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HOME » English
National Pension Scheme ・・・ 国民年金○What is Kokumin nenkin(National Pension Scheme)?
The National Pension Scheme is a system whereby everybody receives a common ‘basic pension’ (kiso nenkin).
It provides income security in old age, in the event you acquire a disability or in the event of your death.
Everyone including foreign nationals between 20 and 59 years old must join the National Pension Scheme.
People who have joined the Employee’s Pension Scheme or a Providential Society’s Scheme are also members of the National Pension Scheme.
○How to join the scheme
To join the National Pension Scheme, you should apply at Fukushi Hoken-ka of Ritto City Hall(TEL 551-0112).
It is not necessary to apply if you have already joined an Employees’ Pension Insurance Scheme or a Providential Society’s Scheme.
○Insurance premiums
If you join the National Pension Scheme, you will have to pay insurance premiums. Premium bill payments should be made at a post office or bank. Bank transfer payments are also possible.
People who have joined the Employees’ Pension Scheme or a Providential Society’s Scheme will have their premiums deducted from their salaries or bonuses.
○When it is difficult to pay premiums
For people with no income or people whose income is so low that premium payment is difficult, you can apply to be made fully or partly to get exempted from paying the premium cost. The Student Special Payment System (gakusei nofu tokurei seido) is also available for their payments suspended. (There are some schools not included, such as schools abroad.)
○Receiving a pension
National pensions will be paid out when a person becomes old, disabled, or when the insured person dies. Below are the different kinds of pensions.
(1) Basic Old-Age Pension (rorei kiso nenkin)
(2) Basic Disability Pension (shogai kiso nenkin)
(3) Basic Survivors Pension (izoku kiso nenkin)
(4) Widow’s Pension (kafu nenkin)
(5) Lump-Sum Death Payment (shibo ichiji kin)
There are conditions regarding receiving each kind of pension. An application must be made in order to receive a pension.
○Returning home (leaving Japan)
There is a lump-sum refund payment system for people when they withdraw from the National Pension Scheme or Employees’ Pension Scheme.
This system allows a foreign national who has lived in Japan and joined a pension scheme to receive a lump-sum refund provided that he/she has paid more than 6 months worth of premiums and makes a prescribed application within two years of leaving Japan.
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