- Pension is mandatory (ages 20–59). Employees pay ~9.15% of salary into Employees' Pension, matched by the employer; it's bundled into your social-insurance deduction.
- Leaving Japan? You can claim a Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment after 6 months of contributions, but you must apply within 2 years of departure.
- The calculation cap is 60 months (5 years) today, rising to 96 months (8 years) under a 2025 reform expected ~2029, so contributing well beyond 5 years currently returns a shrinking fraction.
- A 20.42% tax is withheld from the lump sum, but you can reclaim most of it, appoint a tax representative (納税管理人) before you leave Japan.
- If you have a totalization agreement (US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, etc.), your years count toward your home pension, so contributions are rarely truly lost.
Mandatory, like health insurance
Pension enrolment is compulsory for residents aged 20–59. Employees are placed in the Employees' Pension (厚生年金, kōsei nenkin) automatically, deducted from payroll alongside health insurance. Freelancers/contractors pay the flat-rate National Pension (国民年金, kokumin nenkin) via the ward office.
The two tiers
| Employees' Pension | National Pension | |
|---|---|---|
| Who | Company employees | Self-employed, students, unemployed |
| Amount | ~9.15% of salary (your half; employer matches) | Flat ~¥17,000/month |
| Future benefit | Higher, salary-linked | Base only |
What you pay
For employees the pension slice is about 9.15% of standard monthly remuneration, with the employer paying a matching ~9.15%. It's bundled into the same payroll deduction as Shakai Hoken health insurance, which is why "social insurance" is the largest line on your payslip after income tax.
Totalization agreements
Japan has social-security totalization agreements with many countries, the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, and more. They do two things: prevent double-paying pension in two countries, and let you combine contribution periods across countries toward eligibility. If you're seconded from home for a few years, an agreement may let you stay on your home pension and be exempted from the Japanese one, check with your employer and your home pension authority before you arrive.
The lump-sum withdrawal
If you leave Japan permanently after contributing at least 6 months, you can claim a Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金, dattai ichijikin), a partial refund of contributions. Core rules:
- You must file within 2 years of leaving Japan, miss it and it's gone.
- You must apply after departure, you can't submit while still resident.
- The refund scales with contribution months but is capped for the calculation (see the reform below), so long-stayers get proportionally less back per year.
- A withholding tax of 20.42% is deducted from Employees' Pension refunds at source, but much of it is reclaimable (see the tax trick).
The 60→96 month cap reform
Reclaiming the 20.42% withholding tax
The 20.42% withheld on your lump sum is largely refundable, because once you've left you're no longer subject to Japanese income tax. The mechanism:
- Before you leave Japan, appoint a tax representative (納税管理人), a Japanese national or a foreign resident with a valid residence card who stays in Japan after you go. File the appointment at your local tax office.
- After you receive the lump sum, you get a Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Notice (脱退一時金支給決定通知書) showing the tax withheld.
- Send the original notice to your tax representative, who files a tax return at your old local tax office to reclaim the withholding on your behalf.
How to claim, step by step
- While in Japan: keep your pension number / pension book, and appoint a tax representative if you'll reclaim the tax.
- File your ward-office move-out notification on departure.
- After leaving, mail the Lump-sum Withdrawal claim to the Japan Pension Service with your bank details (a bank that accepts JPY international transfers), passport copy, pension number, and proof you've left.
- Receive the lump sum (minus 20.42% if Employees' Pension), then have your representative reclaim the tax.
If you're staying long-term
Planning to pursue permanent residence? Don't take the lump sum, keep contributing. Consistent pension and tax payment is something immigration weighs for PR, and your contributions build toward an actual Japanese pension (payable after the required contribution years, now reduced to 10 years to qualify). Many long-termers also layer in private retirement saving below.
Building wealth: NISA & iDeCo
Two tax-advantaged accounts that make staying financially attractive:
- NISA, tax-free investment account, expanded and made permanent in 2024 with generous annual limits and no tax on gains. Open to foreign residents with a My Number.
- iDeCo, private defined-contribution pension; contributions are income-tax-deductible, growth is tax-deferred. Locks until 60, so it's genuinely for retirement.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my pension money back when I leave Japan?
Yes, if you contributed for at least 6 months, you can claim a Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金), a partial refund of your contributions. You must apply after you've left Japan and within 2 years of departure, miss the window and it's gone. The refund is capped at 60 months of contributions for the calculation (rising to 96 months under a 2025 reform, expected ~2029), so long-stayers get proportionally less back.
How do I reclaim the tax withheld on my pension refund?
A 20.42% withholding tax is deducted from Employees' Pension lump sums, but it's largely refundable because you're no longer subject to Japanese income tax once you've left. The key: appoint a tax representative (納税管理人) before you depart Japan, a Japanese national or foreign resident with a valid residence card who stays after you go. After you receive the refund notice, send the original to them and they file a tax return to reclaim the tax. Doing this after you've left is much harder, so people routinely forfeit it by not knowing.
Do I pay pension in both Japan and my home country?
Not if your country has a social-security totalization agreement with Japan (the US, UK, Germany, Canada, Australia, France, South Korea, the Netherlands, and others do). These prevent double-paying and let you combine contribution periods across countries toward eligibility. If you're seconded for a few years, an agreement may even let you stay on your home pension and be exempted from the Japanese one, check with your employer and home pension authority.
Should I take the pension refund or keep contributing?
If you're leaving Japan for good and contributed under ~5 years, take the lump sum (and reclaim the tax). If you're staying long-term or pursuing permanent residence, don't take it, keep contributing. Consistent pension payment is something immigration weighs for PR, and your contributions build toward an actual Japanese pension (now payable after 10 qualifying years). Long-termers also add tax-advantaged NISA and iDeCo.