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Many foreigners have been living in Japan for several years. But, what are they planning for the future? Over the years, these citizens will get older, and if they do not pay a pension plan, what will they do?

It is very important to plan the future, thinking in how your situation will be within 20 or 30 years. In this video we will talk about a very important subject: pension.

Pension is a system for citizens who work for many years and complied some requirements (such as minimum age, contribution period, among others) and provides a remuneration to senior citizens or other special cases as disability.

About pension systems in Japan

In Japan, there are two different systems: The National Pension Insurance (for those enrolled in Kokumin Kenko Hoken) and the Employee’s Pension Insurance (for those enrolled in Shakai Hoken).

National Pension (Kokumin Hoken)

Public pension is a social insurance system who pays a pension to senior citizens, people with disabilities or for beavered families, assuring protection in an old age, in case of accidents and death.

Entry to national pension

All residents in Japan, between the ages over 20 and below 59, including foreigners, must enter the National Pension system. Those who have entered into the Employee’s Pension insurance system at the company also entered into the National Pension system at the same time.

Entry procedures

To enter the National Pension system, you should go to the pension department in your local municipal administrative office.

Payment of pension contributions

The contribution rate is same for all subscribers regardless of income and is ¥16,260 per month (for year 2016). Payment notifications as to 1 year are sent from the Japan Pension Service once every April.  Families unable to afford the payment due to low income or other reasons can apply for payment exemption. For details, please contact a pension department in your local municipal administrative office.

Old-age basic pension

Pension benefits are paid from age 65 to citizens who satisfy certain conditions, such as having paid the national pension contributions for 25 years or more. There are also the Disability Basic Pension and the Survivor’s Basic Pension, for details, please, contact a pension department of a local municipal administrative office.

Employee’s Pension Insurance (Kousei Nenkin Hoken)

The Employee’s Pension Insurance is a payment system of ” Proportional Pension corresponding to the Period of Employment” where company employees are enrolled, for instance. Employee’s Pension contribution is made cumulatively to National Pension.

Entry procedures to Employee’s Pension Insurance

As the same in Health Insurance, enrollment on Employee’s Pension Insurance is applicable to companies with more than 5 employees, since in regular basis, even foreign employees.

The procedures for entering into the National Pension system are carried out by the company. Employer and employee will share the pension contributions by half. The amount is charged according to the amount of your income and bonuses.

Receiving Employee’s Pension Insurance for senior citizens

Those enrolled on Employee’s Pension Insurance who have completed the qualification period for receiving old-age basic pension from national pension (when the pension contributions or exemption, among others is 25 years or more), are eligible to cumulative benefit of Employee’s Pension Insurance for senior citizens, from the age of 65.  In addition to Employee’s Pension Insurance for senior citizens, there is also the insurance for people with disabilities and to the beavered families. For details, please contact a social insurance department (Nenkin Jimusho).

Lump-sum withdrawal payment (upon leaving Japan)

In Employee’s Pension Insurance, as well as National Pension, there is the “lump-sum withdrawal payment” upon leaving Japan.

Foreign residents who have contributed to the National Pension and Employee’s Pension for a total of six months or more may claim the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment within two years of leaving Japan according to designated procedures.

Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment varies depending on the period of pension contribution and type of insurance.

For details, please contact the pension department of your local municipal administrative office.

Final Message

Think on the future. Many foreigners living in Japan think that pay pension is not viable, as they intent to return to their country, however, they have been living in Japan for many years, getting older and are not contributing monthly.

Pension is not only when you get old. The Public Pension System is a social insurance system to support those retired for disability, and bereaved families in an emergency or other circumstances, so it is necessary to be enrolled in a pension system to receive the benefits.

In addition, as explained previously, it is possible to request the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment upon leaving Japan.

Make a plan of your life, learn about the pension systems and assure your remuneration during old age or in emergency circumstances.

[Source]

Ippan Zaidan Hojin Jichitai Kokusaika Kyokai Tagengo Seikatsu Jyoho (Counsel of Autonomous Bodies for Internationalization)

http://www.clair.or.jp/tagengo/index.html