Medical and Welfare Services

Medical and Welfare Services

Medical interpretation

Sapporo Medical Communication Hotline  011-211-2121

What services does it provide?

・A telephone operator will interpret on your behalf when making appointments or inquiries with hospitals within the City of Sapporo. 

・Phone interpretation can be provided when talking to doctors or other medical staff at the hospital. 

・Volunteer interpreters (only for English and Chinese) can accompany you to the hospital. 

・These services are free of charge (standard phone rates apply).

     *This service is available only for hospitals in Sapporo. You may use this service to pick up prescribed medicine but not for other shopping at pharmacies.

     *This service is to support people receiving medical care only. It can’t be used for other purposes such as beauty care and health check-ups. 

    *Your personal information is strictly protected and used only for this service.   

Languages

For making appointments, hospital inquiries, or for phone interpretation services while you are at a hospital: 32 languages offered *Contact us for details. Interpreters for some languages may not be immediately available.

On-site interpretation by a volunteer interpreter is available for the following languages:  English and Chinese., but only if you fall into one of the followings.
　①Those who live in Sapporo  (excluding short-term stays)
　②When students and their family members living outside of Sapporo need to go to a hospital in Sapporo

When making an appointment or inquiry with a hospital

     1. Open the “Application Form.”

The form is available in easy Japanese, English, and Chinese. Choose one out of the following three choices and input the required information.  

- For those who haven’t decided which hospital to go to

- For those who have decided on the hospital and would like to make an appointment or inquiry

- For those who have decided on the hospital and need an interpreter at the hospital.

2. After filling in the form, call 011-211-2121. You will be connected with a telephone operator.  

*From the second time onward, you can call the number above without filling in the application form.

*Telephone operators are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

3. The operator will ask about your health concerns and which hospital you want to go to.

If you do not know which hospital to go to, they can also transfer you to the Emergency Medical Consultation Center of the Sapporo City Public Health Office for consultation.  

4. The operator will call the hospital while you remain on the phone. Your appointment date and other details will be discussed in this three-way call.

*Appointments and inquiries with a hospital can be made on weekdays from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M.  

5. Please inform the operator if you would like an accompanying interpreter.

They will contact you once a volunteer interpreter has been secured. To apply for this service, you must be one of the following: 1) a resident of Sapporo (excluding short-term visitors) 2) a foreign student living in Sapporo or a family member who wants to go to a hospital in Sapporo *You must apply for this service several days before going to the hospital. Accompanying interpreters may not be available depending on the days.

*Japanese-English interpretation is provided by volunteers from NPO SEMI Sapporo, and JapaneseChinese interpretation is provided by volunteers from SCI (Sapporo Chinese Medical Interpretation Group).

*Volunteer interpreters are trained to interpret in medical settings; however, they shall not be liable for any interpretation inaccuracies.  

At the hospital

a) Phone interpretation  

1. If you require an interpreter at a hospital, you or the hospital can call 011-211-2121. Application through the form is not required.

2. When the operator answers, tell them the name of the hospital you are visiting, the language you speak, and your current situation.  

3. This will be the start of the phone interpretation. Hand over the telephone or put it on speakerphone as instructed by the operator.  

*Phone interpretation is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Feel free to call whenever you need assistance at the hospital. 

b) On-site interpretation by a volunteer interpreter 

1. Before going to the hospital, the volunteer interpreter will contact you to confirm where to meet and other details.

2. Go to the discussed location at the appointed time.

3. The volunteer interpreter will accompany you and interpret your conversations with the doctor and other medical staff. 

For more, details, please check the link below.

Sapporo Medical Communication Hotline 

Emergency Medical Consultation Center Sapporo TEL:＃7119 or 011-272-7119

You can call this number in the event of sudden illness or injury to determine whether it is best to visit a clinic/hospital or call an ambulance.

What to Do in an Emergency 

Hokkaido Emergency Medical Treatment Information Center

This website provides information regarding clinics and hospitals (accessible via computer and mobile phone).

Hokkaido Emergency Care/Regional Disaster Information System

Medical Institution Information Map (Sapporo Medical Association)

This website provides information regarding open clinics and hospitals.

Medical Institution Information Map (Sapporo Medical Association),Japanese

Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO)

JNTO provides a website that allows users to search for clinics and hospitals providing foreign language support.

Search for medical institutions(National Tourism Organization, JNTO)

Receiving medical care at a clinic/hospital

  1. Present your health insurance card at the reception desk and wait until your name is called. Waiting times may be long in crowded clinics/hospitals.
  2. After examination and treatment, pay your bill at the cashier and collect any prescription issued.
  3. Take the prescription to a pharmacy to buy the prescribed medication.

Finding a medical interpreter

Consultation and Interpretation Services – Interpretation services

Subsidies for medical expenses

Long-term care insurance system

Under the long-term care insurance system, people aged 40 or older are obligated to enroll and pay insurance premiums. Should they need it, they are eligible to use services such as at-home or institutional care, rent assistive devices, and receive placement in welfare facilities for the elderly needing care, by paying part of the costs charged for such services.

There are two application methods and different conditions for the use of long-term care services depending on the age of each person: those aged 65 and over are categorized as primary insured persons, and those aged between 40 and 64 who are insured by the National Health Insurance or health insurance programs of their workplace are categorized as secondary insured persons.

The care services covered by the insurance vary by age and health condition. The use of these services requires application at the Health & Welfare Section of the ward office and certification as being in need of such care.

The brochure entitled “Long-Term Care Insurance (Kaigo Hoken)” is an introduction to the City of Sapporo’s long-term care insurance system. It provides information including that on its overview, procedures necessary to use care services, types and rough costs of care services, and insurance premiums.

Long-Term Care Insurance (Kaigo Hoken)

Welfare services for citizens with disabilities

The City of Sapporo provides various services for citizens with disabilities. Available services vary by disability level and circumstances; for more information, contact the Health & Welfare Section of the ward office of the district of your residence.

Welfare Guide for Persons with Disabilities 2020

 

Consultation services

If you need interpretation services for consultations at municipal offices, use Sapporo Community Interpreters.

Support Benefit for Households Exempt from Resident Tax

 FY 2024 Support Benefit for Rising Prices for Households Exempt from Resident Tax

Sapporo City will provide benefits to households that are newly exempt from resident tax or subject to only the per capita rate in the fiscal year 2024. Eligible households will receive application forms in sequence starting from July 11. 

[Eligible households] The following three requirements must all be met."

1. Has resident registration in Sapporo City as of June 3rd, 2024.
2. All members of the household are exempt from or fully exempted from the income-based portion of resident tax for the fiscal year 2024.
3. Not being a household that was eligible for Sapporo City's FY 2023 Support Benefit for Rising Prices for Households Exempt from Resident Tax (70,000 yen or households subject to only the per capita rate)

[Benefit Amount]  ¥100,000 per household + ¥50,000 per child under 18* (*Those who were born on and after April 2nd, 2006.)

[Procedures]
After you receive the envelope, please fill the form out and send them back along with necessary documents by October 31st.

 

[Sapporo City HP]

https://www.city.sapporo.jp.e.ain.hp.transer.com/rinnjitokubetukyufukin/r6_hikazeikintou.html

To inquire about application procedures or you think you are eligible, but have not received the envelope, please call the following call center.

Fiscal 2023  Sapporo City Temporary Benefits for Rising Prices Consultation Call Center

Tel：050-3352-2002

Hours: weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Languages available: Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Russian, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Filipino, Nepali, Hindi, Vietnamese, Indonesian, and Burmese

If you need assistance, please contact Sapporo Help Desk for Foreign Residents 

※Be aware of scams and identity theft
・The government and the Sapporo City will NEVER ask you to operate an ATM, transfer fees for payment, or send an email asking you to use an URL for this benefit. If you have got a suspicious phone call, letter or email, please contact the Consumer Center, a police station or a police headquarter (#9110).
・Be aware of fake websites that look like the government or the Sapporo City.  If you see anything suspicious, like unfamiliar characters at the end of the URL, do not open the URL. Do your own search and check the real website.

For those under financial strain

 Social Welfare Council loans

Livelihood welfare fund loan system

The Social Welfare Council screens and lends necessary funds to low-income households, households with persons with disabilities, and elderly households to promote their financial independence and enjoyment of life.

Emergency protection fund loan system

The Social Welfare Council screens and lends funds to low-income households and households receiving welfare assistance when they are having financial difficulties due to temporary and incidental expenses and unable to receive any other assistance.

Support program for the financial independence of people in need

Housing Security Benefit

The City of Sapporo pays an amount equivalent to monthly rent for a certain period of time to people seeking employment to make ends meet. Further, support staff of the Sapporo Livelihood and Employment Support Center help them find work.

Welfare assistance

While foreign nationals are not eligible to receive welfare assistance, in cases where permanent residents, the spouses of Japanese citizens/permanent residents or long-term residents are struggling with their livelihood and are unable to receive the necessary support from their country’s consulate and the like, it is possible to receive assurance of livelihood based on standards and conditions outlined within the welfare assistance program. For those in need, contact the Social Aid Section of the ward office that has jurisdiction over the address found on your Residence Card or Special Permanent Resident Certificate.