Social, life, and earthquake insurance deductions
What each covers, certificates, statutory caps, and payroll vs return claims.
Social-insurance premiums you (or a family member you support) pay are generally fully deductible; life-insurance and earthquake-insurance premiums are deductible up to statutory caps by category — all claimed with the insurer’s certificate, via payroll or on a return.
Effective: 2026-01-01 to 2026-12-31
Professional review pending — treat as draft and confirm with the authorities.
Key points
- Social insurance (health, pension, employment): personally borne amounts are fully deductible.
- You can include premiums you paid for a family member you support.
- Life insurance: capped by category (old vs new contracts).
- Earthquake insurance: capped; needs the insurer certificate.
Social-insurance premium deduction
Premiums for health insurance, pension, employment insurance, and national pension that you personally bear are generally fully deductible — including amounts you pay for a family member sharing your livelihood (for example, a child’s national pension). Employees usually see this handled in payroll, but premiums you paid directly (e.g., during a job gap) go on the return with evidence.
Life and earthquake insurance
Life-insurance premiums are deductible under statutory formulas and caps, with different treatment for old and new contracts and separate categories (general life, nursing-care/medical, individual annuity). Earthquake-insurance premiums are deductible up to a cap. Both are claimed with the insurer’s annual certificate and can be applied in year-end adjustment.
Who this is for
- Employees and freelancers with insurance
- People who paid family premiums
What this is not
- iDeCo (see the iDeCo deduction)
- Keep the insurer certificates; without them the deduction cannot be applied.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file a tax return in Japan?
Many employees do not, because tax is settled by year-end adjustment (年末調整). You generally must file (確定申告) if you have side income over ¥200,000, two or more employers, self-employment income, sizeable investment or crypto gains, or you want to claim deductions like large medical costs or a first-year mortgage credit. Filing season is Feb 16 – Mar 15 via e-Tax. When unsure, check the NTA guidance or ask a 税理士.