For dads in Japan
Child allowance (jidō teate) for foreign residents
All English guides for dadsPaperwork: the first two weeksBirth money in Japan日本語で読む
Checked: ・ Written by: Hiroshi editorial team ・ No health content (numbers checked against official sources) ・ Editorial policy (JA)
15,000 yen a month for a child under 3※, with no income limit※. Apply within 15 days from the day after the birth※ at your city or ward office※.
Nationality is not the test. The rule is that the child lives in Japan※.
Birth registration and child allowance both have a hard deadline in the first two weeks; foreign nationals also apply for the baby's status of residence within 30 days.
When the money arrives
It is paid in even months, each time for the two months before※. If you apply within the 15 days, it counts from the month after the birth※.
| Born in | First payment | Amount (under 3) |
|---|---|---|
| November | February (Dec + Jan) | 30,000 yen |
| December | February (Jan) | 15,000 yen |
| January | April (Feb + Mar) | 30,000 yen |
| February | April (Mar) | 15,000 yen |
Who applies
The applicant is the parent who mainly supports the household, usually the higher earner※. In a two-income family that may be mom. The money goes to the applicant's bank account, so have that account number ready.
How to do it in one trip
- File the birth registration first.
- At the same visit, ask for the child allowance (jidō teate) form.
- Bring the applicant's residence card, bank account and health insurance details.
All the other birth money is on money you get when your baby is born; the full order of steps is on the first two weeks.
Your ward's counter and ward-only support: Tokyo wards. Leave pay: paternity leave. Not Japanese? Also see residence status and passport.
In 2 minutes
First payment month calculator (Japanese)Once a week, by email
Every week, in the app
Join the beta (TestFlight, free)Sources and check dates
- Child allowance: 15,000 yen a month under age 3; 10,000 yen from 3 to high-school age; 30,000 yen from the third child.
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - Apply within 15 days from the day after the birth so payments start without a gap; late months are generally lost.
こども家庭庁 児童手当Q&A(一般) - Apply at the city/ward office where you live (public servants: at their employer).
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - Paid six times a year in even months, each time for the two months before.
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - The applicant is the parent who mainly supports the household, usually the higher earner, so not always the dad.
児童手当法 第4条 / こども家庭庁 Q&A - There is no income limit for the child allowance (the income-limit article was deleted from the law).
児童手当法 第5条(削除) - The child allowance is paid, in principle, when the child lives in Japan (Children and Families Agency).
こども家庭庁 児童手当制度のご案内 - 児童手当は出生の翌日から15日以内に現住所の市区町村へ申請。支給は原則申請した月の翌月分から(月末近い出生で申請が翌月になっても出生日の翌日から15日以内なら申請月分から)。支払いは偶数月(2・4・6・8・10・12月)に前月までの2か月分。
児童手当制度のご案内｜こども家庭庁