Short answer
This is a document from your 市区町村 (shikuchōson, municipality — city, ward, town, or village) about 児童手当 (jidō teate, the child allowance for people raising children). Common ones include the 認定請求書 (nintei seikyūsho, application form), the 認定通知書 (nintei tsūchisho, a notice telling you whether your application was accepted and what will be paid), and the 現況届 (genkyō todoke, current-status report). The child allowance generally must be applied for — it is not paid automatically. For whether you qualify, the amounts, and the deadlines, follow the explanations of your municipality and official sources.
What this document is
児童手当 is an allowance program for people in Japan raising children under a certain age, usually handled by your municipality (for 公務員 (kōmuin, public employees), it is handled by the employer/workplace). Around it you may receive:
- 認定請求書: submitted when you first apply for the child allowance.
- 認定通知書 / 支給決定通知 (shikyū kettei tsūchi, payment decision notice): tells you whether your application was accepted, and the amount and method of payment.
- 現況届: since June 2022, in principle no longer required — municipalities can check the payment conditions against public records; only in certain specific situations (for example, when your address cannot be verified, or in cases of divorce or separation) will you receive one and need to submit it.
Common fields on the document
- 児童手当 (jidō teate) — child allowance.
- 認定請求書 (nintei seikyūsho) — application form.
- 支給月額 / 支給額 (shikyū getsugaku / shikyūgaku) — monthly / payable amount.
- 支給対象児童 (shikyū taishō jidō) — the children the allowance is paid for.
- 所得制限 / 所得上限 (shotoku seigen / shotoku jōgen) — income-related limits that may appear on older notices or materials (the former income limit was abolished with the program expansion from October 2024; check the latest official explanation for what applies).
- 現況届 (genkyō todoke) — current-status report.
What you need to do
- If you have not applied yet: submit the 認定請求書 as soon as possible (generally to your municipality; public employees apply through their employer/workplace instead; note the application deadline).
- If you received a 認定通知書: check the listed children and the amounts.
- If you received a 現況届 or a request to update your information: under the current rules it is in principle no longer required, but if you actually received one, submit it by the deadline so your payments are not interrupted.
- If you have questions about eligibility, amounts, or application conditions, confirm with your municipal office.
Where the deadline / amount may appear
- Deadline: applications have a time limit (apply as soon as possible after a birth or after moving in); documents such as the 現況届 also have submission deadlines — follow what the notice says.
- Amount: usually printed next to wording such as 「支給月額」 or 「支給額」; the exact figures depend on the program, so follow official information.
Which official body to contact if you are unsure
For applications and payments, the explanation of your 市区町村 (its 児童手当 / 子育て (kosodate, child-rearing) counter) is authoritative; for general explanations of the program, see the website of the Children and Families Agency (こども家庭庁, Kodomo Katei-chō). Official explanations take precedence over any third-party interpretation.
Common Japanese terms
- 児童手当 (jidō teate) — child allowance
- 認定請求書 (nintei seikyūsho) — application form
- 支給月額 (shikyū getsugaku) — monthly payment amount
- 現況届 (genkyō todoke) — current-status report
- 所得制限 (shotoku seigen) — income-related payment limit
- 認定通知書 (nintei tsūchisho) — approval notice (tells you whether accepted and what will be paid)