Consultation and Support Centers for Families of People with Disabilities in Japan
One of the hardest things about navigating disability in Japan, especially as a foreigner, is knowing where to go for help. There are actually many free consultation and support centers available, but they serve different purposes, cover different ages, and go by different names depending on where you live.
1. The Municipal Health Center
Hoken Sentaa / 保健センター
Who it serves: Everyone, but especially pregnant women, infants, and young children.
What it does: This is where your child’s mandatory health checkups (the 1.5-year and 3-year checkups) take place. The health center is staffed by public health nurses (hokenshi / 保健師) who are your first point of contact when you have concerns about your child’s development.
The health center can refer you to specialists, connect you with early intervention services, and provide ongoing developmental follow-up. For many families, this is the very first place where a developmental concern is formally discussed. The staff are accustomed to working with families of young children and can often help you understand next steps even if your Japanese is limited.
How to find yours: Every municipality has one. Search your city or ward name plus “保健センター” online, or ask at your ward office.
2. The Child Consultation Center
Jidou Soudanjo / 児童相談所
Who it serves: Children under 18 (and their families).
What it does: The jidou soudanjo is a prefectural or designated-city facility that handles a wide range of child welfare matters. For families of children with disabilities, its most important role is conducting the official assessment for the ryouiku techou (療育手帳), the disability handbook for intellectual disabilities.
When you apply for the ryouiku techou through your ward office, your child will be given an appointment at the jidou soudanjo for cognitive testing and a developmental assessment. The center’s psychologists and staff determine the grade of disability that will be recorded in the handbook.
The jidou soudanjo can also provide consultation about your child’s development and behavior, guidance on welfare services, and referrals to therapeutic and educational resources.
Note: the jidou soudanjo is also the center that handles child abuse cases, foster care, and other child protection matters.
How to find yours: Your ward office can tell you which jidou soudanjo serves your area. You can also search your prefecture name plus “児童相談所” online.
3. The Developmental Disability Support Center
Hattatsu Shougai Sha Shien Sentaa / 発達障害者支援センター
Who it serves: People of all ages with developmental disabilities (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, etc.) and their families.
What it does: These centers are run by each prefecture and designated city as a national program under the Hattatsu Shougai Sha Shien Hou (発達障害者支援法), the Act on Support for Persons with Developmental Disabilities. They provide free consultations and serve as a bridge between families and the medical, welfare, educational, and employment systems.
You do not need a diagnosis to contact them. You can call or visit if you suspect your child may have a developmental disability and you are unsure what to do next. They can help you find a doctor, connect with therapy services, understand school options, and plan for the future. They also support adults with developmental disabilities.
How to find yours: The National Rehabilitation Center maintains a searchable list of all centers by prefecture. The Hattatsu Shougai Navi Portal (hattatsu.go.jp) also provides general information and resources.
4. The Consultation Support Agency
Soudan Shien Jigyousho / 相談支援事業所
Who it serves: People with disabilities of all ages who need help planning and coordinating disability welfare services.
What it does: When your child (or an adult family member) is approved for disability welfare services, a soudan shien jigyousho helps create the service use plan (saabisu tou riyou keikaku / サービス等利用計画). This is the individualized plan that specifies which services the person will use, how often, and from which providers.
These agencies are private organizations designated by the municipality. A consultation support specialist (soudan shien senmonin / 相談支援専門員) will work with your family to understand your needs, find appropriate services (like therapy, day services, or group homes), and coordinate between providers. They also review the plan periodically to make sure it still fits.
For children specifically, the shougaiji soudan shien jigyousho (障害児相談支援事業所) focuses on creating plans for children’s developmental services such as jidou hattatsu shien (児童発達支援) and houkago tou day service (放課後等デイサービス).
How to find one: Your ward office disability welfare section can provide a list of designated agencies in your area. You can also ask for a recommendation.
5. The Core Consultation Support Center
Kikan Soudan Shien Sentaa / 基幹相談支援センター
Who it serves: People with disabilities of all types and all ages.
What it does: This is the hub of the disability consultation system in each municipality. It provides comprehensive, expert-level consultation for people with physical, intellectual, mental health, and developmental disabilities. It also coordinates the work of the various soudan shien jigyousho in the area and provides training and guidance to consultation support specialists.
If you are unsure which center to contact first, or if your situation is complex and involves multiple types of support, the kikan soudan shien sentaa is a good starting point. They can assess your overall situation and direct you to the right resources.
Not every municipality has established one yet, but the government is working to expand coverage nationwide.
How to find one: Ask at your ward office disability welfare section, or search your city name plus “基幹相談支援センター” online.
6. The Intellectual Disability Rehabilitation Consultation Center
Chiteki Shougai Sha Kousei Soudanjo / 知的障害者更生相談所
Who it serves: Adults aged 18 and over with intellectual disabilities.
What it does: This center handles the ryouiku techou assessment and renewal for adults. For children under 18, the jidou soudanjo handles this; for adults 18 and over, the role shifts to the chiteki shougai sha kousei soudanjo. In some municipalities, both functions are housed in the same building.
If your adult family member needs a new ryouiku techou, a renewal, or a reassessment of their disability grade, this is where the assessment takes place.
How to find one: Your ward office or prefectural office can direct you. In some areas, the jidou soudanjo also houses the adult assessment function.
7. The Rights Advocacy Support Center
Kenri Yougo Shien no Chuukaku Kikan / 権利擁護支援の中核機関
Who it serves: People who need support with legal decision-making, including those considering adult guardianship (seinen kouken seido / 成年後見制度).
What it does: These centers provide free consultation about adult guardianship and other rights protection measures. They can help you understand whether guardianship is appropriate for your family member, explain the different types, and guide you through the application process. They are part of the MHLW’s guardianship promotion system.
How to find one: The MHLW Guardianship Quick Guide (guardianship.mhlw.go.jp) has a searchable directory of consultation windows by region.
Which Center Do I Need?
| Your Situation | Start Here |
| My baby/toddler seems delayed | Hoken Sentaa (保健センター) |
| I want a ryouiku techou for my child | Ward Office → Jidou Soudanjo (児童相談所) |
| I think my child has autism or ADHD | Hattatsu Shougai Sha Shien Sentaa (発達障害者支援センター) |
| I need help finding therapy or services | Soudan Shien Jigyousho (相談支援事業所) |
| I need to renew an adult’s ryouiku techou | Kousei Soudanjo (更生相談所) |
| I’m considering guardianship | Kenri Yougo Chuukaku Kikan (権利擁護中核機関) |
| I don’t know where to start | Kikan Soudan Shien Sentaa (基幹相談支援センター) |
Practical Tips
- You can always start at your ward office (kuyakusho / 区役所 or shiyakusho / 市役所). Even if they are not the right office for your specific question, they can tell you where to go.
- All of these consultation services are free. You do not need to pay for a consultation at any of these centers.
- You do not need a diagnosis or a disability handbook to contact most of these centers. They are there to help you figure out what you need.
- If you are not comfortable communicating in Japanese, ask if the center can arrange an interpreter or bring someone who can help translate. Some municipalities have multilingual support services.
- Write down your questions before you go. Having a clear list of what you want to ask makes the most of your time, especially if you are working through a language barrier.
- These centers can feel overwhelming at first because there are so many of them with different names. The quick reference table above is a good place to start. Pick the one that matches your situation and go from there.
Key Terms
| Japanese Term | English |
| Hoken sentaa / 保健センター | Municipal health center |
| Hokenshi / 保健師 | Public health nurse |
| Jidou soudanjo / 児童相談所 | Child consultation center |
| Hattatsu shougai sha shien sentaa / 発達障害者支援センター | Developmental Disability Support Center |
| Soudan shien jigyousho / 相談支援事業所 | Consultation support agency |
| Kikan soudan shien sentaa / 基幹相談支援センター | Core Consultation Support Center |
| Chiteki shougai sha kousei soudanjo / 知的障害者更生相談所 | Intellectual Disability Rehabilitation Consultation Center |
| Kenri yougo shien chuukaku kikan / 権利擁護支援中核機関 | Rights Advocacy Support Center |
| Shougai fukushi ka /障害福祉課 | Disability welfare section (ward office) |
Useful Resources
Hattatsu Shougai Navi Portal (発達障害情報ポータルサイト): https://hattatsu.go.jp/
National Rehabilitation Center: Developmental Disability Support Centers (発達障害者支援センターとは): https://www.rehab.go.jp/ddis/action/about/
National Rehabilitation Center: Support Center Directory (支援センター一覧): https://www.rehab.go.jp/ddis/action/center/
Children and Families Agency: Child Health Checkups (乳幼児健診): https://www.cfa.go.jp/policies/boshihoken/nyuyojikenshin
MHLW: Consultation Support Services (相談支援事業):
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/bunya/shougaihoken/service/soudan.html
MHLW: Core Consultation Support Centers (基幹相談支援センター):
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/seisakunitsuite/bunya/hukushi_kaigo/shougaishahukushi/service/kikan.html
MHLW: Guardianship Consultation Windows (相談窓口のご案内): https://guardianship.mhlw.go.jp/consultation/
MHLW: Child Consultation Center Guidelines (児童相談所運営指針):
