A Notice from Kure City March, 2026（English）

【Temporary Openings of the Civic Services Division Counter —※Civic Centers will NOT be open】

●Date and time：
March 30 (Mon), March 31 (Tue), April 1 (Wed), April 2 (Thu), April 3 (Fri): 8:30 AM – 7:00 PM,
April 4 (Sat), April 5 (Sun): 8:30 AM – 5:15 PM
※Procedures for address change notifications and My Number Card services are available until 6:30 PM on weekdays and 4:30 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
●Location：1st Floor, Civic Services Division, Kure City Hall
●Available Services:
•Address change notifications
•Issuance of copies of Certificate of Residence and Certificate of Entries Recorded in Certificate of Residence
•Seal (personal stamp) registration and issuance of Proof of Seal Registration
•Issuance of Certificate of Income Taxation
•My Number Card procedures
※Notifications of moving into the city or changing residence within the city must be submitted within 14 days of the move.

▼Contact
Shimin-madoguchi-ka　TEL：0823-25-3161
Kure International Exchange Association　TEL：0823-25-5607

【Please Be Careful of Door-to-Door Sales for Electricity and Gas】

As the spring season begins when many people start a new life due to moving or other changes, contract-related troubles involving electricity and gas services tend to increase. Please be cautious, as we have received the following type of consultation.

《Example》
I became a university student in April and live alone in a rental apartment. A salesperson came to my door and said, “Your electricity bill can become cheaper, so please show me your meter reading slip. We’re asking everyone in this apartment building.” I thought it would be okay just to show the meter reading slip, so I followed their instructions. Later, I learned online that if you give them the customer number written on the meter reading slip, they can change your electricity contract without your permission. I never intended to change my contract. What should I do?

《Advice》
●If someone suddenly visits your home to promote electricity or gas services, do not sign a contract on the spot. Carefully confirm the company name, contact information, and purpose of the visit.
●Meter reading slips for electricity and gas contain important information, such as the customer number and supply point identification number, which are required to switch contracts. If you do not intend to change your contract, clearly refuse and handle the information on the slip carefully.
●If you are told that “the entire apartment building has already signed a contract,” be sure to confirm this with the building management company or landlord. If someone says “the fees will be cheaper,” check the details of the plan and compare it with other providers before deciding.
●If the case qualifies as door-to-door sales under the Specified Commercial Transactions Act,
you may cancel the contract within 8 days (cooling-off period) after receiving the official contract documents from the company. If you encounter problems, please consult the Kure-shi Syouhi Seikatsu Center (Kure City Consumer Affairs Center). (You can also connect to the Kure-shi Syouhi Seikatsu Center (Kure City Consumer Affairs Center) by calling the consumer hotline “188.” )

▼Contact
Kure-shi Syouhi Seikatsu Center (Kure City Consumer Affairs Center)　TEL：0823-25-3218
Kure International Exchange Association　TEL：0823-25-5607

【A multilingual life guidebook has been published】
Even if you leave a company, you are still required to be covered by health insurance in case of illness or injury. If you are no longer eligible for health insurance, please follow one of the following procedures:
“The Kure Life Guidebook for Foreigners” has been published in English, Chinese, Portuguese, and Vietnamese. It contains a lot of useful information for foreigners about life and administrative procedures.
It is distributed free of charge at the International Exchange Center on the 1st floor of the Kure City Hall, Tobu Chiku Foreign Resident Comprehensive Consultation Counter in Hiro Shimin Center, and every local Civic Center.
You can also download it from the Kure International Exchange Association’s website.