Leaving Japan? Decide Before You Cash Out Your Pension

You may be able to receive a one-time payment from Japan’s public pension system after moving abroad. In most cases, you must be a non-Japanese citizen, have at least six months of eligible coverage, no longer have an address in Japan, and apply within two years.

But eligibility is only the first question. Receiving the payment cancels all Japanese pension coverage recorded before your claim. Check whether keeping that record could help you qualify for a future pension—especially through a social security agreement—before you apply.

This guide is for foreign workers, students, and their families preparing to leave Japan or completing departure procedures from abroad.

The essentials

• Submit a moving-out notification to your municipality before departure.
• Check your total pension record and any coverage in an agreement country.
• Prepare your passport, bank evidence, Basic Pension Number, and claim form.
• File within two years after you cease having an address in Japan.
• If claiming an Employees’ Pension payment, plan for the 20.42% tax withholding and a possible refund procedure.

Information below reflects Japan Pension Service materials available in August 2026. Rules and forms can change, so download the current form when you are ready to apply.

Check whether you can claim

The basic eligibility rules are national, not municipal. Your city or ward handles your moving-out notification, but the Japan Pension Service decides the pension claim.

You generally need to meet all four conditions:

• You do not have Japanese nationality.
• You have at least six months of eligible National Pension contribution periods or Employees’ Pension Insurance enrollment.
• You no longer have an address in Japan.
• You have never acquired the right to receive a Japanese pension, including a disability allowance.

The six-month test is not always a simple count of calendar months. For National Pension, periods with partial contribution exemptions are counted proportionally. Unpaid months without an approved exemption generally do not count in the same way as paid months.

The two-year deadline

Your claim must normally reach the Japan Pension Service within two years from the date you ceased to have an address in Japan.

Submitting the municipal moving-out notification matters here. If you leave with a re-entry permit but do not report your move, you may still be treated as a resident and a National Pension insured person until the permit expires. That can delay the point at which you qualify to claim.

Do not wait until the final weeks. Missing documents, international mail delays, or a bank-detail mismatch can cause the application to be returned.

Who cannot use this procedure

You cannot claim if you already have a qualifying period of at least 120 months—10 years—for a Japanese old-age pension. Coverage that can be combined under a social security agreement may affect this test.

A person who has acquired Japanese nationality is also outside the basic eligibility rule, even if that person previously contributed as a foreign resident.

Make the cash-out decision before filing

The most important choice is not how to complete the form. It is whether surrendering your pension record is worth the immediate payment.

Once the lump-sum payment is made, every Japanese coverage period before the claim becomes invalid for future pension benefits. This applies even when the payment calculation uses fewer months than you actually accumulated.

For example, a claimant with 90 months of coverage may receive an amount calculated using no more than 60 months, while all 90 months are erased from the pension record for future benefit calculations.

ここがポイント: A lump-sum claim is irreversible. Compare the payment with the future value of keeping your full Japanese coverage record—not only the months used to calculate the cash amount.

Check social security agreements first

Japan has agreements with certain countries that allow qualifying coverage periods to be combined, or “totalized.” This does not transfer your contributions into another country’s system. It may instead help you satisfy the minimum coverage requirement for pensions in Japan or the partner country.

The March 2026 Japan Pension Service claim guide listed totalization arrangements with countries including the United States, Germany, Canada, Australia, India, the Philippines, Brazil, France, Sweden, and others. The list and each agreement’s terms can change.

Before claiming, ask:

• Does my current or future country of residence have a totalization agreement with Japan?
• Could my combined coverage reach the 120-month requirement?
• Am I likely to return to work in Japan?
• Do I have complementary periods that count toward eligibility?
• Is the one-time payment worth losing all earlier Japanese coverage?

The United Kingdom, South Korea, and China require particular care because not every social security agreement includes totalization on the same terms. Check the country-specific official page instead of assuming that any agreement preserves your pension options.

Long-term and returning residents face a larger tradeoff

The loss is especially significant if you have more than 60 months of coverage, expect to return to Japan, or may later work in an agreement country. The cash calculation is capped, but the coverage erased by the claim is not limited to the cap.

If your work in Japan occurred during separate stays, seek advice before treating them as independent claims. Timing can change how many months are paid and which periods are cancelled.

Understand how much you may receive

National Pension and Employees’ Pension payments are calculated differently. The Japan Pension Service makes the final calculation; your own estimate should be treated as a planning figure.

National Pension: fixed bands

For a National Pension base month between April 2026 and March 2027, the official schedule ranges from ¥53,760 for 6–11 eligible months to ¥537,600 for 60 months or more.

• 6–11 months: ¥53,760
• 12–17 months: ¥107,520
• 18–23 months: ¥161,280
• 24–29 months: ¥215,040
• 30–35 months: ¥268,800
• 36–41 months: ¥322,560
• 42–47 months: ¥376,320
• 48–53 months: ¥430,080
• 54–59 months: ¥483,840
• 60 months or more: ¥537,600

The relevant amount depends on the fiscal year of your final paid-contribution month, called the base month. A different schedule applies if that month falls in another fiscal year.

Employees’ Pension: earnings affect the result

An Employees’ Pension withdrawal is based on your average standard remuneration and a payment rate linked to your insured months. Standard remuneration is the pension-system figure based on salary and bonuses; it may not equal the cash salary shown on one payslip.

For a final insured month from April 2021 onward, the payment rates rise by six-month bands:

• 6–11 months: 0.5
• 12–17 months: 1.1
• 18–23 months: 1.6
• 24–29 months: 2.2
• 30–35 months: 2.7
• 36–41 months: 3.3
• 42–47 months: 3.8
• 48–53 months: 4.4
• 54–59 months: 4.9
• 60 months or more: 5.5

Because salary history matters, two workers with the same enrollment length can receive different gross amounts. Bonuses recorded for Employees’ Pension can also affect average standard remuneration.

The 60-month ceiling

For relevant periods ending from April 2021 onward, no more than 60 months are used in the payment calculation. A 36-month ceiling can apply when all relevant periods ended by March 2021.

This cap is a calculation rule, not permission to preserve the unused months. If you claim after 61 months or more, all coverage before the claim is still cancelled.

Prepare before leaving Japan

The claim is usually easier when you collect records before closing accounts, changing employers, and moving abroad.

Complete the municipal departure procedure

Submit a moving-out notification at your city or ward office before departure. If this is properly recorded, the Japan Pension Service can normally confirm that you no longer have an address in Japan, so you may not need to attach a deleted residence record.

Municipal procedures can differ in appointment rules, opening hours, and documents requested. Confirm the local process with your own municipality.

Save your pension and employment records

Keep copies of:

• Your Basic Pension Number Notice or pension handbook
• Payslips and annual withholding slips
• Employer names and addresses
• Exact employment and pension-enrollment dates
• Your final Japanese address
• Your completed moving-out notification or related evidence

The claim form asks for your Japanese public pension history. Reconstructing old employer addresses after leaving can be difficult.

Decide whether you need a tax agent

An Employees’ Pension lump-sum payment is subject to 20.42% Japanese income-tax withholding. A National Pension lump-sum payment is not subject to this withholding.

A qualifying claimant may seek a refund by filing the required tax return through a tax agent in Japan. The agent must have an address or place of residence in Japan; no special professional qualification is required merely to be appointed as the tax agent.

Appointing the agent before departure is practical, although the Japan Pension Service guide states that the notification can also be submitted with the later tax return. Your tax agent will need the original Notice of Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Determination sent after the pension decision.

Tax outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Confirm the current forms and filing office with Japan’s National Tax Agency or the tax office responsible for your last Japanese address.

Gather the application package

An incomplete package may be returned, so check every attachment against the current form.

You normally need:

1. The completed Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Claim Form.
2. A passport copy showing your name, date of birth, nationality, signature, and status of residence.
3. Evidence that you no longer have an address in Japan, unless the Japan Pension Service can confirm your municipal moving-out record.
4. Bank evidence showing the bank name, branch name, branch address, account number, and that the account belongs to you.
5. Evidence of your Basic Pension Number, such as the Basic Pension Number Notice or pension handbook.

Keep a complete copy of everything you send, including the signed form. Also record your Basic Pension Number and any pension-system symbol number for later inquiries.

Bank details require extra care

The receiving account must be in the claimant’s own name. For an overseas account, confirm that the bank can receive an international pension remittance and ask for the exact details to place on the form.

The current form requires:

• Bank and branch names
• Branch address, city, and country
• Account number or IBAN, where applicable
• Account holder’s name in Roman letters
• SWIFT/BIC code for an overseas account

If your SWIFT/BIC has eight characters, the form instructions say to add XXX to make 11 characters. European and Middle Eastern residents should generally use the IBAN in the account-number field.

Japan Post Bank cannot be designated for this payment. If using another Japanese bank, the account holder’s name must be registered in katakana; an overseas SWIFT/BIC is not required for that domestic account.

Bank fees, intermediary-bank deductions, and exchange rates can reduce the amount that reaches an overseas account. These are bank or remittance conditions, not municipal rules.

Submit the claim in the correct order

The safest sequence begins before departure and ends with careful document storage.

1. Review your pension record. Confirm National Pension and Employees’ Pension periods and investigate any social security agreement.
2. Make the irreversible choice. Compare the cash payment with keeping your record for a future pension.
3. File your moving-out notification. Do this with the municipality where you live.
4. Prepare tax arrangements. If Employees’ Pension withholding applies, consider appointing a tax agent.
5. Leave Japan or ensure the receipt-date condition is met. You must not have an address in Japan when the Japan Pension Service receives the claim.
6. Complete the current claim form. Use legible capital Roman letters where instructed and fill every required field.
7. Mail the package. Retain copies and proof of posting.
8. Keep the determination notice. It is essential if your tax agent later claims a withholding refund.

The form’s current mailing label gives this address:

Japan Pension Service (Foreign Business Group)
3-5-24 Takaido-Nishi, Suginami-ku
Tokyo 168-8505
JAPAN

If mailing the claim before physically departing, time it carefully. The Japan Pension Service must receive it after the planned deletion date of your residence record. Sending it too early can make you ineligible on the receipt date.

Avoid these common mistakes

Most preventable problems involve timing, bank evidence, or an overlooked future pension right.

• Claiming without checking totalization: You may give up coverage that could support a future pension.
• Assuming only 60 months disappear: The calculation may stop at 60 months, but all earlier coverage is cancelled.
• Missing the two-year limit: Preparing the form does not protect the deadline if it arrives late.
• Leaving without a moving-out notification: This can delay eligibility and create uncertainty about your address status.
• Using somebody else’s bank account: The account must belong to the claimant.
• Entering a nickname or mismatched spelling: Names on the form, passport, and bank evidence should align.
• Forgetting SWIFT/BIC or IBAN details: An overseas transfer cannot proceed without the required banking identifiers.
• Using Japan Post Bank: The official form says it cannot receive this payment.
• Discarding the determination notice: The original is needed for the Employees’ Pension tax-refund procedure.
• Expecting an automatic tax refund: The 20.42% withheld from an Employees’ Pension payment is not automatically returned.

Special situations to check

A standard checklist will not settle every case.

You may return to Japan

A future stay does not restore the coverage cancelled by a completed claim. New contributions begin a new record after your return, so compare the immediate payment against your realistic long-term plans.

You have permanent residence or complementary periods

The claim form asks about permanent-residence permission because certain periods abroad may count as complementary periods in the pension eligibility test. Ask a pension office to check your record rather than deciding from your residence-card expiry date.

You were enrolled in more than one system

Your history may include National Pension, Employees’ Pension, a Mutual Aid Association system, or changes between them. List the periods accurately. The applicable calculation and tax treatment depend on the system involved.

The claimant dies after applying

If the claimant submitted the form before death, certain relatives who shared the claimant’s livelihood may be able to receive the payment. A family member generally cannot create a new claim after the person dies if no claim had been filed.

Your bank country has remittance restrictions

Available currencies and banks vary by destination. Some countries have special restrictions, and payment routes may change. Confirm the current remittance list in the official claim guide and ask your bank whether it can receive the transfer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I apply while I am still in Japan?

You can prepare everything in Japan. The Japan Pension Service also permits submission from Japan after you file the moving-out notification, but it must receive the claim after the planned deletion date of your residence record. You must have no address in Japan on the receipt date.

Can my employer submit the claim for me?

This is the claimant’s pension procedure, not an employer payroll adjustment. An employer may help you retrieve records, but you are responsible for the signed claim and supporting evidence.

Is the payment based on everything deducted from my salary?

No. Employees’ Pension uses a statutory formula based on average standard remuneration, the applicable insurance rate, and your enrollment band. It is not a simple refund of every contribution shown on your payslips.

Will I receive exactly the amount in my estimate?

Not necessarily. The Japan Pension Service calculates the entitlement. Employees’ Pension tax withholding, bank charges, and currency conversion can also change the net amount received.

How can I ask questions from abroad?

The Japan Pension Service lists +81-3-6700-1165 for calls from overseas concerning pension benefits and lump-sum withdrawal claims. Its multilingual consultation page publishes available languages and service hours. Telephone charges apply even though interpretation itself is free.

Your final pre-claim check

Do not mail the form until you can answer all of these questions:

• Am I within the two-year deadline?
• Has my Japanese address been removed through the municipal procedure?
• Have I checked whether an international agreement can preserve a future pension option?
• Do I understand that every pre-claim coverage period will be cancelled?
• Do my passport, bank account, and form show matching names?
• Can my bank receive the transfer using the details I provided?
• Have I arranged a tax agent if I intend to seek an Employees’ Pension withholding refund?
• Have I copied the full application and recorded my pension numbers?

The practical next step is to download the newest claim form, check your pension record, and compare the one-time payment with the value of keeping that record. Once the payment is made, that decision cannot be reversed.

参照リンク

• Japan Pension Service — Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments
• Japan Pension Service — Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Claim Form and Guide
• Japan Pension Service — Special Provisions for Japanese Pension Payments
• Japan Pension Service — Consultations in Multiple Languages
• National Tax Agency — Income Tax on Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments