🏥 Kagoshima Storm: Care Without Your Card

❓ What changed?

On September 7, 2026, the Japan Health Insurance Association (Kyokai Kenpo) announced a special measure for its members in Kagoshima Prefecture affected by Typhoon No. 24 and the heavy rain along the stationary front. Even if you lost your My Number insurance card or eligibility certificate (shikaku kakuninsho) in the flooding, or evacuated leaving it at home, you can still receive insured treatment by telling the hospital or clinic reception four things: your name, date of birth, contact details (phone number), and the name of the company you work for. Normally, when a medical institution cannot verify your insurance status, you must pay the full cost at the window and later apply for a refund as a medical expense claim (ryoyohi). Since paper health insurance cards were discontinued and coverage now relies on carrying a My Number card or certificate, disasters inevitably leave people without any proof of enrollment. This measure removes that payment and paperwork step so victims can be treated immediately. It applies to municipalities designated under the Disaster Relief Act; the current list is published on the Cabinet Office website.

👥 Who is affected?

• ●Kyokai Kenpo members and their dependents in Kagoshima Prefecture hit by this typhoon and heavy rain
• ●Anyone who left their card at home when evacuating, or lost it to flooding
• ●Residents of municipalities designated under the Disaster Relief Act, and people who were staying there when the disaster struck
• ●Foreign employees enrolled in Kyokai Kenpo through their employer (Technical Intern Training, Specified Skilled Worker, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities, etc.)

🌏 Impact on foreign residents

If you are unsure about explaining things in Japanese, it is easy to assume that no card means no hospital. Here, you can be treated by simply stating four items out loud, with no ID required. The tricky one is the name of your employer's business establishment: if you cannot say the company's official Japanese name, verification takes longer. Keep a photo of your payslip or residence card, and a note with the company name, saved on your phone. Technical intern trainees and Specified Skilled Workers often do not know the exact establishment name because the employer or supervising organization handles insurance paperwork—check it before you ever need to evacuate. Note that this measure covers Kyokai Kenpo members only. If you are on National Health Insurance or the medical system for the elderly, follow your city hall's guidance; travellers should contact their travel insurance provider.