA concerning my trip? |
| Answer 1: |
Please note that all expenses concerning with your trip have to be afforded by yourself. You are asked to make all necessary arrangements on this matter by your own responsibility. Living allowance will be also suspended during your leave from Japan. |
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| 2. |
Overseas Research |
| (1) |
How To Apply |
| Question 1: |
How can I apply for an overseas research trip? |
| Answer 1: |
Please ask the details at the occasion of Monitoring Meetings held approximately every three months.
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| Question 2: |
How many times can I make overseas research in a year? |
| Answer 2: |
There is no limitation on the number of times for your overseas research. However, please make sure to gain your professor's recommendation that the trips would be essential for your research project and permission for your leave. You have to arrange the trips well and avoid discouraging your study in Japan. Also please note that you need to inform of your research trip plan to JICA staff every time you plan to do so.
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| Question 3: |
I have informed my JICA officer of my plan for overseas research by email. Has it been approved yet? |
| Answer 3: |
Any application by email is not recognised as formal one and therefore JICA cannot give you an approval for it. Please make sure to fill in the application and send it to JICA by post after gaining your professor's signatures on the document as a formal procedure.
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| (2) |
Payments For the Expenses (Allowances, Arrangement of Air Tickets, etc) |
| Question 1: |
Would JICA give us any financial support for overseas research trip such as air ticket fee? |
| Answer 1: |
All travel expenses have to be paid by the participant and JICA provides no additional fees for it. However, JICA will keep providing you living allowance in Japan if the research trip is carried within 30 days. Living allowance will be suspended after 30 days of your absence.
(See "Overseas Research" in JICE HandBook)
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| Question 2: |
Would you clarify the exact period which I can go on overseas research without receiving allowance reduction? |
| Answer 2: |
See "Overseas Research". |
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| 3. |
Visa |
| (1) |
Re-Entry Visa Permission |
| Question 1: |
When do I need to get a Re-Entry Visa? |
| Answer 1: |
Whenever you travel abroad by "temporary leave" or "overseas research trip", you are required to get a Re-Entry Visa. Please ask the Regional Immigration Bureau / Office about necessary documents for obtaining Re-Entry visa.
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| (2) |
Extension of Period of Stay |
| Question 1: |
Do I have to inform the city hall of my period of stay extended? |
| Answer 1: |
Yes, you are requested to give the city hall or ward office of it within 14 days from the extension procedures completed. |
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| 4. |
Bank |
| (1) |
Opening A Bank Account (for a debit service) |
| Question 1: |
What do I need in order to open a bank account?
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| Answer 1: |
Following items are usually required to provide:
1. Foreign Registration Card
2. Hanko (personal stamp) *You may order to make one with your name at hanko shop, or find any one in Japanese name in Kanji which sounds similar to your name. In the latter case, you may even find one at “100 yen shop”.
*Please note that additional items might be required depending on the bank.
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| Question 2: |
For payments of my monthly rent, my landowner requires me to apply for a debit system. What procedures should I take for it? |
| Answer 2: |
As your bank account opened by JICA does not accept debit system, you need to open another bank account. Foreign registration card would be necessary to open one.
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| Question 3: |
Can I have a private bank account other than the one given by JICA? |
| Answer 3: |
Certainly you can open one on your responsibility.
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| Question 4: |
I went to a bank to open a new account, but they told me that the duration of my stay in Japan need to be more than 6 months in order to open a bank account. What should I do? |
| Answer 4: |
Recently, banks tend to require foreigners stay in Japan for more than 6 months in order to open a bank account. Each bank, however, has a different policy and sometimes their procedures are different from branch to branch, so you may want to try with other banks. Or you can easily open an account at a post office whose account almost functions as a bank account.
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| (2) |
Credit Card |
| Question 1: |
Could I kindly ask JICA for an issue of "certified document to prove the participant's financial ability" in order to apply for a credit card in Japan? |
| Answer 1: |
JICA would not be able to help you with your credit card matters even for a document issue.
*We recommend the participants to make a credit card in their home countries (before coming to Japan). Visa, Master and Amex would be generally accepted in main department stores and shops in Japan.
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| Question 2: |
Are there any credit cards which I may apply for without guarantor (hosho - nin)? I would like to have one to buy English books on Internet. |
| Answer 2: |
University COOP (seikyo) provides Student Credit Card (called "Tuo Card") designed for students and international students can apply for as Japanese students do. There are also some companies and financial institutions which provides such cards (e.g. Yucho (Post Office), Citibank, DC Card, etc.). Please directly consult them for your eligibility to apply.
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| (3) |
Others |
| Question 1: |
I lost my wallet in which my bank card was contained. Today I reported the problem to the bank and they cancel my bank card so that no one taking the card can use it. However, the teller told me that I could not re-issue the new card because I did not open the bank account by myself. Could you please advise me for further instruction on this matter? |
| Answer 1: |
You could not re - issue the new card because the account was opened under JICA's authority. Please contact your JICA officer and report the issue so that he / she can arrange the new card through JICA Headquarters.
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| Question 2: |
I went to the bank to ask a teller to issue a balance sheet of my bank account, however they did not accept my request because the account is owned by JICA. How can I have a balance sheet from them? I need one for a tourist visa application for my friend who wants to visit me. |
| Answer 2: |
First of all, you cannot directly request the bank for the paper issue on the account, which JICA has given to you, as you experienced. If you need a balance sheet for your personal matter such as your friend's visa issue, please open another bank account by yourself and request the bank to issue one. |
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| 5. |
Invitation of Family |
| (1) |
How To Apply |
| Question 1: |
I would like to invite my wife and two daughters on October 4, 2001. I would like them to stay with me up to October 4, 2002. Kindly advice me on what support can JICA offer in terms of: 1) family upkeep allowance 2) securing an air ticket for my family? |
| Answer 1: |
Concerning family invitation, please refer to "Inviting Your Family to Japan" in JICE HandBook. Students are allowed to invite the family on condition that he / her takes all responsibilities and pays all expenses by him / herself. What JICA and JICE can prepare is as follows.
A) Scholarship document of payment and duration
B) Other documents for proving supporter's financial ability
C) Copy of contract for apartment and dormitory
Students are able to start the process after they settled contract for an apartment. Generally it takes about a few months until the family arrives in Japan.
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| Question 2: |
How long does it take for JICA to issue the official documents necessary for my family's visa application? |
| Answer 2: |
Please directly consult with your JICA Program Officer in charge for the exact schedule.
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| (2) |
Obtainment of Visa |
| Question 1: |
I am currently thinking to invite my wife to Japan. Would the procedures be complicated to take? What would be the necessary procedures? What documents would be required? Please give me an instruction. |
| Answer 1: |
The necessary information and procedures to invite your wife and family are found in "Inviting Your Family to Japan" in JICE HandBook, however the basic procedures would be as following:
1) Submit "Request for Document Issue and Pledge Regarding Invitation of Family" to your JICA officer,
2) Apply for a Certificate of Eligibility for your wife at the nearest Immigration Office,
3) Send the Certificate to your wife back in your home country, and
4) Your wife takes the Certificate and other necessary documents to the Japanese Embassy and makes an application for visa issue.
When you apply for an issue of Certificate of Eligibility, you need to take the following documents / items:
A) Application Form (Could gain at the Immigration Office)
B) 2 Photos (taken within 6 months, sized 4cm x 3cm)
C) A return envelope with your address and 430 yen stamp for registered mail
D) Document proving relationship between you and your wife, such as Family Registration, Marriage Certificate, Marriage Receipt Certificate etc.
E) Certificate on Registered Matters on your Foreign Registration (applicable at a local city hall) or copy of your passport
F) Enroll Certificate from your university (applicable at the student support center at your university)
G) Certified Receipt of Scholarship and Duration (to be issued by JICA)
H) Certified document to prove the participant's financial ability (to be issued by JICA)
If you have further questions, please directly contact to the nearest Immigration Office.
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| Question 2: |
I would like to inform you of my intention to invite my family to Japan for a period of 3 weeks. Could you please arrange a cover letter for me to send to them so that they could be able to get the visa from the Japanese embassy in my Country? |
| Answer 2: |
If your family will make a short-term stay (less than 3 months), they will only need tourist visa to obtain. For an issue of tourist visa, you usually need the following documents concerning to your family:
A) A ticket for boarding an airplane or a vessel to leave Japan, or a written guarantee issued by a transport company.
B) A valid passport which enables the foreign national concerned to enter foreign countries out of Japan.
C) Documents certifying that the person concerned can defray all expenses incurred during the stay in Japan. However in some countries, an official document (such as Certified Receipt of Scholarship and Duration) would be required to submit. Please contact the nearest immigration office and check with them exactly what documents you will need to submit at first, and then contact your JICA officer for the document issue if you are told to need one.
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| Question 3: |
How long it would take to obtain a visa for my family after a submission of documents at the immigration office? |
| Answer 3: |
It depends on each case. Please ask to the immigration office for the details but it takes at least one month in many cases.
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| Question 4: |
I will get married next month at home and would like to bring my future wife soon after the marriage. Is there a way to facilitate the processing time of the visa, I mean as much shorter as we could? |
| Answer 4: |
We do not think there is any way to make the visa issue procedures compact because it is really in the immigration bureau's hand. However, you may start preparing for some of documents which are necessary for the visa issue application and you may have even before the marriage next month; two documents to be issued by JICA, a Certificate of Eligibility (to be issued at the immigration office in Japan), etc. It might be a good idea to contact to the immigration bureau in Tokyo at first, tell your situation and ask for their advices too. They probably cannot tell how long to take for the visa issue but should be able to tell you the right documents you need to prepare for the application.
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| (3) |
Application for Health Insurance |
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Question 1: |
My wife and child have just arrived in Japan to stay with me. Do they have to apply for National Health Insurance too?
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| Answer 1: |
Yes. All foreign residents living in Japan have obligation to apply for National Health Insurance. Please visit the city hall or ward office in your residential area and make the necessary procedures. |
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| 6. |
Housing Related |
| (1) |
Problem Solving |
| Question 1: |
Our agreement to pay the rent is in the end of every preceding month. However, as JICA transfers our allowance on the 5th, it is hard for me to pay like that. I would like to ask you if it is possible to pay my house rent on the 6th of each month. Can you please contact the agent and the landlord on this matter? |
| Answer 1: |
Unfortunately it is very difficult to negotiate with the landowner for changing the payment deadline to the beginning of months. The payment schedule has been clarified in the housing contract and this kind of case may apply for most of other lessees, including other JICA Long - Term Training Participants too. We are therefore would like to advise you to:
1) Save the money for monthly rent until the end of month. Opening a private bank account and save the money in it could be also effective. Or,
2) Make the payment earlier. Even you may do it in the beginning of month for the next month's rent straight after receiving the allowance if you are worried to spend the necessary money.
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| Question 2: |
I have problem in my kitchen-tub (place where we wash our utensils such as plates and spoon etc.). Previously, it became slow to go down water from the tub and last week it blocked / stopped completely. I would appreciate if you could kindly give me advice what are the ways to open or clean up the pipe of that kitchen-tub so that water can go down as before. |
| Answer 2: |
It is supposed that the problem of the kitchen was caused by some kitchen dust or obstacles stacked. There are some strong detergents which dissolve kitchen waste in the pipe. You can get them at the supermarket and the name of detergent is "Pipe Through" or something like that. Or, there is also another general idea to put a hose into the drain and flush those obstacles by strong stream of water. If those measures do not work or you would like to ask help with the manager of the apartment, JICE will contact them.
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Question 3:
<Garbage Rules> |
My apartment landlord asks me to follow local garbage rules. How can I find out about it and what are in general expected by the rules. |
| Answer 3: |
In Japan, you are asked to strictly follow the garbage rules specified by a municipal authority at your residence area. You can find out about the rules on a HP of municipal authority or posters at the garbage collection sites. If you need help in undersetting what exactly the rules enforce you to do, contact JICE staff in charge of you.
The rules in general require you to sort recycle resource such as newspaper/magazines, bin/cans, and plastic bottles from garbage. Then, you should also separate burnable garbage from those of non-burnable. (Burnable/non-burnable garbage is defined differently in each municipal authority.) Finally you can take each garbage and recycle resource to garbage collection sites on designated collection day and time. Garbage is collected normally in early morning to keep crows from pecking them open.
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| (2) |
Moving |
| Question 1 (After JFY 2002): |
If I want to move out from University International Residence, would it be okay? I plan to rent a house near the university. My friend will help me searching for a house. I would like to know the procedure in this regard. |
| Answer 1: |
We would like to advise you to acknowledge the following points:
1) Basically, changing dwelling place by a personal reason is not allowed, and therefore, please clarify with your JICA Officer the reason(s) why you wish to move the place.
2) JICA will examine the reason(s) and make a decision if your request would be appropriate under JICA's regulation.
3) In case you could obtain JICA's permission, please contact JICE BEFORE making the housing contract. We need to know the details of the apartment you wish to move in (if you already have found the one).
4) In case the housing contract needs a guarantor, please let the realestate company know that JICA will take the role for you. Please note that your professor and friends cannot be a guarantor under JICA's regulation.
5) If you have decided the apartment to move in, please set up the date of contract commencement (= the day you can start living in the room) on the day which is 2 weeks later from that time. (e.g. if you decided the room today, you have to make the contract to be started two weeks later from today.)
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| Question 2: |
I will move out the apartment as a result of my study program to be completed soon and have many things and furniture to be cleared. Can you suggest us how to manage it well? |
| Answer 2: |
In most of cases, you will have to contact to the city / ward office in your residence for a pick-up, and pay for some disposal charges if you wish to dispose disused large-sized items. It might be good idea if you could give the items to your friends or other students. Also, you may try to contact "recycle shops" (second-hand shops) around your house and ask if you can sell the items to the shops. Your friends and JICA participants who are also leaving Japan at the same period of time might be able to help you in giving some good information about good shops too.
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| Question 3: |
I currently stay at an apartment, however I would like to move to an apartment with cheaper rent. Can JICE suggest alternative apartments for me? |
| Answer 3: |
JICE can only assist your search of apartment once. If you already had the assistance of apartment search from JICE staff for your current apartment, you are asked to search alterative apartments by yourself. You can expect JICE staff’s assistance in searching the second apartment if you need to move to the new apartment for the reasons beyond your control.
In any case you wish to move to another apartment/dormitory, first of all, you need to get JICA’s permission.
See “after JFY2002 -Arrangement for Housing -11. Moving To Another Apartment”
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| Question 4: |
What’s the best way to move my luggage to my apartment? |
| Answer 4: |
You can use a delivery service (Yamato Transport Co.) available at a front desk of each JICA International Center. We recommend you use the “delivery date/time appointment service” which you can pre-set the date and the time your luggage to be delivered.
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| Question 5: |
I recently moved to a new apartment. Do I have to change the address on my Alien Registration and National Health Insurance? |
| Answer 5: |
Yes, you need to go to a Ward office or City office of your new address and change the registered address. You may need to obtain a certificate of registration (for Alien Registration Card), in case you are required to submit the certificate to the University or JICA, etc.
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| (3) |
Payments of Repair and Cleaning Fees and Important Matter With Moving Out |
| NOTE |
* Participants who have arrived in Japan BEFORE the end of March 2002 (=Before JFY 2001) have to note that JICA (through JICE's arrangement) generally bears only room cleaning fee. Any repair fees of damages or stains made by the participant or his / her family have to be paid by the participant.
* Participants who have arrive in Japan AFTER April 2002 (=After JFY 2002) have to note that you will be charged for additional payments if any cleaning and repair fees of damages or stains exceeded your deposit.
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| Cases of Much Repair Fee of the Room Charged to the Participants |
| <Case A> (Before JFY 2001) |
The participant was living with his wife and two children in a family sized unit. They hung washing inside and it grew mould in a wide area of the rooms. Mould damaged whole walls of the rooms to be repapered. As a result, the repair fee for his rooms to the original condition claimed to him became 150,000 yen in total.
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| <Case B> (Before JFY 2001) |
The participant was living with his wife and two children. To clean the scribbling on walls and fusuma made by his children, special cleaning fee of the walls and repapering fee of fusuma were charged and it became 100,000 yen in total. (Photo1)
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| <Case C> (Before JFY 2001) |
The participant was living with his wife and three children. At the time of his moving out, the room was not cleaned enough and some obvious stains on the floor and walls were found. One of fusuma was found broken. The participant was claimed to pay 200,000 yen for the repair and special cleaning fees. (Photo2) (Photo3)
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| Question 1: |
I will move out my apartment due to the completion of my JICA scholarship program in three months time and have been advised to clean up the room as much I can. However, I have already found some damages in my house which might be made with my own carelessness. I am worried to gain a big amount of charge by them at the end. |
| Answer 1: |
Please contact JICE as soon as possible if you have any remarkable damages in your room so that we could examine if any repair would be necessary before moving out.
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| (4) |
Others |
| Question 1: |
Could you clarify the adequate timing for my monthly rent payments? |
| Answer 1: |
In Japan generally you are required to pay for the monthly rent for next month by the end of the month. For example, rent for December has to be paid by the end of November in according to the payment method which your landowner has advised you to take. Please make sure to complete the payments by due date otherwise you might have to pay for a penalty charge for the delay.
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| Question 2: |
I have received a notice of extension of my housing contract to be expired next month although I will have to stay in Japan for another year. What should I do with it? |
| Answer 2: |
Please send the contract forms to your JICE Officer after putting your signatures on the required places in the documents. JICE may check the contents and put it forward to JICA for their signature as a guarantor in the contract. |
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| 7. |
Public Utility Charges (Water, Electricity, Gas, Telephone) |
| (1) |
Payment |
| Question 1: |
I would like to have a debit system for my payments to public utility charges (water, gas, electricity etc.). How can I apply for it? |
| Answer 1: |
Your bank account opened by JICA does not accept a debit system and therefore you need to make payments in according to bills regularly sent to you. If you still wish to apply for a debit system, you need to open a new bank account by yourself, which is applicable for debit.
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| Question 2: |
From two days ago I have not been able to use my telephone line. It is maybe because I have not paid the telephone fee. Now I have a problem because I cannot find my telephone bill and therefore cannot make the payment. What should I do? |
| Answer 2: |
Please call NTT English Inquiry (0120 364 463) and tell them about your situation. They will re-issue of the bill for you.
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| Question 3: |
A person from NHK came to my apartment and asked me to pay for "Receiving Fee (jushin-ryo)" of NHK broadcasting on my TV. Do I have to pay for it even though I do not watch the NHK channels at all? |
| Answer 3: |
It is a compulsory for all (even you are Japanese or non-Japanese) who has a TV in your house to pay for the Receiving Fees, which has been authorised by law in Japan. Please pay for the fees when NHK asks you if you do have a TV in your house. If you also receive NHK satellite programs, you will be asked to pay for both regular and satellite broadcasting. In case of no TV with you, you do not need to pay for it and you can tell the NHK staff of it.
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| < What is NHK Broadcasting? > |
NHK is a public TV broadcasting which is dependent on the Receiving Fees from the people in public in order to make programs on their demand. They are not allowed to show any advertisements and not to receive any advertisement fees by the private sector. This enables to show programs receiving no interruptions by sponsors' intentions and thus to distribute to the public prompt and reliable information which would be most useful in case of emergent events (typhoon, earthquake, and any other disasters).
See "Receiving Fee System" on NHK English Homepage for information:
NHK English HP:
http://www.nhk.or.jp/englishtop/
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| (2) |
Others |
| Question 1: |
It seems like monthly gas and electricity utility charges have been jumped since it has been in cool season. What is the problem bringing the expenses so high? |
| Answer 1: |
Generally in winter, gas utility charges become expensive because water is very cold and needs much heat to be warmed up. Also, if you are often using air-condition to warm up the room, it might be the main factor because it usually spends much electricity to be operated. Wearing warm clothes or using a second heater (e.g. kotatsu, oil heater, electric heater, halogen heater, etc) might help to reduce the cost.
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| Question 2: |
I have received a bill of National Health Insurance premiums which amounts are about three times more expensive than that of last year. Why is there such a big difference? |
| Answer 2: |
You are usually eligible to receive reduction in your premiums by declaring that you have been a student who has no income other than scholarship in the previous year. The declaration has to be made at your local city/ward office annually. Please visit the local city/ward office (usually Revenue Department or National Health Insurance Department) and make the declaration. You usually need to bring there your National Health Insurance Card, Foreign Registration Card and Student ID. Then, they will send you new bills after adjusting the premiums.
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| Question 3: |
When is the right time to apply for premium deduction in a year? |
| Answer 3: |
Application for the premium deduction and declaration for an income tax return is usually required to be completed by the end of every fiscal year. In this regard, you are required to make the declaration between February and March. You may have the final deadline in the end of June if you miss to make it in the above season, however you will have to afford more expensive premiums from April to June which amount is before adjustment.
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| Question 4: |
Internet Services
Can I have an Internet connection without a NTT phone line? |
| Answer 4: |
Some Internet Service Providers offer Internet Services without a NTT phone line. The monthly fees, however, tend to be a little more expensive than the regular services with a NTT phone line. We introduce a few Internet Providers as follows:
<ADSL>
Yahoo! BB: http://bbpromo.yahoo.co.jp/ (No English page is available)
<Cable>
J-COM: http://www.jcom.co.jp/english/index.php (English OK) |
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| 8. |
Personal problems |
| Question 1: |
Can I get help when I have personal problems such as home sick, stress symptoms, feeling of loneliness, depression, sleeping problem, sexual harassment, and etc.? |
| Answer 1: |
There is a counseling service for JICA participants, at Tokyo International Center (TIC.) Please call or send an e-mail to make an appointment. |
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| [Counselor's Office in TIC] |
| Counselor : |
Ms. Mariko Watanabe
Certified Clinical Psychologist |
| Office hours: |
3:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays |
| Direct phone number: |
03-3485-7237 (Office hours only) |
| Services: |
1) Face to face consultation in the TIC Counselor's Office
2) Consultation by the phone
3) Referral to other support resources |
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| 9. |
Others |
| (1) |
Finding Japanese Class |
| Question 1: |
I wish to learn basic Japanese around my residence. Do you have a list of Japanese volunteer classes?
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| Answer 1: |
There is an English search engine for Japanese volunteer courses around Tokyo area: http://www.tnvn.jp/data/index_en.cgi
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| (2) |
General Questions With Japanese Customs/Rules/Law |
| 1. Passport |
| Question 1: |
While I stay in Japan, do I need to carry my passport all the time? |
| Answer 1: |
By law, you are required to either carry your foreign registration card or passport with you at all time while you stay in Japan.
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| 2. National Health Insurance |
| Question 1: |
My friend asked me to lend him/her my national health insurance card to go a hospital. Can I do that? |
| Answer 1: |
A law prohibits you from lending your national health insurance card to anyone. Also do not lend your foreign registration card to anyone. These cards enable anyone to borrow money from loan companies and purchase mobile phone plans under your name. |
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