Pension rules for foreign residents
Enrollment, social-security agreements, records, and the lump-sum withdrawal payment.
Registered residents aged 20–59 are generally subject to National Pension unless covered another way; contributions also protect disability and survivors, and a lump-sum withdrawal may be claimable within two years after leaving Japan — but it can erase credited periods.
Benefits may vary by: insurer · employment status · municipality · household
Get professional or administrator help: Ask a pension office, and a cross-border tax adviser, before choosing a refund over keeping your record.
Review due: 2026-10-30
Key points
- Enrollment is generally mandatory, not optional, for eligible residents.
- Contributions build old-age, disability, and survivor protection.
- Social-security agreements may let you combine periods across countries.
- The lump-sum withdrawal can be inferior to preserving your record.
Before you claim a refund
Investigate the lump-sum withdrawal carefully: eligible non-Japanese people generally must claim within two years of losing residence, but claiming can erase the periods used in the calculation and may affect tax or social-security-agreement planning. Compare keeping the record where an agreement applies.
Who this is for
- Residents mapping protection before shopping for private insurance
What this is not
- A quote, policy ranking, or individualized recommendation
- Eligibility, contributions, waiting periods, exclusions, and benefit amounts can vary. Confirm your case with the administering insurer or authority before acting.