City Notices and Services

Exchange between Japanese elementary and middle school students and students with foreign roots.

Date: A) October 5th (Sat) & B) December 14th (Sat).
Venue: A) Sakai City Government Mikunigaoka Building B) Japanese Garden, Daisen Park.
Access: A) 1 min walk from Mikunigaoka Station, B) 10 min walk from Mozu Station.
Fee: A) Free B) 250 yen.
Target: Sakai City elementary and junior high school students and their families.
Capacity: A) 30 people B) 50 people (applications open until limit reached).
Application: A), B) (Japanese), for more details click here (Japanese).

Hornets are especially active around now until the end of October so it’s important to stay vigilant. Hornets instinctively protect their nest so they will threaten you if you approach it.

If you get stung:
● Pinch the area that was stung to squeeze out the poison and run it under a tap with cold water.
● Apply an antihistamine salve (it will lessen the pain quicker).
● If you feel abnormally lethargic, feverish, dizzy, or experience accelerated heartbeat or nausea, you might be in anaphylactic shock and should consult your doctor immediately.

Hornets prey on pests such as hairy caterpillars and stink bugs, and therefore are an important part of the ecosystem. If their nest is not directly interfering with your daily activities, please leave them alone.
Please also be advised that the city does not provide extermination services for hornets. If extermination is necessary, please contact a company directly (at your own expense).

Application for childcare services for next fiscal year (April 2025 onward) will be accepted until 17:30 on October 18th at the Child-raising Support Division (子育て支援課 kosodateshienka) at each ward office (closed weekends and public holidays). Online applications are open until 23:59 on October 18th. Information on usage and application are available at each Child-raising Support Division.
To use the childcare service, it is necessary for the guardian(s) to have meet certain conditions regarding employment, pregnancy, nursing care, afterbirth care, illness/disease or disabilities.

Online applications will be accepted from November 1st, 0:00 until November 29th, 23:59. You can also submit the form directly or mail it to the After-School Children Support Division from November 1st~29th (9:00-17:30, excluding weekends and public holidays).
Forms will be available from October 24th until November 29th at Nobinobi Rooms, Sakaikko Clubs and Hokago Rooms, as well as the City Hall Administrative Information Centre and Ward Office Administrative Information Corners.

My Number Card

If you have My Number card you can use it as your health insurance card!
(It is necessary to get it registered after receiving it for the usage as a health insurance card).
The issuance of the current insurance card ends on December 2nd 2024.
The health insurance card valid as of December 2nd will still be used for maximum one year. However, the new system where you use My Number card as health insurance card (Myna health insurance card) will become mainstream.
To find out about My Number card in general, click this link.

Sakai City will grant a scholarship of 120,000 yen per year to those who have difficulty in attending university etc. due to financial hardship. Through a screening, we will prioritize students with higher grades. (Quota: 120 people). Please click here for more information (English).

Eligibility is based on those who meet all the conditions below:

● Students who are receiving the merit-based scholarship from Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO) (from 1st to 3rd division) from April to September this fiscal year.

● The student in question or their family must have lived in the city for a continuous period from April 30th, 2024 to the date of application.

● From a 5 level, 0-4 scale, grades are an average of 3.0 or higher. 1st year university students will be judged on their first to last year of high school grades, second year and above university students will be judged on their 1st year university grades up until the date of application.

Application period: October 1st ~ 31st

Please send documents that show your grades and the application form. If the documents that show your grades are sealed, submit without opening it. If it is not sealed, you can upload and submit the documents electronically. You will be given notice via mail around the end of January about the screening result.