I am an American woman married to a Japanese man. Recently I started working under a civilian position. I'd like to keep my Japanese id (i.e. health insurance and etc) just in case, I need to go to a doctor in town or if I have a baby. I like the American system, but I live off base and most likely will usually go to a Japanese doctor esp. on wkends and such.  I noticed a lot of Filipino women keep their Japanese ids when they work on base, even though they are SOFA sponsored. I'm wondering if that is allowed or not. (I don't want to get anyone in trouble.) I know a lot of Japanese women married to SOFA sponsored men, do this. But ever seen this in the event of an American woman married to a Japanese man.

Any advice appreciated!

No one...bumping for replies please

I am a bit confused by this.

How do Filipino women get SOFA sponsorship if they are not married to an American civilian of military member?

You can take part in the Japanese health insurance system if you have a resident and/or work visa and a gaijin torokusho (ie "green card"). You lose that once your passport is submitted for SOFA and you are given an ID card. You can also pay into the insurance system if you're married to a Japanese national even if you lhave SOFA (or at least that was the case 20 years ago) but you'd then have to pay income taxes on your base salary, as well.

Maybe I am missing something but this doesn't add up to me at all.

I was wondering this myself, which is why I didn't reply. I'm not following how one can have BOTH a spouse visa and SOFA. Do the bases employ Americans without SOFA? I've never heard of such a thing, but that doesn't mean it isn't true.

I don't see why if OP is married to a J-national and she wants to live here for the rest of her life why she would be opposed to paying taxes and into Shakai Hoken or Kokumin Hoken/Kokumin Nenkin, depending on her circumstances. Have no clue how Japan handles which it is. I've never held SOFA and a status of residency at the same time.

BTW, the gaijin torokusho is going away in July, and then you will receive a new type of residency card when you next renew or change details to your existing card. I am doing this in like two or three days.

Hope this helps... Maybe? Ask your ward office. How is your Japanese?

As I understand it the card authorizing medical benefits from the Japanese health care system gets passed around.  When the card is presented it is accepted and no one questions if the person presenting the medical ID card is actually the person authorized to use it.
If they required a passport to be presented at the same time for verification it would eliminate that fraud.

Maybe that should be suggested to the Japanese Government.

That's just something I have heard.

You are not supposed to have both. If your SOFA and a Filipino that used to be a permanent resident under Japanese ministry you have to let go of the permanent residency card once your passport is sofa stamped. On your case though yokoyoko you should have no problem using your spouses health insurance. Are you hired as a SOFA? Even if so being married to a Japanese national means you can avail the Japanese benefits like doctors and so on. It is like Japanese women married to American men. It just happened to be the other way.

I'm sorry to confuse everyone. Ok I asked city hall and they were clueless...my Japanese is pretty good. My husband asked and they said it should be no problem to join his insurance, but I might have to pay into the retirement plan,etc cause it is one entity. I know of many Filipino ppl who are SOFA sponsored but still have a gaijin card and use it all the time, so I was wondering how do they do this, but 20MM put it into perspective. I don't want to be apart of anything illegal, but if possible, I want to be able to keep my health benefits in Japan--even if I have to pay for them. It seems a little better than this BC/BS deal...thanks for the advice folks!

I would like to have more information about this topic. What are the consequences  of having both citizenship? 

Only children under the age of 20, one of whose parents are Japanese, can be dual nationals. That is the law of Japan. You can legally either have a SOFA military ID OR a gaijintorokushome (green card) - not both.

One has to present their passport to city hall in Japan to get a gaijintorokushome. My understanding is if you show up with a SOFA stamp in said passport you won't be eligible for the card. My guess is anyone that already had a "green card" and then later gets SOFA is not forced to give it up since the SOFA stamp is entered by the US Embassy. It might be tough to get the card renewed after it expires, though.

Sounds like a bit of a loophole to me.

Is there any way to get japanes government insurance with sofa status? I'm really sick and I need that insurance my American side won't cover most of it . I have both citizens right now but I have to renew it in may. I'm afraid that I might get caught. Help please

Posted By NichiBeiOne on 01-30-2013 8:00 AM
Only children under the age of 20, one of whose parents are Japanese, can be dual nationals. That is the law of Japan. You can legally either have a SOFA military ID OR a gaijintorokushome (green card) - not both.

One has to present their passport to city hall in Japan to get a gaijintorokushome. My understanding is if you show up with a SOFA stamp in said passport you won't be eligible for the card. My guess is anyone that already had a "green card" and then later gets SOFA is not forced to give it up since the SOFA stamp is entered by the US Embassy. It might be tough to get the card renewed after it expires, though.

Sounds like a bit of a loophole to me.

Not true about  SOFA ID and green card.  My wife has both.
But she does not work nor does she have outside health insurance.
She uses her passport with her Japanese green card only to travel and does not get a SOFA stamp at immigration, only the multiple entry stamp.

Posted By InJapan on 01-30-2013 5:18 PM

Posted By NichiBeiOne on 01-30-2013 8:00 AM
Only children under the age of 20, one of whose parents are Japanese, can be dual nationals. That is the law of Japan. You can legally either have a SOFA military ID OR a gaijintorokushome (green card) - not both.

One has to present their passport to city hall in Japan to get a gaijintorokushome. My understanding is if you show up with a SOFA stamp in said passport you won't be eligible for the card. My guess is anyone that already had a "green card" and then later gets SOFA is not forced to give it up since the SOFA stamp is entered by the US Embassy. It might be tough to get the card renewed after it expires, though.

Sounds like a bit of a loophole to me.

Not true about  SOFA ID and green card.  My wife has both.
But she does not work nor does she have outside health insurance.
She uses her passport with her Japanese green card only to travel and does not get a SOFA stamp at immigration, only the multiple entry stamp.

Just because your wife has it does not make the statement any less true.  According to the MOFA/SOFA a person cannot hold both SOFA and a Japanese VISA.  Japanese nationals are not affected by this because they do not require a VISA to be in the country of Japan.  Tempt the system all you'd like, but do not be confused...  If a situation arises and SOFA would save her from that situation she will not be covered because she would fall under the laws of a resident alien vs SOFA.

I urge you to NOT TAKE my word for it, but go to NLSO or your local legal office and ask them what the truth is...BEFORE you need to have her covered by the protections of SOFA only to find out she is NOT.

There are also incorrect statements in NichiBeiOne's post...  What he/she wrote WAS true, but now the gaikokoujintorokushomeshou is ONLY available via immigration.  The Japanese government nationalized the processing of the ID card because of all the people that were overstaying their VISA authorized time.    So there are a few people that might still have the old card, but if they are without an official sealed VISA in their passport issued by the MOJ in Japan they will not get the new ID card.  Also, the SOFA stamp I think he/she is referring to is the SOFA multiple re-entry stamp (large single page stamp in your passport).  This can be done at the Embassy, but all military bases personnel office can do it as well.  At Yokosuka it is a gentleman on the third deck that does this...

Yeah, my info is dated. It used to be you received the green card at city offices and passports sent to the embassy by base personnel for SOFA stamps but that was a long time ago and apparently has changed.

But the gist of my posts was correct - you're not supposed to have both. And the green card by itself does not make one eligible for national health insurance - there is a lot more to it than that. I had a green card when on a tourist visa in Japan in order to rent an apartment and buy a car. But that did not allow me access to the national health system.

No... My wife has a special status as a permanent resident of Korean ancestry. It is a green card of sorts but they have almost all the rights as a full Japanese citizen. It is as if a Japanese national was married to a SOFA member.

There are green cards and there are special green cards.

Please don't try to lecture me... If you don't have all the facts. I have been here a long time and I know how the Japanese systems work as well as anyone.

I was just trying to point out that a blanket statement is not always true. You should have said.. In most cases...

Posted By InJapan on 01-31-2013 9:42 PM
No... My wife has a special status as a permanent resident of Korean ancestry. It is a green card of sorts but they have almost all the rights as a full Japanese citizen. It is as if a Japanese national was married to a SOFA member.

There are green cards and there are special green cards.

Please don't try to lecture me... If you don't have all the facts. I have been here a long time and I know how the Japanese systems work as well as anyone.

I was just trying to point out that a blanket statement is not always true. You should have said.. In most cases...

Very unique situation indeed and not covered in the MOFA/SOFA (in as much as I have read it).  I'd be curious how the Japanese government would treat that case and interpret her status.  If a permanent resident (almost the same situation as your wife with only few less benefits) married a SOFA member they immediately lose their special green card.  So, it would be a good case to see flow through the court systems.  I hope you never have to find that out...

A lecture??...chill out, don't take things so personal.  You did not post enough information to make an informed decision and therefore some assumptions had to be made.  And in the case you presented one must assume the average person especially since you eluded to the average person...

I still stand by my suggestion...I'd recommend to go in to the NLSO or your base's legal advisory office and triple/quadruple check on her situation.  Since you are already aware of how particular the Japanese government is and how they interpret their laws and their enforcement of the MOFA/SOFA.  But I would not want a suggestion to be conveyed to you as a demand.

I don't really have any concerns. And we both know how knowledgable legal can be when dealing with unusual situations.

I only posted that your blanket statement was not true. It just appeared that you were lecturing because of all the CAPS in your statement.

It really is a special status. They have almost all the rights of a full citizen and can even vote in some prefectures. Even in the most extreme case, I don't think they can even be deported. Another case of the Japanese not coming to grips fully with "Foriegners" in their country. But it is our fault... Since we wrote their constitution for them.

It would have been much clearer had you indicated your wife is a zainichi Korean. That is a whole different ball of wax than Filipinos having both a traditional gaijintoroku card and a SOFA ID and presumably stamps in their passports.

In response to folks wanting more info. Wake up. This is the Internet. I don't have to give anyone any more info than I want to release. I could tell you that I am a beautiful Samoan Mormom woman who had a car accident and has cancer if I wanted. Or a Nigerian banker with a huge bank account that would be released to you if you pay a small sum to my account.

The original poster was not Filipino and I understand that my situation may not apply to Filipinos in this situation but I was only replying to the absolute statement made by Wilson. Only replied back when the response was not "give more info" but a three paragraph reponse littered with caps and tempt the system, don't take my word for it....

This site is read by more than just Filipinos. And others who might have similar but not exactly the same situation might have mis understood. Although not on this board, there are a lot more Zainichi Koreans in Japan than Filipinos. So this could come up for them also.

And yes, in my job I have had to read the entire SOFA agreement along with the addendums.

Okay so your goal was to be a %##*. Got it.

No, it was just to refute a blanket statement.

Sorry if that bothers you.

Also sorry if I don't tell you everything about me. I don't think I should have to expose any more than I need to on the Internet. Feel free to do so yourself.