Your first day at Tokyo College

Dear new researchers,

Welcome to Tokyo College! We want to help ensure that you can settle into your research life at Tokyo College. We have compiled some services and information for you.

On your first day at Tokyo College, please confirm that you have these documents/material with you:

・Passport
・Resident Card: You must receive it at the first airport where you landed in Japan.
・Boarding Stub: Please keep a boarding stub which you will be left with. It will be required to get the airfare refund and the boarding stub is proof that you actually flew on that flight.
・Some material that proves your former address (ex. an envelope that the address is written on ): It is needed to provide you relocation allowance.
・Hanko (Stamp Seal): If you have own your Hanko, please bring it. (In Japan, “Hanko”, a personal seal, is used more often than a signature. It will be useful when you do administrative paperwork, open a bank account, sign contracts and etc., so we advise you to purchase one for yourself. Inexpensive hankos cost about 1,000-3,000 JPY. You can order one using alphabet, kanji (Chinese characters) or katakana. If you agree to make one, we will order it on your behalf to make your administrative paper work easier and simpler.) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seal_(East_Asia)

1. Residence Registration

If you move directly into a room at Oiwake/Mejirodai International Lodge, you need to go to Bunkyo City Hall to complete your residence registration. Although you are temporary staying at a hotel to look for an apartment, you still need to complete your residence registration at the regional city hall where the hotel is located.

In case you need assistance of Japanese-speaking staff to do the registration, please contact the Research Support Team.

2. Open a Bank Account

You are required to open a bank account in Japan to receive a monthly salary.

In case you need assistance of Japanese-speaking staff to open the account, please contact the Research Support Team.

3. Social Insurance Enrollment

We will prepare all necessary documents for you and your dependents to enroll in the Japanese Social Insurance Program. You will be enrolled in:

Health Insurance: Those who have the employment contract with the University of Tokyo (UTokyo) automatically join a welfare program package called Mutual Society of Health Insurance ("Kyosai") run by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). In the case that the insured employee (Kyosai member) supports dependents, the dependents are eligible for coverage under the Kyosai health insurance plan as well.

Pension Plan: You will join the Employees' Pension Insurance (EPI) system which provides "earning-related pension" on top of the Basic Pension. All full-time employees at UTokyo are enrolled in MEXT Mutual Aid Associations (“Kyosai”) EPI Plan which consists of EPI and National (Basic) Pension.

Labor Insurance: There are two types of labor insurance; workers accident compensation insurance (rosai hoken) and employment insurance (koyo hoken).

Workers Accident Compensation Insurance: If an insured person becomes ill, suffers injury or dies while he/she is at work or commuting, the benefits will be paid to the insured person or his/her family.
Employment Insurance: Employment insurance helps people who have been recently unemployed to find a new job and also provides them with benefits to help cover their living expenses until they are employed again.

4. Income Tax

We need your Hanko or signature on the “Report on Exemption for Dependents, etc.” form in order to decide your withholding income tax amount.

5. Commuting Route

You need to decide on a commuting route and means of transportation from your living address to Tokyo College. This is to be used to calculate your commuting allowance and also for workers accident compensation insurance.

6. Receiving Monthly Salary

You need to register your bank account to receive your monthly salary.

7. Paid Vacation

Please confirm the number of your paid vacation days for this calendar year and also the procedure to take them.

8. Responsibility

Please access this site and read it carefully and thoroughly.

9. Computing and Network

Contact Tokyo College IT helpdesk (helpdesk@tc.u-tokyo.ac.jp) for PC related problems and inquiries.

10. Health Checkup for Newly Hired Employees

You are required to take a health checkup upon employment. More details regarding this checkup will be given to you from the Research Support Team.

11. Applying for a Credit Card

It’s convenient to have at least one Japanese credit card which can be settled in Yen. Perhaps it will be good to consider a gold credit card which usually has enhanced amenity services including travel insurance as an option.

12. Bicycle

When purchasing a bicycle, theft prevention registration must be completed at the store. For further information, please read "Bicycle".

We wish you a good start, a most interesting and successful research stay at Tokyo College!

All the best!

Tokyo College Secretariat

Last updated : November 01, 2024