Japan to Counter Foreigners Refusing to Pay Health Insurance Premiums

(The third paragraph should have read “Ueno also said…” instead of as sent.) Japan to Counter Foreigners Refusing to Pay Health Insurance Premiums Tokyo, Nov. 4 (Jiji Press)–Japan’s health ministry is planning to deny in principle the renewal or change of residential status for foreign citizens who refuse to pay national health insurance premiums, it was learned Tuesday. “We’re preparing to start it in June 2027,” health minister Kenichiro Ueno told a press conference. Ueno also said that his ministry will strengthen measures against foreign residents who do not pay medical expenses. The ministry will collect nonpayment information from medical institutions and share it with the Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Foreigners staying in Japan for more than three months are obliged to enroll in medical insurance and other programs. However, only 63 pct of foreign residents in 150 municipalities with available data were paying national health insurance premiums as of the end of 2024. The overall payment rate, which covered Japanese citizens, was 93 pct. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]