Life

Municipalities in Okinawa have started sending COVID-19 vaccination coupons to people who are not 65 years old or older, who are given high priority for vaccination.
Here are the steps to take after you receive your vaccination coupon and receive the vaccination.
(1) You will receive a "Vaccination Ticket" and a "Notice of COVID-19 Vaccination" by mail from your municipality.
(2) Refer to the "Notification of COVID-19 Vaccination" to confirm that the time when you can receive the vaccine has arrived.
*The age range for the vaccine and the time to make an appointment vary from city to city.
(3) Please find a medical institution or vaccination site where you can receive the vaccine. Please refer to the enclosed "Where you can get vaccinated".
(4) Make an appointment by phone or online.
(5) When you receive the vaccine, be sure to bring the "Vaccination Ticket," "Preliminary Examination Form," and "Identification Documents (Driver's License, Health Insurance Card, Residence Card, etc.)" that will be mailed to you by the municipality.
A multilingual version of the "preliminary medical checkup sheet" can be found on the website of the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Please refer to the following website.
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/.../sei.../bunya/vaccine_tagengo.html
However, only the Japanese version of the preliminary medical checkup sheet can be submitted at the vaccination site.
Before the vaccination, you will be interviewed by a doctor.
■Consent for receiving vaccination
Those who receive vaccinations do so of their own volition, with an understanding of both the effectiveness of vaccination in preventing infectious diseases and the risk of adverse reactions. No vaccination will be administered without the consent of the recipient. (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website)
Health Damage Relief System for Vaccinations in case of adverse reactions after receiving vaccinations
　In general, adverse reactions to vaccinations can cause health problems (illness or disability). Although these are extremely rare, they cannot be eliminated, and therefore a relief system has been established.
Under the relief system, if a person suffers from health problems due to vaccination and needs medical treatment or is left with a disability, he or she can receive relief (medical expenses, disability pension, etc.) based on the Vaccination Law.
If you have been vaccinated with the new corona vaccine, you can also receive relief based on the Vaccination Law if you suffer health damage. (Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare website) If you have any questions, please consult the OIHF.

To date, the vaccines used around the world can be broadly categorized into two types. Weakened vaccines (live vaccines) are vaccinated with bacteria or viruses that have been weakened so that they do not cause disease. This is the case with vaccines for polio, measles, chickenpox, etc. The other type of vaccine is an inactivated vaccine. These vaccines are made from bacteria or viruses that have been killed by treatment. It is characterized by a shorter immunity period than the weakened vaccine.
In response to the global spread of COVID-19, messenger RNA vaccine (mRNA), which are different from the two mentioned above, have newly appeared.
This mRNA vaccine is the one that is currently being administered in Japan.
The mRNA vaccine that is currently being used in Japan is from Pfizer and Moderna.
The mRNA vaccine that has been commercialized this time is made by copying only the necessary part of the DNA "blueprint," which is the blueprint for the body of living creatures and all the necessary substances, and uses the blueprint of the spike protein of the new coronavirus. The spike protein is a protrusion on the surface of the COVID-19 virus, and the virus uses this protrusion to invade human cells. The idea is to acquire immunity to attack these spike proteins to prevent the infection itself or the seriousness of the disease even if infected. Once read, the mRNA is broken down and disappears from the body.
Since this is a newly developed vaccine, there is a lot of information available about it.
Some of this information is true, and some are not.
Also, because of the short period of time between its development and its use, there may be data that has not yet been obtained.
The choice to vaccinate or not to vaccinate is a person's own idea. It is not something that can be forced on others.
However, please do not be misled by inaccurate information when making this choice.
If you are unsure, check out a reliable website or ask a doctor or other specialist.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is being promoted in Japan.
In order to receive the vaccine in Japan, in principle, you need a "vaccination ticket" sent from the municipality where you live. (If you are vaccinated at your workplace or school, you can receive the vaccine without a vaccination ticket.
Following the initial vaccination of the elderly (65 and over), those with underlying medical conditions, and those who work in the medical or nursing fields, some municipalities are now mailing vaccination coupons to people under 64.
If you receive a vaccination coupon and you want to be vaccinated, please keep the following in mind
・In order to get vaccinated, you need to make an appointment at a vaccination center or hospital.
・You need to make an appointment by yourself using your smartphone.
・On the day of the vaccination, you need to fill out and sign the "preliminary examination sheet" along with the vaccination ticket.
・If you have a fever, for example, you may not be able to receive the vaccine even if you have made an appointment, depending on what you have written on the preliminary examination form.
If you cannot read the preliminary medical checkup sheet or do not understand its contents, please consult with the OIHF.
(Please do not ask "when will I receive my vaccination coupon? We don't know either.
・What to bring on the day of vaccination
Please bring the following items to the medical institution or vaccination site.
・Vaccination coupon sent from the city, town or village where you live.
・Identification documents: driver's license, health insurance card, etc.
・Pre-medical checkup sheet
・Medical examination certificate (optional): If you have a medical examination certificate from the medical institution where you will be vaccinated.
Whether or not to receive the COVID-19 vaccination is solely the decision of the individual.
In Japan, we encourage people to get the vaccine, but we do not force them to do so.
Some cities, towns, and workplaces have begun to prevent unfair discrimination on the basis of non-vaccination, but there have been cases where workplaces and communities have made rules and created an atmosphere where people must be vaccinated, or where people have been expelled from their workplaces for not having been vaccinated.
If you have been discriminated against because of your vaccination, please consult with the OIHF.

In this article, We would like to explain what happens to your health insurance when you quit your job.

When we quit our job, can we use the health insurance(health insurance card) that we received from the company?

You cannot use your health insurance card from the day you quit your job.　First, you have to return your health insurance card to your company. Even if you have not returned it to your company, you should be careful not to use it at hospitals or clinics.

If you use your health insurance card at the hospital after you quit your job, the hospital will charge you 70% of the medical expenses at a later date.

After you quit your job and return your health insurance card, if you do not have a new job, you will have to go to the municipal office to change your health insurance to National Health Insurance.

If you did not change to national health insurance, you will be "uninsured" and will have to pay for all your medical expenses.
When you quit your job in April 2020 and went to the city office to change to the National Health Insurance in October 2020, but you still have to pay your National Health Insurance premiums from April 2020.

Please note that you have to start making payments retroactively to the month you quit the company or the month after you quit.
National health insurance premiums are not always paid monthly. Some municipalities have a payment system with the first period (first payment) from April to July and the second period from August to October.

The payment method and premiums will differ depending on the municipality you live in and your income for the previous year (the amount of income you earned one year prior to the year you quit your job), so we recommend you to visit the National Health Insurance counter at your municipal office for a consultation.

Are there people who live in Japan but are not eligible for National Health Insurance?

Yes. When your status of residence has expired, your resident registration will be canceled on the municipal office's system. As long as you are not a resident, you will not be able to get National Health Insurance. Please update your status of residence at least 3 months before the expired date.

If your status of residence is "Designated Activities for Preparing to Return Home," your resident registration will be canceled as well because the status of this residence is entitled to the reason "planning to return own country, but not physically possible due to COVID-19."

■ Compulsory Automobile Liability Insurance
This is the insurance that you must have when you own a car or a motorcycle. You must have this insurance when have JCI(Japanese Compulsory Insurance). This insurance only covers for the injuries of the third party when you had a car accident. However, this insurance is not designed to cover automobile repairs.
■ Voluntary Automobile Insurance
This insurance is not mandatory, but without this insurance, you must cover all damage repairs on your car and third parties out of your own pocket.
Please consider having voluntary insurance as well as JCI.

There were 7 days waiting period after you applied unemployment benefit and plus three months restriction period to receive unemployment benefit up until now (Sep 30th, 2020).
However, this restriction period will be shortened to 2 months from October 1st.

Those who got restricted or lay off, you may wait only 7days to receive unemployment benefit after you applied application form.

If you need assist to apply or the process of unemployment benefit and any other question such as you would like to know approximate amount of the unemployment benefit, etc. Please contact OIHF.

[To foreigners living in Okinawa]
Here are the procedures for driving a car in Japan.

About Automobile Driver's Licenses

Workers who have employment insurance can get money for unemployment benefits if they leave the company and cannot find another job.
If you quit the company for personal reasons, such as uncomfortable work or having trouble getting up in the morning (referred to as retirement due to personal reasons), it will take at least 3 months to be eligible for the benefit.
Also, it is not applicable if the enrollment period of employment insurance (the period of being a worker) is less than 1 year.
However, there is a system in which you can get benefit while you are unemployed.

This benefit will be applicable if the employer leaves the company for the following reasons.
1. The company went bankrupt and abolished the business
2. The employee was dismissed (except for disciplinary dismissal)
3. The employee has not received a wage for more than 2 months
4. The company has been closed for more than 3 months
5. The wages fell below 85% of the previous ones.
(Please contact OIHF individually as there are other cases)
*Whether you are eligible for special entitlement is determined by your reason for leaving the job.

In such cases, you may not have been able to afford to prepare for a new job before leaving the company. In that case, the state must be recognized and the benefit must be provided sooner than the normal unemployed case.
Therefore, if you are recognized as a recipient of the benefit, you will receive the following preferential treatment.
1. The waiting period (the period not covered by the benefit) is 7 days.
2. Employment insurance is required for 6 months or more (usually 1 year or more).
3. Depending on the age of the person who receives the unemployment benefit (qualified person), however, the period for receiving the money may be longer than the case of retirement for personal reasons.
In the process of getting the unemployment benefit, you have to go to HelloWork and write out various documents. There are some documents that you must prepare by yourself. It can be difficult to do these things alone if you do not have experience.
OIHF is assisting these procedures. If you have any questions, please contact us.

There are various systems and it is very complicated. Please use the information.

We have summarized the Japanese social insurance system in multiple languages.

For more information, please contact OIHF.

If your company or school has a dormitory, you don't have to find a room by yourself. However, in other cases, you will have to find your own home and complete the contract by yourself.
When a foreigner searches for a house in Japan and goes through a contract, it can be confusing because of Japan's unique rules.
So far, OIHF has received several house contract related consultations from foreigners as follow: The influence of COVID-19 caused the consultants to quit the company, so they had to leave the living place that the company provided, and they have to find the new home by themselves. So we would like to share information about housing contracts (real estate lease contracts)
Since there is no system, such as security deposit, key money, and guarantee deposit, in other foreign countries, many foreigners may be confused for the first time.
In Japan, people from a real estate company first guide you to see a room. At that time, you may like it or the conditions meet. However, it is unlikely that you will be able to live in that room immediately from that day.
In addition to preparing money such as rent and fees, there is a "screening" to see if you are worthy of renting the room.
At the time of this review, you may be required to have a "guarantor" by the apartment owner or management company. This guarantor is the person who "guarantees" to pay the costs on your behalf if you lose your rent, soil, or destroy your room.
Not everyone can be a guarantor. The guarantor may be required to have a certain amount of income or to have an employment or blood relationship with you.
Regarding this guarantor, there is a "guarantor company" who will become a guarantor if you pay money. However, there are some uncertain cases where you are required to have a guarantor when you apply for a guaranteed contract from this guarantor company.
Renting an apartment is one legal act called a “rental contract”. Therefore you must understand what is in the contract and you must be responsible for the contents of the contract
The explanation of important matters at the time of the contract is required by law to intermediaries. If you have any questions, do not leave it as it is, ask a question, and be convinced before making a contract.
Also, the cost of moving out (when you leave the room) can be a problem, so be sure to check before you move in.

If you have any problems, please contact OIHF.

We would like to inform you of the benefits provided by government, which we briefly introduced to you in this FB before. As a countermeasure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the government will give money to workers who have not received leave compensation grants even though their employers ordered them to take leave.
・The applicable leave period is after April 1st, 2020.
・Persons who are eligible for the benefit payment are as follows: Workers in small and medium-sized enterprises who are not just regular employees but also technical interns, part-timers, and part-time students.
・As a general rule, a "Leave-of-work proof" (certificate that a worker has been taken off by an employer's order) issued by the employer is required. If the employer does not cooperate in issuing the certificate, or if you quit or were forced to quit the company after the employer ordered you to take leave, please consult OIHF.
・There are two types of application procedures, one is by yourself and the other is through the company.
・Applications will be accepted from July 10th.
There are many other "rules", but not all can be posted, so please consult OIHF.

If you want to apply, but do not know how to read or write the application form, or do not know what kind of document you need, please contact OIHF.

Content of learning	Japanese language which is required at municipal office/ the place where you are working
Date of class	Every Friday
Time of class	For beginner 19:00~19:50   For intermediate 20:00~20:50
Class close day	・Japanese holidays ・Year end/new year holidays ・At the time of disasters such as typhoons
Who can participate	Local foreign residence in Okinawa
The number of capacity	About 40 people
Fee	Free
Venue	ZOOM
How to apply	Please apply from online form at OIHF's HP.

Those who are qualified for “technical training” or “specific skills” cannot use this classroom because the accepting organization must give the opportunity to study Japanese responsibly.

The rainy season is in Okinawa! It has become a season when food poisoning is likely to occur due to rising temperatures and humidity. As a countermeasure against COVID-19, be careful of food poisoning when eating food after a while using takeout or home delivery.
In particular

• Please check the necessary information such as allergy information when the food was made. Also, if necessary, please ask the shop staff when purchasing.
• Please eat as soon as you take it home.
• Do not carry the product for a long time and leave it indoors.
• Please bring something that can be cooled, such as ice packs and frozen PET bottles.
• Avoid eating only by children who are out of office.

If you quit your job or are dismissed, you must submit the required documents for immigration within 14 days. Even if you are late for submission, be sure to complete the procedure. If you don't know how to fill out the required documents or how to submit them, please contact OIHF.

The "Emergency Declaration" regarding the spread of COVID-19 infection has been lifted nationwide by the Japanese government on May 25th.
However, infection is still spreading in other countries and regions other than Japan. Even in Japan, Also, there are still new cases of infection even in Japan. The government is still calling for attention.
The COVID-19 still exists on the earth and has not disappeared. And the vaccine that beats this virus has not yet been developed. There is always the risk of going out and getting infected around the city when you go out. So, even if the declaration of emergency is lifted, it doesn't mean that we can immediately return to life like it was last year.
The government has summarized the way of life after the declaration of an emergency as a " new lifestyle ".
The idea is that each person should pay attention and gradually return to his / her normal daily life while controlling the risk of infection. It's not particularly difficult.

• "Let's wear a mask when going out"
• "Avoid places where many people gather"
• "When eating, concentrate on meals, and be quiet."
• "Shopping alone or in a small number of people"

OIHF will introduce you to this "new lifestyle" again in detail.

Anybody who wants to return to your home country due to the effects of COVID-19, but is having trouble returning home? If you are also worried that your visa is about to be updated, please consult OIHF. Consultation is free. Please contact us by TEL (098-942-9215), email (kokusai@oihf.or.jp), and FB messenger of OIHF.

For those who do not know how to write the application form of “Special Cash Payment”, we have posted a sample on the OIHF website. However, if you do not know how to write because the application form sent is different from the sample, OIHF will teach you how to write with Zoom for free. If you need support, please contact us by phone (098-942-9215), email (kokusai@oihf.or.jp), or FB messenger of OIHF.
How to apply for the Special Cash Payment Grant

Is there anyone dismissed or hired because of the COVID-19? Also, is there anyone who is not paid by the company or who is in trouble because the company refuses to pay the salary? OIHF handles such consultations free of charge. If you wish, we can ask the company to pay you together, such as by going to the Labor Inspection Standard. If you have any problems, please contact OIHF (free of charge).

Is there anyone who says "I was told to leave my job by my company" or "I quit myself because I have no job at the company" because of the impact of COVID-19?
In Japan, there is a system called employment insurance, and if you meet the conditions, you can get money while you are looking for the next job, but you are not currently working.
The amount of money you can receive and the period you receive will depend on the salary and the period you were working. The procedure will be done by the local Hello Work. You have to go to Hello Work to get paperwork, write, and talk.
If you have any questions, such as "Do I get the money?" "When should I go to Hello Work?" "What documents do I need?" "When can I get the money?", please feel free to contact OIHF.