Categories
Three national programs for children, childbirth and pregnancy, plus two Tokyo programs for children and childbirth.
Japan's Child Allowance, known as Jidou Teate, is a cash benefit for people raising children from birth through the first March 31 after the child turns 18. The amount is not a flat rate — it depends on the child's age and whether they are the third or later child in the family. Children living overseas are covered only if they meet specific exception conditions, such as studying abroad.
The childbirth lump-sum benefit (出産育児一時金) is a payment from Japan's public health insurance system, available to people who are enrolled in that insurance at the time of childbirth. As of the review date, the amount is generally 500,000 yen per child, though it does not make delivery completely free.
The Pregnancy Support Benefit (妊婦のための支援給付) is a statutory cash benefit and consultation support program for pregnant residents of Japan. Payment is made in two stages: an initial amount after certification, followed by an additional amount based on the number of fetuses once that is reported. The program became a statutory system starting in fiscal year 2025 (Reiwa 7), and the fiscal year 2026 (Reiwa 8) implementation guidelines are published by the Children and Families Agency.
018 Support (018サポート in Japanese) is a cash benefit created independently by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government for children living in Tokyo. It covers children from birth until the first March 31 after they turn 18, provided they generally have residency within Tokyo, and there is no household income limit. A foreign child's eligibility is not determined by nationality alone; the same age and Tokyo-residency requirements apply. The program is continuing in fiscal year 2026.
The Tokyo Childbirth Pain-Relief Cost Subsidy (東京都無痛分娩費用助成) is a Tokyo Metropolitan Government program that helps cover part of the cost of childbirth using the anesthesia method Tokyo designates, for births on or after October 1, 2025 (Reiwa 7), at a hospital listed on Tokyo's current list of designated medical institutions. If you had planned pain-relief childbirth using an anesthesia method designated by Tokyo on or after that date but actually gave birth on or before September 30, 2025, you may still qualify for the birth-date requirement when required documents confirm the plan and the planned date is recognized as medically appropriate. Applicants must also meet residency and pregnancy-notification requirements, and the list of designated hospitals is updated periodically.