Lifelines and Utilities

●Waste disposal 

●Water supply  ●Electricity  ●Gas

●Telephone  ●Post office  ●Banks and Other Financial Institutions

●Waste disposal 【Project Division, Global Environment Division】

To promote recycling of reusable waste and the proper disposal of toxic substances, waste is classified into 12 groups and collected separately. Since the date of waste collection depends on each district, please dispose of waste at the specified pick-up site on the specified day.

Separation and disposal of waste
(1) Burnable waste Collected twice a week	Burnable waste includes kitchen waste, plastic/vinyl products, leather products, and wood products. →Place in clear, translucent plastic bags or polyethylene bags and tie securely before disposal.
Recyclable waste Collected twice a month	(2) Newspapers, (3) papers, (4) corrugated cardboard, (5) old cloth, (6) metal cans, metal products, (7) glass bottles. （Broken glass bottles should be disposed of as small, complex waste.） (8) Plastic bottles and (9) paper milk containers are collected at public facilities and supermarkets. → Glass bottles and metal cans (inside) should be rinsed with water and put in proper containers. (2) Newspapers and (5) old cloth should be tied with string and placed beside the containers.
(10) Large complex waste Collected once a month	Large items exceeding 60 cm on a side or elongated items exceeding 1 m in length, wooden products excluded from burnable waste. →Should be labeled “Waste (Fuyohin)” before disposal.
(11) Small complex waste Collected once a month	Smaller items not exceeding 60 cm on four sides that are excluded from burnable waste or elongated items not exceeding 1 m in length (To dispose of a kerosene stove, remove the batteries used for ignition, extract the kerosene from the stove, and dispose of it as large, complex waste.) →Smaller items should be put in bags and placed beside special containers of hazardous waste.
(12) Hazardous or dangerous waste Collected once a month	Batteries, fluorescent lamps, mercury thermometers and other wastes that contain hazardous substances and require careful handling. → Should be put in special bags for hazardous and dangerous waste for storage, removed from the bag, and placed in a container. Razors, cooking knives, or other dangerous materials should be wrapped in paper.

・Every year, 80 free bags for regular waste are distributed two times a year by the autonomous community associations (jichikai). If you are not a member of the jichikai or there is no jichikai, obtain them at City Hall, branch offices, municipal service corners, or the Silver Human Resources Center.

・Separate and bring waste to the specified site for collection by 8:00 a.m. on the collection day. If waste is left before the day of collection, food waste will be eaten by dogs, cats, and crows and will create a nuisance for the neighborhood.

・Remove excess water from kitchen waste before disposal.

・Use up spray cans before disposal.

・Paper milk containers are collected at the community centers.

・To dispose of a dead dog or cat, contact the Project Division, Resources and Recycling Office of the Environment Department (Kankyo-Bu) at City Hall.

・Empty plastic bottles are collected at some cooperative stores and public facilities.

 

Items not collected by the city
Air conditioners, washing machines, refrigerators, and TV sets as shown below must be brought to the appliance stores. In April 2009, LCD/plasma TVs and clothes dryers will also become uncollectible. Fees must be paid for disposal. The City and authorized waste material dealers will collect them for a fee. For further information, contact the Suita City Home Appliance Recycling Reception Center (06-6303-5552) or Global Environment Division, Environment Department (Kankyo-Bu), Suita City Hall （06-6384-1702）.
PCs must be recycled. Contact the manufacturers. For disposal of self-built PCs or PCs by unknown manufacturers, contact the PC3R Promotion Center (03-5282-7685）.
Items as shown below cannot be collected.（Since the city cannot dispose of these items, please consult the place where they were purchased.）
Treatment of industrial waste must be properly done by the person/entity discarding the waste or commissioned to an authorized waste material dealer.
For disposal of a motorcycle, contact a Waste Motorcycle Dealer or the Motorcycle Recycling Center(03-3598-8075). However, motorcycles 125 cc or smaller in emission volumes that are difficult to recycle may be collected as large, complex waste. (Remove oil and gasoline.)
Button batteries and rechargeable NiCad and nickel hydride batteries are collected at appliance, camera, or clock retailers.

※For items other than the above, contact the Project Division (06-6832-0026) or Global Environment Division (06-6384-1702).

 

●Water supply 【Waterworks Department】　

You can use tap water for drinking. To start/stop the water service, contact the Fee Division of the Waterworks Department or the branch office of the Waterworks Department at City Hall.

The payment of bills (including sewage charges) sent to you every other month can be paid at a financial institution, a convenience store in cash, or through your bank account. No bill collector visits your home. For apartment houses where the water meters are not checked for each apartment, the Waterworks Department does not send bills directly to each apartment.

In case of water leaks at home, please contact the Maintenance Division, Waterworks Department. Telephone calls are accepted on holidays and at night.

Waterworks Department	3-3-60 Minamisuita, Suita City	Accounting Division	06-6384-1255
		Maintenance Division	06-6384-1258
		Other (Holidays/night)	06-6384-1251

 

●Electricity

Although you can start using electricity by simply switching ON the circuit breaker, you must contact the electric power company by providing the necessary information on the application postcard attached to the meter or the breaker and mailing it or by calling the branch office of the power company. Your electricity bill is calculated from the monthly meter reading. Pay your bill either at a nearby financial institution or convenience store with a special transfer form or through your bank account.

Hokusetsu Branch, Kansai Electric Power Co., Ltd.

2-45-5, Izumicho, Suita City

06-6384-1131

 

●Gas

To start the gas to your residence, call the gas company. A serviceperson will visit to open the main valve in the presence of the applicant.

Be sure to close the main valve after using the gas, before going to bed, and before going out. It is also desirable to frequently check that the room has adequate ventilation.

Gas leaks can be detected by the smell. If a gas leak occurs, never use fire. Do not turn ON any electric appliance, close the main valve, and open the windows for ventilation. Dial the special contact number for gas leakage, and escape from the house.

Gas bills are calculated for the volume of use each month. The payment method is the same as that for the electricity bill.

Osaka Gas Customer Center

39-6 Fujinosato, Takatsuki City

0120-594-817 (Dedicated line for gas leakage) 0120-519-424

※ Some households use propane gas. To start using it, ask your real estate agent or the landlord for the propane gas company representative and the method of use.

●Telephone

Obtaining telephone service

The Certificate of Alien Registration or a passport is required.

NTT West (Telephone service applications)

1-5-26, Shinkitano, Yodogawa-ku, Osaka-city

116 (No area code required) From mobile phone: 0800-2000116

Mobile telephone service is available from a nearby appliance store or mobile telephone dealer.

 

Payment

Monthly telephone bills will be sent from each telephone service carrier. Payments can be made at 　a nearby financial institution or convenience store with a payment form or through your bank account.

Making telephone calls

The area code for Suita is 06, the same as that for Osaka City. When calling from a mobile phone or from outside Osaka City, dial the area code and the recipient's number.

Making international calls

Dial in the order of: (1) access code and country code, (2) area code, and (3) the recipient's number. The access code and the rate depend on each telephone service carrier. Dialing from payphones that support international calls can also be made in similar ways.

KDDI	001 + 010 +　Country code + Recipient's number
Softbank Telecom	0066 + 010 + Country code + Recipient's number
NTTCom	0033 + 010 + Country code + Recipient's number

 

For other inquires about the services of telephone service carriers:

KDDI	0077-777	Free call
Softbank Telecom	0088-82
NTTCom	0120-50-6506

Phone number directory in English “i-Town Page English version”　

An English version of the telephone directory is available at

http://itp.ne.jp

http://english.itp.ne.jp

 

●Post Office

Post offices provide a variety of financial and insurance services, as well as postal services.

Domestic Mail

Sealed Letters

Sealed letters of a size 14 to 23.5 cm x 9 to 12 cm in height and length, 1 cm or less in thickness, and 50 g in weight, are treated as standard-sized items. Others are treated as nonstandard –sized items.

Postcards

Affix a 50-yen stamp to each postcard before posting. Official postcards may be posted without affixing stamps.

Parcels

To send items other than letters, use the parcel service called Yu-pack.

• The rate for a normal parcel is determined by size and distance.
• To send books, Yu-mail is cheaper than Yu-pack.
• Special parcel bags and boxes are sold at the post office.
• The combined length, width, and height of the parcel must not exceed 170 cm.  
• The weight of a parcel must not exceed 30 kg.

Express Mail

Delivery is quicker when express rates are added. To ensure quick delivery, it is better to bring the mail to the post office counter. When putting the mail into a mailbox, indicate as below in red on the front of the envelope, and put it into the blue express mailbox or the express mail slot on the red mailbox.

International Mail

Sealed Letters

Letters up to 2 kg in weight may be sent. The rate depends on the weight and destination country.　

Aerograms

Forms are sold at the post office and can be sent anywhere in the world for 90 yen per sheet.

Postcard

Can be sent anywhere in the world by airmail for 70 yen per postcard. Cards are the same size as that of domestic postcards.　

Printed Matter

Although visual confirmation of the contents may be required, up to 5 kg of printed matter can be sent.

Small Packets

Although the weight regulation depends on the destination country, up to 2 kg can be sent. Each packet must be affixed with a customs form, which can be obtained at the post office.　

Parcels

Generally, items up to 20 kg in weight can be sent as a parcel. However, as some destination countries only allow items up to 10 kg, please check at the post office before sending.

Contact for Postal Inquiries

Customer Service Center, Japan Post Service Co., Ltd.	0120-23-28-86		Toll-free
	Moble	0577-046-666	Phone charges apply
	Service in nglish	0570-046-111

 

Financial Services

To open an ordinary savings account at the post office, you need 10 yen or more in cash, a personal seal (signature accounts are also possible) and your ID. You can open an account immediately and apply for a cash card. The card is delivered to your house in about a week.

You can withdraw and deposit money at any post office in . However, the exchange of foreign currency and travelers' checks is limited to certain offices (In Suita City, at the   and Suita Senri post offices).

Automatic Payment of Public Utility Charges

Charges for public utilities, including water, electricity, gas, telephone service, and NHK subscriptions, can be automatically paid through your postal savings account.

Bring your account book, invoice, and seal to the post office.

 

●Banks and Other Financial Institutions

In addition to deposits, loans, and foreign exchange services, automatic payment services for public utility charges, such as electricity and gas, and credit card payment services are also available. To use these services, open a savings account.

Business hours:	Monday to Friday  9:00 a.m.- 3:00 p.m.
ATM （Automatic Teller Machine）	hours may differ depending on the location of the bank. Monday to Friday：　8:30 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays：  9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.

ATMs can also be found at some convenience stores.

 

Opening a Bank Account

Bring your seal  (or open a signature account) and your ID (Certificate of Alien Registration) to the bank teller to open an account. You can also apply for a cash card. With this bankcard, you can use ATMs.

ATM

With a cash card, you can withdraw, deposit, and transfer your money at ATMs. Do not forget your Personal Identification Number. If you have any problems, ask a bank clerk. .

Exchange of Foreign Currency

Foreign exchange service is available at banks and other financial institutions with signs saying “Ministry of Finance Authorized Money Changer”. The same applies to the exchange of traveler's checks.