National Pension Plan（国民年金）

The National Pension Plan is a basic pension paid out to all people who live in Japan.
Everyone from the age of 20 years and under the age of 60 years who lives in Japan is required to join the National Pension Plan, which also includes non-Japanese residents.

For more details, please visit the Japan Pension Service website or call.
National Pension Plan (Japan Pension Service)（外部サイト）
*Pamphlets are available in the following foreign languages: English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, Cambodian, Russian, Nepali, and Mongolian.
Pension Hotline General pension inquires Tel: 0570-05-1165
If calling from a phone with a number beginning with 050, call (Tokyo) 03-6700-1165 (landline)

Everybody who lives in Japan must sign up, regardless of whether or not they have Japanese nationality.

1. Person insured in the first category of the insurance scheme
   People aged 20 - 59 years, who are self-employed, work in agriculture, forestry or fishery industries, students, unemployed, etc. (excluding those who fall under the following second and third categories)
2. Person insured in the second category of the insurance scheme
   Company employees, civil servants, etc. under the age 65 of years who are currently enrolled in an Employee Pension Plan (Kosei Nenkin), and those aged 65 years or older who do not have any entitlement to receive an old age (retirement) pension
3. Person insured in the third category of the insurance scheme
   In principle, spouses aged 20 - 59 years who are dependent on a person insured in the second category of the insurance scheme

*You can apply to join the National Pension Plan as a person insured in the first category of the insurance scheme at the National Pension Section of a ward office in the area in which you live. Please inquire at the ward office for more details.
To become a person insured in the second category of the insurance scheme, please apply through your workplace.
To become a person insured in the third category of the insurance scheme, please apply through your spouse's workplace.

As of FY 2024, the national pension premium is set at 16,980 yen a month.
Once you join the National Pension Plan, you are obliged to make these payments. You can make payments using the payment slips you receive in the post. Simply take them to a bank, post office or convenience store and pay at the counter. Alternatively, you can also pay via direct debit from your bank or post office account, or using online banking or a credit card.
For more details on the monthly national pension premium, please visit the Japan Pension Service website.
National Pension Plan (Japan Pension Service) （外部サイト）

There is a system of exemption from payment in place for those having difficulty paying the national pension premium. If you apply through this system, you can receive a full or partial exemption from payment. For those under the age of 50 years, there is also a system of postponement of payment in place.
Information on exemption/postponement of payment of the national pension premium(Japan Pension Service) （外部サイト）

In addition, students can also make use of a special system for exemption from payment. Under this system, students can apply to have payment of the national pension premium postponed in the event their income from the previous year was below a certain level. When applying, you need to submit something to prove you are a student, such as a student ID card.

Non-Japanese residents who are enrolled in the National Pension Plan and who meet certain criteria can receive a lump-sum withdrawal payment if they leave Japan to return home.
Procedures for receiving a lump-sum withdrawal payment (Japan Pension Service) （外部サイト）

You need to apply to receive pension payouts.

1. Basic pension for the elderly
   Those who have paid into the National Pension Plan for 10 years or more (including periods of exemption from paying the national pension premium) can in principle start receiving their pension payouts from the age of 65 years.
2. Basic pension for disabled people
   You can receive these pension payments if you become disabled due to an illness or injury and you meet certain criteria.
3. Basic pension for bereaved spouse
   These pension payments are made to wives with children or children in the event that the household's breadwinner passes away.

For more details, please visit the Japan Pension Service website or call.
Regarding pension payouts (Japan Pension Service)（外部サイト）