Disclaimer: Since official English terms and translations are rarely fixed or agreed upon across sources and documents and some may even overlap in translation, it is best to learn and use the Japanese terms when referring to each topic and to keep the English terms in mind simply for your own reference.
In addition to health insurance, the social systems in Japan also include nenkin（年金）, or the National Pension System. It is composed of two systems: kokumin nenkin（国民年金）, or National Pension, and kōsei nenkin（厚生年金）, or Employees’ Pension Insurance (EPI). Just like with the health insurance system, nenkin is designed to help relieve the high cost of living in Japan. You can start receiving your pension from the age of 65 years old, by which point you will (hopefully) be comfortably retired.
In this guide, we’ll take you through what you need to know about the kokumin nenkin side of the National Pension System (nenkin) in Japan.
To know more about the other side of nenkin, called kōsei nenkin, or Employees’ Pension Insurance (EPI), check out our shakai hoken（社会保険; commonly called ‘social insurance’）guide here.
Table of Contents
- How to Enroll in National Pension in Japan
- National Pension Contributions
- International Social Security Agreements
- Benefits of National Pension in Japan
- How to Claim National Pension Benefits in Japan
- Glossary
How to Enroll in National Pension in Japan
The enrollment process into nenkin will depend on which coverage category you belong to. Read below to find out which category you fall under and follow the appropriate steps. Here we’ll explain both compulsory coverage (under kokumin nenkin or kōsei nenkin) and voluntary coverage categories and how to enroll in each.
Compulsory Coverage
Compulsory enrollment into nenkin（年金）, or the pension system, falls into one of three categories.
- Category I – persons residing in Japan aged 20 to 59 who are not in Category II or III and are self-enrolled into kokumin nenkin.
- Category II – persons residing in Japan aged 20 to 64 who are enrolled into kōsei nenkin by their employer under shakai hoken.
- Category III – persons residing in Japan aged 20 to 59 who are registered as a dependent under a Category II insured person.
According to the National Pension System’s website, Category I and Category III persons are covered by kokumin nenkin. Only Category II persons are covered by kōsei nenkin within the nenkin system.
To enroll in kokumin nenkin (Category I), go to the nenkin section of your local ward office. If you need help with enrollment, you can schedule an appointment with the language-support staff at the ward office’s helpdesk. We have a list of the available times and languages available at Tokyo’s 23 special wards here.
To enroll in kōsei nenkin (Category II), ask your employer to enroll you in shakai hoken. Your employer should do this automatically, however, it’s always best to consult with them to make sure. For more information on shakai hoken, check out our separate guide here.
To enroll yourself as a dependent under your spouse’s shakai hoken (Category III), have your spouse’s employer enroll you at the nenkin office that covers your spouse’s company office’s location.
Voluntary Coverage
Similarly, voluntary enrollment into kokumin nenkin falls into one of three cases.
- Persons residing in Japan aged 60 to 64.*
- Japanese citizens aged 20 to 64 living in another country.**
- Persons born on or before April 1, 1965, aged 65 to 69, who do not meet the minimum coverage period to claim pension.*
To enroll in voluntary coverage, go to the nenkin section of your local ward office* or to the nearest local nenkin office branch**. You can use the branch locator on the nenkin website to find your branch if you don’t know where it is.
Now that you’re enrolled, let’s look over what you have to pay.
National Pension Contributions 国民年金保険料
As mentioned in our National Health Insurance (NHI) guide, kōsei nenkin（厚生年金; Employees’ Pension Insurance or EPI) and kenkō hoken（健康保険; Employees’ Health Insurance or EHI）premiums are predetermined by work unions and therefore differ from company to company. Contributions for Category II and III persons are automatically deducted from the Category II employee’s salary if they are enrolled in shakai hoken.
On the other hand, kokumin nenkin contributions are a set amount. However, the premiums change every year. As of fiscal year 2020, the premium is ¥16,540 per month.
It’s important to note here that kokumin nenkin contributions are only payable up to 2 years from the given due date. Any missed payments will be counted as a non-payment when you start to claim your pension.
How to Pay Your National Pension Contributions
Similar to kokumin kenkō hoken (National Health Insurance), the pension office will send you payment slips for kokumin nenkin. Each one will indicate how much you need to pay and for which month. You can take these to a bank, post office, or convenience store and pay for them there.
Now that you know how much kokumin nenkin costs and how to pay for it, let’s look at what kinds of exemptions and postponements may be available to you.
National Pension Exemptions 国民年金保険料の免除制度
The kokumin nenkin hokenryō no menjo seido or National Pension Exemption System allows people in Japan with low or limited incomes to continue receiving pension coverage (as well as qualify for benefits) without having to pay the full contribution amount.
To be granted menjo or exemption, you must meet certain income thresholds. The possible menjo categories are full exemption, ¾ exemption (you only pay ¼ contribution), ½ exemption (you only pay ½ contribution), and ¼ exemption (you only pay ¾ contribution). To receive any of these exemptions, your income from the previous year must be within the following amounts.
Please take note that this applies only to those who are enrolled or are enrolling in kokumin nenkin. Employees currently enrolled in kōsei nenkin (under shakai hoken) therefore do not qualify for kokumin nenkin hokenryō no menjo or postponements.
| Type | Your Income from the Previous Year |
| full exemption | ((number of dependent relatives + 1) x ¥350,000) + ¥220,000 |
| ¾ exemption | ¥780,000 + deduction for dependents + deduction for social insurance* |
| ½ exemption | ¥1.18 million + deduction for dependents + deduction for social insurance*, etc. |
| ¼ exemption | ¥1.58 million + deduction for dependents + deduction for social insurance*, etc. |
Although there is no obligation to retroactively pay the exempted amount, keep in mind that how much you contribute to kokumin nenkin will affect your Old-age Basic Pension claim. In addition, failure to pay any remaining contribution amount will be reflected as non-payments in your pension calculation.
For example, if you were granted a ¾ exemption, you are still required to pay ¼ of the full contribution amount. If you fail to pay the remaining ¼ of the full contribution in any month, that month will be registered as a non-payment.
Furthermore, contribution exemptions are effective only for the fiscal year that they were applied for. This means that even if you qualified this year, you will need to re-apply again next year to continue receiving an exemption that year.
To apply, bring the following documents to the kokumin nenkin section of your municipal office or your nearest local nenkin office branch.
- 年金手帳 (Pension Book) or 基礎年金番号通知書 (Basic Pension Number Notification Card)
Additional documents you may need:
- Documents showing your income for the previous year or from two years ago
- Your 所得の申立書 (Income Tax Return), if you have not filed one yet
If you were recently unemployed and had koyōhoken（雇用保険）or employment insurance:
- A copy of your 雇用保険受給資格者証 (Employment Insurance Eligibility Certificate) or a copy of your 雇用保険被保険者離職票 (Employment Insurance Turnover Slip), etc.
If you recently filed for the suspension or closure of your business*:
- A copy of the Loan Decision Notice of the Comprehensive Support Fund Loan issued by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare and a copy of the documents included in the application
- Either a 履歴事項全部証明書 (Certificate of All Historical Matters) or 閉鎖事項全部証明書 (Certificate of All Removed Matters)
- A copy of the Transfer Notification Form submitted to the tax office, the Notification of Opening and Closure of Business for sole proprietors, or the Notification of Business Closure (limited to those with the reception stamp from the tax office, etc.)
- A copy of the Notification of Closure submitted to the public health center (limited to those with a reception stamp)
- Other documents that can certify that you are unemployed
*For items 2 through 5, you will need to file a separate statement of unemployment.
The application will take some time to process (roughly 3 months). The results will be mailed to your address, so be sure to check your mailbox. While you wait, you will be advised to hold on to any payment slips you have received in the mail. However, you are not obligated to pay anything until you have your results and, hopefully, the new calculations of your contribution amount.
Special Payment System for Students 学生納付特例制度
A separate system called the gakusei nōfu tokurei seido is available for individuals qualified for kokumin nenkin who are currently pursuing their education. Similar to menjo above, this system allows students in Japan to receive coverage under National Pension and qualify for benefits despite not paying contributions.
Furthermore, if you become disabled or die during this coverage period, either Disability Basic Pension or Survivors’ Basic Pension will be provided to your beneficiaries if you satisfy the following conditions:
- Your non-payment period does not exceed one-third of your total coverage period up to two months before the month of your accident, etc.
- You paid your contributions for the last 12 months up to two months before your accident, etc.
Unlike menjo, the period covered by gakusei nōfu tokurei will not be included in the calculation of Old-age Basic Pension claims unless the period of gakusei nōfu tokurei have been paid retroactively.
In this case, students are defined as individuals attending universities (graduate schools), junior colleges, high schools, colleges of technology (technical schools), special needs schools, vocational schools and miscellaneous schools (enrolled in a course for at least one year), and Japanese campuses of certain universities.
To qualify for the Special Payment System for Students, your school must be included in nenkin’s list of covered schools and your income must be within the following amount: ¥1.18 million + (number of dependent relatives x ¥380,000) + social insurance deduction, etc.
To apply, bring the following documents to the kokumin nenkin section of your municipal office or your nearest local nenkin office branch.
- 年金手帳 (Pension Book) or 基礎年金番号通知書 (Basic Pension Number Notification Card)
- Documents certifying that you were or are currently a student such as:
- Certificate of Enrollment (original copy) or Student ID (original copy) that shows the period of enrollment (copy of the back side if it has the expiration date, student grade, and date of admission), etc.
You should also attach documents certifying that you are enrolled in a course with a period of study of one year or more (not necessary if this information is already indicated in the above documents). However, if you apply in person and present the above documents at the window of the ward / town / village office, you do not need to attach them.
Additional documents you may need:
- If you are retired or unemployed, documents that certify your retirement or unemployment.
- A copy of your Employment Insurance Beneficiary Certificate, or a copy of your Employment Insurance Turnover Slip, etc. (you will need to re-apply every year)
National Pension Postponements 国民年金保険料の納付猶予制度
If you are not qualified for menjo due to not meeting certain requirements, you might instead qualify for kokumin nenkin hokenryō no nōfu yūyo seido or National Pension Postponement System.
Similar to menjo, one factor considered is your income from the previous year. To be granted nōfu yūyo, your income must be within the following amount: ((number of dependent relatives + 1) x ¥350,000) + ¥220,000.
The application process for nōfu yūyo is similar to applications for menjo (see National Pension Exemptions above).
Benefits and accompanying conditions given to those who are granted nōfu yūyo are similar to those given to students (see Special Payment System for Students above).
Retroactive Payments 保険料の後払い
If you want to upgrade previously exempted contribution periods to full contribution periods, you can pay them retroactively. However, only exemptions up to the past 10 years can be paid in this way. In addition, the amount due will increase according to the time elapsed from the original contribution period.
You can also recover postponed contributions through retroactive payments. Doing this allows the postponed coverage period to count towards your Old-age Basic Pension calculation.
To make retroactive payments for both menjo and nōfu yūyo periods, visit your nearest local nenkin office branch.
Additional Pension 付加年金
Residents who are insured under kokumin nenkin can apply for additional contributions to increase their Old-age Basic Pension benefits. The additional contribution amount is ¥400 per month and is also subject to early and delayed payment, similar to Old-age Basic Pension. It is not, however, included in the Lump Sum Withdrawal for Foreign Residents.
International Social Security Agreements
It is also important to take note of International Social Security Agreements. These are special arrangements between Japan and another country (called the agreement country) regarding pension coverage for employees depending on their work destination. One of the goals of these agreements is to prevent insured employees in either country from entering into dual coverage — enrolling in and paying pension in both countries.
How it works depends on where your employer is based and where you are currently based. Please note that the rules may differ for each agreement or country. However, in general, the following apply:
- If your employer is in Japan and sends you to the agreement country for less than 5 years, you are covered by Japan’s pension system.
- If your employer is in Japan and sends you to the agreement country for more than 5 years, you are covered by the agreement country’s pension system.
- If your employer is in an agreement country and sends you to Japan for less than 5 years, you are covered by the agreement country’s pension system.
- If your employer is in an agreement country and sends you to Japan for more than 5 years, you are covered by Japan’s pension system.
Simply put, the above conditions apply to employees who are temporarily or indefinitely relocated to Japan or to an agreement country by their employers. Make sure to clarify your situation with your employer and to obtain the necessary documents for your assignment and destination country.
A list of agreement countries and application forms can be found on the nenkin website here.
Totalization of Pension Coverage
Totalization, in essence, allows you to combine your pension coverage periods from Japan and the agreement country where you move to or from (see above). Obviously, the most important thing to note here is that totalization can affect your qualifications for claiming pension as well as how and where you can access it. The following situations can affect your totalization period and your pension claim.
- Your total coverage period in the agreement country when moving to Japan. Conversely, your total coverage period in Japan when moving to an agreement country.
- Any period of dual-coverage will not be counted twice. Let’s say, for example, you have three years of coverage in the agreement country and two years of coverage in Japan. Normally, this would total to five years. However, if you were under dual-coverage during your first year in Japan, the effective total would only be four years.
To totalize your pension coverage, you will need a Certificate of Coverage. This will be issued to you by the insurance authority of the agreement country or the nenkin office in Japan.The application method will depend on whether you are employed or self-employed. Additionally, the process for claiming benefits will depend on the agreement country.
Benefits of National Pension in Japan
| eligible for old-age basic pension | coverage period reflected in old-age basic pension amount | eligible for disability basic pension andsurvivor basic pension | |
| full contribution | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| full exemption | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| partial payment | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| deferred payment special student payment exception | Yes | None | Yes |
| non-payment | No | None | No |
Old-age Basic Pension 老齢基礎年金
In Japan, the age at which you can start receiving rōrei kiso nenkin is 65 years old. To qualify, your total coverage period under nenkin must be at least 10 years.
Your total coverage period includes your contribution and exemption periods as a Category I, Category II or Category III insured person. The formula below is for Old-age Basic Pension under kokumin nenkin.
¥781,700* x ((a + b + c + d + e) / (40 years** × 12))
*Maximum amount based on 40 years of full contribution coverage.
**25 years for people born on or before April 1, 1945.
- Number of full contribution months
- Number of full exemption months × 1/2
- Number of ¾ exemption months × 5/8
- Number of ½ exemption months × 3/4
- Number of ¼ exemption months × 7/8
If you choose to pay for the Additional Pension Plan, you will receive an additional annual amount of ¥200 × the number of months you paid for the plan.
For example, the annual benefits of someone who was born on April 2, 1955 and received full exemptions on 40 years of contribution would amount to:
¥781,700 x ((0 + (480/2) + 0 + 0 + 0) / 480) = ¥390,850
If the same person had been enrolled in kokumin nenkin for only 20 years and received full exemption the entire time, they would instead receive annual benefits amounting to:
¥781,700 x ((0 + (240/2) + 0 + 0 + 0) / 480) = ¥195,425
Early Payment or Delayed Payment 年金の繰上げ・繰下げ受給
Although rōrei kiso nenkin is typically paid to qualified persons aged 65 or older, you have the option to claim it any time after you turn 60 years old.
This comes with the caveat that the sooner you start claiming rōrei kiso nenkin, the smaller the amount you will receive each year. On the other hand, the later you start claiming rōrei kiso nenkin, the larger the amount you will receive each year.
The actual amount of decrease or increase will depend on how much closer or further you are from 65 years old at the time of filing to start your Old-age Basic Pension claim.
| rōrei kiso nenkin age | rōrei kiso nenkin rate |
| 60 years 0 months to 60 years 11 months | 70%～75.5% |
| 61 years 0 months to 61 years 11 months | 76%～81.5% |
| 62 years 0 months to 62 years 11 months | 82%～87.5% |
| 63 years 0 months to 63 years 11 months | 88%～93.5% |
| 64 years 0 months to 64 years 11 months | 94%～99.5% |
| 65 years 0 months to 65 years 11 months | 100% |
| 66 years 0 months to 66 years 11 months | 108.4%～116.1% |
| 67 years 0 months to 67 years 11 months | 116.8%～124.5% |
| 68 years 0 months to 68 years 11 months | 125.2%～132.9% |
| 69 years 0 months to 69 years 11 months | 133.6%～141.3% |
| 70 years 0 months and over | 142% |
If you choose to apply for early payment, keep in mind that the rōrei nenkin rate will remain constant from the moment you start receiving it and you will no longer be able to claim the Disability Basic Pension.
Disability Basic Pension 障害基礎年金
If you have an accident that causes a disability which impacts your daily life or ability to work, you may be qualified to receive shōgai kiso nenkin, or Disability Basic Pension.
To qualify, you must be covered by kokumin nenkin on the date of your first medical exam for the sickness or injury which caused your disability.
In addition, your paid full contribution and exemption periods must be more than two-thirds of your total coverage period up to two months before the month of your first medical exam.
If your disability was diagnosed before the age of 20, you must be covered by kokumin nenkin for at least one-and-a-half years to qualify.
If the date of your first medical exam is before March 2026, you must satisfy the requirements above or have no unpaid periods during the previous year.
Grade 1 Disability Basic Pension: ¥977,125 per year
Grade 2 Disability Basic Pension: ¥781,700 per year
There are additional benefits for those with dependent children under the age of 18 (under 20 if they also have a qualified disability). These benefits will be paid yearly until the first March 31st after the child turns 18 years old.
¥224,900 each for the first and second child
¥75,000 each for the third child onwards
Survivors’ Basic Pension 遺族基礎年金
If an insured person is the head of their household and dies while paying kokumin nenkin contributions, their spouse and/or dependent children may be eligible to receive izoku kiso nenkin, or Survivors’ Basic Pension.
To qualify, the full contribution and exemption periods that the deceased has paid must exceed two-thirds of their total coverage period up until two months prior to their death.
If the insured person’s death is before March 2026, they must satisfy the requirements above or have no unpaid periods during the previous year.
For insured person’s spouse and their dependent children the amount is:
¥781,700 per year (basic amount)
There are additional benefits for dependent children under 18 (under 20 if they also have a qualified disability). The benefits will be paid yearly until the first March 31st after the child turns 18 years old.
¥224,900 each for the first and second child
¥75,000 each for the third child onwards
The amount for the insured person’s dependent children is:
¥781,700 per year (basic amount)
If there are two eligible children, ￥224,900 will be added to the basic amount and the total will be equally divided between the two. For the third and subsequent children, ¥75,000 will be added for each child and the total will be equally divided among all children.
Widow’s Pension 寡婦年金
If your husband dies while insured as Category I under kokumin nenkin, you may be eligible to receive kafu nenkin, or Widow’s Pension.
To be eligible, your husband must have been eligible to receive rōrei nenkin or shōgai kiso nenkin BUT did not claim either.
In addition, you must fulfill the following requirements:
- You are over 60 and under 65 years old.
- You were married to your husband for at least 10 years.
- You were financially supported by your husband at the time of his death.
The benefit amount is equal to the unclaimed rōrei nenkin (under Category I coverage) x 3/4.
Lump Sum Death Benefit 死亡一時金
If an insured person who was covered for at least 36 months* as Category I under kokumin nenkin dies without receiving any pension benefits (rōrei kiso nenkin, shōgai kiso nenkin, izoku kiso nenkin), dependent family members living with the insured person can receive shibō ichijikin or the Lump Sum Death Benefit.
*This includes 1/4 of the deceased’s ¾ exemption months, half of the deceased’s ½ exemption months, and 3/4 of the deceased’s ¼ exemption months.
The ammount paid is generally ￥120,000 to ￥320,000 per year depending on the paid coverage period of the deceased.
Eligible family members in order of priority are the deceased’s spouse, children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, or siblings who were living with the applicant at the time of their death.
Lump Sum Withdrawal for Foreign Residents
For foreign residents who choose to leave Japan, there is the option to claim a portion of your National Pension (NP) or Employees’ Pension Insurance (EPI) contributions.
The application can only be submitted after you have left Japan. The portion claimed will be transferred to a bank account in the name you provide in the application. Depending on the country, the amount will be paid in the local currency or in yen.
You need to file the application for Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments within 2 years of leaving Japan and while you are no longer covered by kokumin nenkin, kōsei nenkin, or the Mutual Aid system.
The following must also apply:
- You are non-Japanese
- You were covered under kokumin nenkin or kōsei nenkin for at least six months. Your coverage under kokumin nenkin (under Category I) includes:
- Number of full contribution months
- Number of ¼ exemption months
- Number of ½ exemption months
- Number of ¾ exemption months
- You no longer have a registered address in Japan
You cannot apply for the lump sum if you are eligible to receive Old-age Pension. In addition, you are only eligible to receive the lump sum if your total coverage period, including totalization, is under 10 years.
The amount receivable will be calculated up to 36 months of coverage. Any coverage period exceeding 36 months will be calculated using the rate for 36 months.
Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments based on kokumin nenkin coverage periods are not subject to income tax. However, Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments based on kōsei nenkin coverage periods are subject to a 20.42% income tax.
The income tax is automatically deducted when the payment is made, but it can be refunded separately.
If the applicant filed a claim for the Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments but died before receiving it, surviving family members may be eligible to receive it instead. Eligible family members in order of priority are the deceased’s spouse, children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, or siblings who were living with the applicant at the time of their death.
How to Claim National Pension Benefits in Japan
To claim any of your pension benefits, follow the steps below.
Old-age Basic Pension 老齢基礎年金
To claim rōrei nenkin, bring the following documents to your nearest nenkin office or Pension Consultation Center (PCC). Just in case, remember to ask about any other documents you may need to submit.
- 年金請求書（国民年金・厚生年金保険老齢給付）(Application for Pension: National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance Old-age Benefits)
- Your Pension Book
- A Certified Copy of your Family Registry
Early Payment or Delayed Payment 年金の繰上げ・繰下げ受給
To request early payment of rōrei nenkin, bring the following document to your nearest nenkin office or PCC.
- 国民年金・老齢基礎年金支給繰上げ請求書 (Application for Early Payment of National Pension Old-age Basic Pension)
*If you are currently receiving the Specially-provided Old-age Employees’ Pension, you need to submit 国民年金・厚生年金保険（特別支給の老齢厚生年金受給権者・老齢基礎年金支給繰上げ請求書）(Application for Early Payment of Old-age Basic Pension for Beneficiary of Specially-provided Old-age Employees’ Pension under National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance) instead.
To request delayed payment of rōrei nenkin, bring the following document to your nearest nenkin office or PCC.
- 齢基礎年金・老齢厚生年金 支給繰下げ申出書 (Application for Delayed Payment of Old-age Basic Pension / Old-age Employees’ Pension)
*If you are currently receiving the Specially-provided Old-age Employees’ Pension, you need to submit 国民年金・厚生年金保険（老齢基礎・厚生年金支給繰上下げ請求書）(Application for Delayed Payment of Old-age Basic / Employees’ Pension under National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance) instead.
Disability Basic Pension 障害基礎年金
To claim shōgai kiso nenkin, bring the following documents to your nearest nenkin office or Pension Consultation Center (PCC). Just in case, remember to ask about any other documents you may need to submit.
- 年金請求書（国民年金障害基礎年金）or (Application for Pension: National Pension Disability Basic Pension)
- Pension Book
- A Certified Copy of your Family Registry
- A Certificate of Diagnosis issued by your doctor
- Your x-ray film, if necessary
- A report on your medical history and how your disability affects your daily life or work
If your first medical exam for your disability was before you turned 20, or if you are over 60 but under 65 years old and live in Japan, submit your application at your local municipal office instead.
Survivors’ Basic Pension 遺族基礎年金
To claim izoku kiso nenkin, bring the following documents to your nearest nenkin office or Pension Consultation Center (PCC). Just in case, remember to ask them about any other documents you may need to submit.
- 年金請求書（国民年金遺族基礎年金）(Application for Pension: National Pension Survivors’ Basic Pension)
- The deceased’s Pension Book
- A Certified Copy of the deceased’s Family Registry
- The Death Certificate issued by the doctor
If the deceased was only covered as either Category I or Category III under kokumin nenkin and not a mix of both or any other categories, submit the application to your local municipal office instead.
Widow’s Pension 寡婦年金
To claim kafu nenkin, bring the following to your local municipal office. In addition, remember to ask them about other documents you may need to submit.
- 年金請求書（国民年金寡婦年金）(Application for Pension: National Pension Widow’s Pension)
- Your deceased husband’s Pension Book
- A Certified Copy of your Family Registry
- A Certified Copy of your Resident Registry
Lump Sum Death Benefit 死亡一時金
To claim shibō ichijikin, bring the following documents to your local municipal office.Just in case, remember to ask them about any other documents you may need to submit.
- 国民年金死亡一時金請求書 (Application for National Pension Lump Sum Death Benefits)
- The deceased’s Pension Book
- A Certified Copy of your Family Registry
- A Certified Copy of your Resident Registry
Lump Sum Withdrawal for Foreign Residents
To claim the Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments, submit the following documents to the Japan Pension Service via airmail.
- 脱退一時金請求書（国民年金／厚生年金保険）“Application for the Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments (National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance)”
- Photocopy of your passport page showing your name, date of birth, nationality, signature, and status of residence (e.g., instructor, engineer or trainee)
- Document showing that you no longer have a registered address in Japan such as a Certified Copy of your Resident Registry (johyo); you don’t need to submit this if you have informed your local municipal office that you will live outside of Japan before leaving.
- Documents showing your bank’s name, the name and address of the branch office, your bank account number and that the account is yours; You may also have your bank verify your account details by stamping the “Bank Stamp for Verification” on the application form.
- Your Pension Book, Basic Pension Number Notification Card, or any other document with your Basic Pension Number
If you want to submit your application before leaving Japan, make sure that the Japan Pension Service receives your application the day after you leave Japan. This should match the date you provide to your local municipal office.
Tax Refund for Lump Sum Withdrawal for Foreign Residents
To claim the refund, you need a designated tax agent within Japan who will represent you. Before leaving Japan, submit the 所得税・消費税の納税管理人の届出書 (Tax Agent Designation) to the appropriate tax office with jurisdiction over your last address in Japan. Anyone who is currently a resident of Japan can be your tax agent.
When your payment has been transferred, a Notice of Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments containing the amount of your Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments and the amount of income tax deducted will be sent to your new address outside of Japan.
Please send the original Notice of Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments to your tax agent and ask them to file your tax refund claim with the Notice at the appropriate tax office. They must also attach the Tax Agent Designation form if it was not filed beforehand. For more details, contact the tax office.
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Glossary
National Pension and Benefits in Japan
| English | Japanese | Pronunciation |
| National Pension System | 年金 | nenkin |
| National Pension | 国民年金 | kokumin nenkin |
| National Health Insurance (NHI) | 国民健康保険 | kokumin kenkō hoken |
| Employees’ Pension Insurance (EPI) | 厚生年金 | kōsei nenkin |
| Employees’ Health Insurance (EHI) | 健康保険 | kenkō hoken |
| Employment Insurance (also called Unemployment Insurance) | 雇用保険 | koyōhoken |
| Social Insurance | 社会保険 | shakai hoken |
| National Pension Insurance Premium | 国民年金保険料 | kokumin nenkin honkenryō |
| National Pension Exemptions | 国民年金保険料の免除制度 | kokumin nenkin hokenryō no menjo seido |
| Special Payment System for Students | 学生納付特例制度 | gakusei nōfu tokurei seido |
| National Pension Postponements | 国民年金保険料の納付猶予制度 | kokumin nenkin hokenryō no nōfu yūyo seido |
| Retroactive Payments | 保険料の後払い | hokenryō no atobarai |
| Additional Pension | 付加年金 | fuka nenkin |
| Old-age Basic Pension | 老齢基礎年金 | rōrei kiso nenkin |
| Early Payment or Delayed Payment | 年金の繰上げ・繰下げ受給 | nenkin no kuriage・kurisage jukyū |
| Disability Basic Pension | 障害基礎年金 | shōgai kiso nenkin |
| Survivors’ Basic Pension | 遺族基礎年金 | izoku kiso nenkin |
| Widow’s Pension | 寡婦年金 | kafu nenkin |
| Lump Sum Death Benefit | 死亡一時金 | shibō ichijikin |
Documents for National Pension Benefits in Japan
| English | Japanese | Pronunciation |
| Pension Book | 年金手帳 | nenkin techo |
| Basic Pension Number Notification Card | 基礎年金番号通知書 | kiso nenkin bango tsūchisho |
| Income Tax Return | 所得の申立書 | shotoku no mōshitatesho |
| Employment Insurance Eligibility Certificate | 雇用保険受給資格者証 | koyō hoken jukyū shikakushashō |
| Employment Insurance Turnover Slip | 雇用保険被保険者離職票 | koyō hoken hihokensha rishokuhyō |
| Loan Decision Notice | 貸付決定通知書 | kashitsuke kettei tsūchisho |
| Comprehensive Support Fund Loan | 総合支援資金貸付 | sōgō shien shikin kashitsuke |
| Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare | 厚生労働省 | kōsei Rōdōshō |
| Certificate of All Historical Matters | 履歴事項全部証明書 | rireki jiko zenbu shōmeisho |
| Certificate of All Removed Matters | 閉鎖事項全部証明書 | heisa jiko zenbu shōmeisho |
| Transfer Notification Form | 異動届出書 | idō todokedesho |
| Notification of Opening and Closure of Business | 開廃業等届出書 | hiraki haigyōtō todokedesho |
| Notification of Business Closure | 事業廃止届出書 | jigyō haishi todokedesho |
Applications for National Pension Benefits in Japan
| English | Japanese | Pronunciation |
| Application for Pension: National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance Old-age Benefits | 年金請求書（国民年金・厚生年金保険老齢給付） | nenkin seikyūsho (kokumin nenkin・kōsei nenkin hoken rōrei kyūfukin tsuki) |
| Application for Early Payment of National Pension Old-age Basic Pension | 国民年金・老齢基礎年金支給繰上げ請求書 | kokumin nenkin・rōrei kiso nenkin shikyū kuriageseikyūsho |
| Application for Early Payment of Old-age Basic Pension for Beneficiary of Specially-provided Old-age Employees’ Pension under National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance | 国民年金・厚生年金保険（特別支給の老齢厚生年金受給権者・老齢基礎年金支給繰上げ請求書） | kokumin nenkin・kōsei nenkin hoken (tokubetsu shikyū no rōrei kōsei nenkin jukyūkensha・rōrei kiso nenkin shikyū kuriage seikyūsho) |
| Application for Delayed Payment of Old-age Basic Pension / Old-age Employees’ Pension | 老齢基礎年金・老齢厚生年金 支給繰下げ申出書 | rōrei kiso nenkin・rōrei kōsei nenkin shikyū kurisage mōshidesho |
| Application for Delayed Payment of Old-age Basic / Employees’ Pension under National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance | 国民年金・厚生年金保険（老齢基礎・厚生年金支給繰上下げ請求書） | kokumin nenkin・kōsei nenkin hoken (rōrei kiso・kōsei nenkin shikyū kurisage seikyūsho) |
| Application for Pension: National Pension Disability Basic Pension | 年金請求書（国民年金障害基礎年金） | nenkin seikyūsho (kokumin nenkin shōgai kiso nenkin) |
| Application for Pension: National Pension Survivors’ Basic Pension | 年金請求書（国民年金遺族基礎年金） | nenkin seikyūsho (kokumin nenkin izoku kiso nenkin) |
| Application for Pension: National Pension Widow’s Pension | 年金請求書（国民年金寡婦年金） | nenkin seikyūsho (kokumin nenkin kafu nenkin) |
| Application for National Pension Lump Sum Death Benefits | 国民年金死亡一時金請求書 | kokumin nenkin shibō ichijikin seikyūsho |
| Application for the Lump Sum Withdrawal Payments (National Pension / Employees’ Pension Insurance) | 脱退一時金請求書（国民年金／厚生年金保険） | dattaiichijikin seikyūsho (kokumin nenkin・kōsei nenkin hoken) |
| Tax Agent Designation | 所得税・消費税の納税管理人の届出書 | shotokuzei・shōhizei no nōzei kanrinin no todokedesho |
Featured image by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash
