No Money to Live On, and Public Assistance

If you cannot pay your rent or food costs, have lost your job and cannot make a living, are at risk of losing your home, or are otherwise struggling to get by, consult early.

Besides public assistance, you may be able to use other support systems depending on your situation.

Examples of hardship: no job, no money, or nowhere to live.

First, consult your municipality

Tell the welfare office and similar organizations about your current situation.

For example:

Income
Savings
Work
Rent
Family
Health condition
Residence status

and so on.

The main places to consult when facing financial hardship (the municipal counter, Hello Work, the council of social welfare, Houterasu).

Public assistance

Public assistance is a system that guarantees a minimum standard of living and helps people become self-reliant, for those who are in financial difficulty even after making use of their assets and abilities.

For foreign nationals, how this is handled differs depending on residence status and similar factors.

Foreign nationals with certain residence statuses — such as Permanent Resident, Long-Term Resident, or Spouse or Child of Japanese National — receive protection equivalent to the Public Assistance Act as an administrative measure.

JANIA does not individually determine that "you can receive public assistance."

Tell the welfare office about your situation and check with them.

The main forms of support available if you meet the conditions (the self-reliance support system for those in financial hardship, housing security benefit, public assistance, other support). Using them requires an application and review.

When you have lost your job

You may be able to use systems other than public assistance, such as employment insurance, housing-related support, and the Self-Reliance Support System for People in Financial Difficulty.

When you cannot pay rent

If paying rent is difficult, you may also be able to use support related to securing housing.

Do not carry the burden alone until right before eviction — consult early.

This is a topic that requires consulting a specialist

JANIA provides general information and consultation points. Please consult a specialist for an individual determination.

Worried about your residence status

If you are worried about the relationship between using public support and your residence status, check not only with the welfare counter but also, as needed, with an immigration services bureau or similar organization.

What you can check next

Leaving a job, changing jobs, or becoming unemployed
Health insurance in Japan
Pension in Japan
Foreign resident consultation counters, international exchange associations, and specialist consultations

Main places to check

Welfare offices
Your municipality
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
Foreign resident consultation counters