Japan Pension Refund Foreigners 2026: Don’t Leave Japan Without Claiming It

Every year, thousands of foreigners leave Japan without claiming the Japan pension refund foreigners system — leaving hundreds of thousands, sometimes over a million yen behind. The Japan pension refund foreigners system — officially called the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金, dattai ichijikin) — allows foreign nationals who contributed to Japan’s public pension and are leaving permanently to claim back a portion of those contributions. The deadline is just two years after departure. Miss it, and the money is gone forever.

Japan pension refund foreigners: what is the lump-sum withdrawal payment?

The Japan pension refund foreigners system exists because most foreigners who work in Japan for a few years will never reach retirement age here and never receive a Japanese pension. To compensate, Japan allows eligible foreign nationals to claim back a portion of their pension contributions after leaving the country. The Japan pension refund foreigners payment covers up to 60 months (5 years) of contributions — even if you paid in for longer, the refund is capped at 5 years. The cap was extended from 3 years to 5 years in April 2021, significantly increasing the refund available for mid-term residents. For a foreign professional earning ¥500,000 per month gross for 5 years, the Japan pension refund foreigners payment can exceed ¥1,000,000 before the 20.42% tax withholding is applied.

Japan pension refund foreigners: who is eligible?

You qualify for the Japan pension refund foreigners lump-sum withdrawal payment if ALL of the following conditions are met:

• You are not a Japanese national
• You contributed to Japan’s National Pension (国民年金) or Employees’ Pension Insurance (厚生年金) for 6 months or more
• You no longer have an address registered in Japan — you have left the country
• You have never received any Japanese pension benefit including disability allowance
• You apply within two years of leaving Japan — missing this Japan pension refund foreigners deadline means losing the entire amount
• Your total Japanese pension enrollment is less than 10 years — if you have 10+ years you qualify for an actual pension and cannot claim the lump sum

Japan pension refund foreigners: how much will you receive?

The Japan pension refund foreigners amount depends on which pension system you were enrolled in and how long you contributed. For Employees’ Pension Insurance (厚生年金 — the most common for employed expats), the refund is calculated using your average standard monthly remuneration multiplied by a rate factor based on contribution months. For a standard professional earning ¥400,000 per month gross who contributed for 36 months (3 years), the Japan pension refund foreigners gross payment is approximately ¥600,000–700,000. For 60 months (5 years) at ¥500,000 gross monthly salary, the gross Japan pension refund foreigners payment can reach ¥1,200,000–1,500,000. From this amount, Japan withholds 20.42% income tax — however, you can reclaim this 20.42% by filing a tax return through a Japanese tax representative (税理士) after receiving the payment.

Japan pension refund foreigners: step-by-step how to claim

• Step 1 — Before leaving Japan: Submit your Moving-Out Notification (転出届, tenshutsu todoke) at your ward office. This removes you from the resident register and is required before your Japan pension refund foreigners application can be processed.
• Step 2 — Get your Basic Pension Number: Find your 基礎年金番号 (kiso nenkin bangou) on your Pension Book (年金手帳) or pension number notification letter. This number is required on the Japan pension refund foreigners claim form.
• Step 3 — Download the claim form: The Japan pension refund foreigners 脱退一時金請求書 (lump-sum withdrawal payment claim form) is available in 14 languages from the Japan Pension Service website. Download the form for your pension type — National Pension or Employees’ Pension Insurance.
• Step 4 — Prepare your documents: Passport copy (name, date of birth, nationality, signature, visa pages), Basic Pension Number documentation, proof of overseas bank account for the Japan pension refund foreigners transfer, and your Moving-Out Notification confirmation.
• Step 5 — Submit by post or online: Send your completed Japan pension refund foreigners application to the Japan Pension Service after you have left Japan. Online submission is available via the e-Gov portal for some cases.
• Step 6 — Wait 4–6 months: The Japan Pension Service processes Japan pension refund foreigners applications and transfers the refund (minus 20.42% tax) to your overseas bank account.
• Step 7 — Reclaim the tax (optional but recommended): File a tax return through a Japanese tax representative to reclaim the 20.42% withheld from your Japan pension refund foreigners payment.

Japan pension refund foreigners: the 2-year deadline trap

The most critical danger in the Japan pension refund foreigners system is the 2-year deadline. You have exactly two years from the date you lose your Japanese residency — the date you submitted your Moving-Out Notification — to apply. Many foreigners who leave Japan in a rush, plan to return, or simply don’t know about the system miss this window entirely and permanently forfeit their Japan pension refund foreigners entitlement. If you left Japan within the past two years and paid into pension for 6+ months, check your eligibility and apply immediately. The Japan Pension Service cannot make exceptions to the Japan pension refund foreigners 2-year deadline under any circumstances.

Japan pension refund foreigners: social security agreements — should you claim?

If your home country has a Social Security Totalization Agreement with Japan, claiming the Japan pension refund foreigners lump sum may not always be the best financial decision. Countries with agreements include the USA, UK, Germany, South Korea, Australia, Canada, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, Brazil, Switzerland, Hungary, India, Luxembourg, Philippines, Slovakia, China, and Finland. Under these agreements, your Japanese pension contribution period can count toward your home country’s pension — meaning you may eventually receive a higher lifetime pension benefit than the Japan pension refund foreigners lump sum provides. However, once you claim the Japan pension refund foreigners lump sum, all your Japanese pension enrollment periods are permanently erased. Consult a financial advisor or your home country’s pension authority before deciding.

Japan pension refund foreigners — quick reference

• Official name: Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment (脱退一時金, dattai ichijikin)
• Who qualifies: Non-Japanese nationals who contributed 6+ months to Japan pension and have left Japan permanently
• Maximum refund period: 60 months (5 years) — extended from 36 months in April 2021
• Deadline: 2 years from leaving Japan — no exceptions for the Japan pension refund foreigners claim
• Tax withheld: 20.42% at source — can be reclaimed via tax return through Japanese tax representative
• Payment timeline: 4–6 months after application received by Japan Pension Service
• How to apply: Download multilingual form at nenkin.go.jp — submit by post or e-Gov online after leaving Japan
• Social security agreements: Check before claiming — some countries better off keeping the pension period
• Refund erases: All Japanese pension enrollment periods permanently — cannot be reversed
• If you have 10+ years: You qualify for actual Japanese pension — cannot claim lump sum

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