Giving Birth to a baby in Japan

Hello every one,

i need some information about giving birth in Japan-i am a foreigner and i am living in Japan for past 10+ years-i wanna ask a question if some one know please guide me next month i will give birth to a baby i have houken and i think my deilvery will be free-the one more thing some one told me that if you give birth to a baby in Japan city hall will give a gift money which will be round about 400,000 Yen-its for the hospital expenses for delivery of a baby--if delivery will be normal the expense will be not to much-the remaining amount of the delivery city hall will take it back or it will become mine-the other thing i know is every 3 month gov will give the money for a baby---please guide me about tht because its my ist time to give birth to a baby in japan one more thing please i didnot understand how to read japanese if you people guide me in english i can understand it good thanks in advance

i have houken and i think my deilvery will be free

If I recall correctly, National health insurance does not cover normal childbirth, except for c-section or other surgical procedure. However...

the one more thing some one told me that if you give birth to a baby in Japan city hall will give a gift money which will be round about 400,000 Yen-its for the hospital expenses for delivery of a baby

You will receive a lump sum payment to help defer the cost of delivery. The amount varies by municipality.

if delivery will be normal the expense will be not to much-the remaining amount of the delivery city hall will take it back or it will become mine

You keep the balance. Note that you can choose where to deliver, but also if I recall correctly, the average cost of delivery was right around the lump sum payment amount so don't expect much of a windfall.

the other thing i know is every 3 month gov will give the money for a baby

Yes. I haven't seen the monthly breakdown but it's somewhere around 10,000 per month

Donna,

Have you obtained a boshi-techo, and are you seeing the doctor every month like you should? Childcare information is available in foreign languages. There should be specialists who can answer questions like these. That said, as far as I know the information provided by the other poster is correct.

what you say is partly true, and partly wrong.
if you are taking regular checkups by a doctor, those information should be given by them.
be noted that delivery expense is not free (not covered by health insurance).
generally speaking, if you don't have an appointment, you can't be hospitalized when delivery.