Special Cash Payment (Tokubetsu Teigaku Kyufukin)
The Special Cash Payment was a one-time, unconditional cash transfer of ¥100,000 (about $930 at the time) to every person registered in Japan's Basic Resident Register as of April 27, 2020, in response to the economic impact of COVID-19. It was a national government program administered by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC/Soumu-sho) with payments processed and disbursed by each of Japan's roughly 1,700 municipalities. The program was funded entirely by the national government through a supplementary budget of approximately ¥12.88 trillion. Payments went to household heads on behalf of every household member, including children, elderly, incarcerated people, and eligible foreign residents, with no income, asset, or employment conditions.
Universal cash transfer, COVID-19 relief, National program, Japan, One-time payment, No means test
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan)
- City
- Chiyoda
- State / Province
- Tokyo
- Country
- Japan
Contact
- Phone
- +81 3 5253 5111
- Social media links
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 127,000,000
- Funding type
- Government
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Currency
- JPY
- Total Amount
- 100,000 JPY (≈ $610.90)
- Avg. Per Month
- 9,090.91 JPY (≈ $55.54)
- Payment frequency
- Lump Sum
- How long the program lasts
- 11 months
- Distribution Type
- Direct deposit (bank transfer), Cash (in-person at municipal offices for those without bank accounts)
- Benefit details
Each municipality mailed application forms to registered households starting around late April/May 2020 (some as early as April 27), with an online application option via the national 'Mynaportal' portal requiring a My Number Card. Applicants listed a bank account for direct deposit; those unable to use a bank account could apply and receive funds in person at municipal offices. The payment was tax-exempt, not counted as income or an asset for welfare/livelihood-protection eligibility, and protected from garnishment/seizure. Special provisions allowed domestic-violence victims living apart from a registered household head to apply separately and receive their own payment. Distribution speed varied widely by municipality; nationally 67.2% of funds were disbursed by June 24, 2020, and 99.7% by March 31, 2021.
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
All individuals recorded in Japan's Basic Resident Register (Juki Kihon Daicho) as of the benchmark date, April 27, 2020, were eligible, including Japanese citizens and foreign nationals with a registered residence status of more than 3 months. Newborns had to be born on or before April 27, 2020 to qualify (children born April 28, 2020 or later were excluded, though some municipalities created their own supplemental payments for later-born infants). The payment was made per person but claimed and received by the household head on behalf of all household members. People without a family register but otherwise meeting residency requirements could also qualify. Homeless individuals could apply if they completed a residence registration procedure. Incarcerated individuals (in prisons, juvenile detention, etc.) were also eligible.
Citizenship
- Citizenship / immigration status
- Citizen, Permanent Resident, Refugee, Asylum Seeker
Geography
- Countries covered
- Japan
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Application Process
- How to apply
Municipalities mailed a pre-filled application form to each registered household starting on a locally-set date (varying by municipality from late April through May 2020); the household head completed the form with bank account details and identity verification documents (e.g., driver's license, My Number Card, health insurance card) and mailed it back, with a deadline of 3 months from each municipality's mailing/receipt start date. Alternatively, applicants could apply online through the national 'Mynaportal' portal using a My Number Card and an NFC-compatible smartphone or IC card reader, uploading identity and bank account confirmation images; no paper submission was then required. Those with special circumstances (e.g., no bank account, domestic violence situations) could apply and collect payment in person at municipal counters.
- Selection process
There was no competitive selection process; eligibility was determined automatically based on registration in the Basic Resident Register as of the April 27, 2020 benchmark date, and the household head applied on behalf of all registered household members. Municipal staff verified applications against resident registry records and bank account details before processing payment; incomplete or inconsistent applications required manual follow-up, which caused delays in some large cities (e.g., Osaka, Chiba, Nagoya).
