All working-age (20 to 59 years of age) persons residing in Japan are required to enroll in the Japanese pension system. International researchers employed by Tokyo Tech meeting certain conditions will be enrolled through the Employees’ Pension Insurance. International researchers not receiving taxable income (e.g. JSPS postdoctoral fellows) or not meeting the working hours required to enroll in pension plans through Tokyo Tech should enroll in the National Pension System on their own. Enrolling provides retirement pension, disability pension, and survivor benefits when certain conditions are met.
Employees’ Pension and Retirement Pension
Employees’ Pension
The premium is calculated as a percentage of your monthly income and deducted from your salary. The premium rate has been fixed at 9.150% since September 2017. Contributions are matched by Tokyo Tech. If you have a dependent spouse, he or she can also be covered under the plan. Employees who are 70 years of age or older and those with employment periods of 2 months or less are not covered by Employees’ Pension Insurance.
Retirement Pension
Persons covered by Empoyees’ Pension Insurance must also pay a Retirement Pension premium of 0.75% of your monthly salary. After you become 65 years of age, the Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations will send application documents which you will need to submit to the Employee Benefits Group, Human Resources Division to receive pension payments.
For more information, contact the Employee Benefits Group, Human Resources Division or visit the Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations (Japanese) and Employees’ Pension Insurance websites.
On October 1, 2015, the Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Pension System was unified with Employees’ Pension Insurance. Employees previously covered under the MEXT Mutual Aid Association are now covered under Employees’ Pension Insurance.
National Pension System
If you are not covered by a pension plan through Tokyo Tech, please enroll in the National Pension System by applying at your municipal office. Premiums are charged at a flat rate (16,610 yen per month as of 2021). Exemptions are also available for those with low incomes. For more information, visit the Japan Pension Service website or contact your municipal office.
Lump-Sum Withdrawal Payment
If you leave Japan permanently, and you contributed to one of the above pension plans for 6 months or more, you can apply for a lump-sum withdrawal to recover most of your contribution up to 5 years. If you are enrolled in Employees’ Pension Insurance or the National Pension System, you will need to apply yourself. Visit the Japan Pension Service website for more information.
Last updated August 8, 2023
