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From May 2026 meter reading, the renewable energy surcharge rises from ¥3.98 to ¥4.18/kWh. ~¥52/month more for 260kWh usage. Winter heating costs increase further. Electricity bills have been rising continuously since 2024.
Energy subsidy ended with March 2026 usage. ¥3,000+/month increase from April. Renewable surcharge hits record ¥3.98/kWh.
April 2026: electricity (+¥450/month), gas (+¥170/month), 200+ food items, and social insurance all going up simultaneously.
Effective April 1, 2026. Online mobile contract ID verification is unified under Public Personal Authentication (JPKI) via My Number Card. Those without one must sign up in person.
From April 2026, a "Child Care Support Levy" is added to health insurance premiums (~0.23%, ~¥500/month). All insured persons — including single, childless foreigners — pay equally. Take-home pay decreases.
Himeji Castle introduces dual pricing. Himeji residents ¥1,000, others ¥2,500. Residence card with Himeji address gets resident rate.
Next-gen My Number Card in 2026. New design, gender removed from face, 10-year validity. My Number Insurance Card function built in.
Complete guide to Japanese garbage sorting rules. Categories, collection days, and penalties for violations explained.