Japan Mental Health Outpatient Support: Eligibility for Foreign Residents

This program lowers the out-of-pocket cost of outpatient care -- including outpatient medication, day care, and home-visit nursing in some cases -- for people who need ongoing treatment for a mental illness, including epilepsy, when that care relates to the specific psychiatric condition and is received at the designated Jiritsu Shien Iryo institution named on your certificate (jukyūsha-shō). Inpatient (hospital admission) care, care received at a non-designated institution, and medical care unrelated to the psychiatric condition are excluded. The program is administered by prefectures and designated cities, which review and approve applications and issue the certificate; you submit your local application through your municipal office.

Who it is for

• You need ongoing outpatient treatment for a mental illness, including epilepsy.
• You have submitted your application through your local municipal (city/town/ward) office and been approved by the prefecture or designated city with authority over the program, and you hold a valid certificate (jukyūsha-shō) issued by that prefecture or designated city.
• Covered care -- outpatient treatment, outpatient medication, day care, home-visit nursing, and similar services -- is limited to what you receive at the designated institution named on your certificate, and only for care related to your specific psychiatric condition.
• Depending on your income category and whether you meet the "severe and continuous" (jūdo katsu keizoku) criteria, a monthly copayment cap may apply, or you may not qualify at all above a certain income level.
• Foreign nationality alone does not automatically exclude you, but you must still submit your application through your local municipal office and receive approval from the prefecture or designated city with authority over the program.

Points to note

• Receiving a psychiatric diagnosis does not automatically enroll you; you must apply to your municipality and receive approval and a certificate.
• Coverage applies only to outpatient care at a designated institution listed on your certificate. Hospital admission, treatment not covered by insurance, and care unrelated to your psychiatric condition are not included.
• The copayment rate and monthly cap depend on your income category and whether you meet the "severe and continuous" criteria, so the amount is not the same for every applicant.

The standard copayment is 10%, but a monthly cap applies based on your income category, and if your income is above a certain level and you do not meet the "severe and continuous" criteria, you may not qualify at all. The certificate is valid for up to one year, and renewal applications are generally accepted starting around three months before expiry, though the exact schedule and required documents vary by municipality. Confirm the actual copayment amount, monthly cap, and renewal timeline directly with your local municipal office.

How it works

1. Review the outline of Jiritsu Shien Iryo (Seishin Tsuin Iryo) on the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website.
2. Contact your local municipal office (disability welfare section) to ask about covered services, required documents, and how to apply.
3. Confirm with your municipality or your doctor's clinic whether it is a designated Jiritsu Shien Iryo institution.