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Apply Before You Leave Japan! The Pension Lump-sum Withdrawal

A portion of the pension premiums you paid can come back to you

📖 6 min read📅 2026-04-26
Apply Before You Leave Japan! The Pension Lump-sum Withdrawal

"Two years after returning home, ¥413,000 was transferred into my bank account"

Ha (28) from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam received that notification in October 2023 — 23 months after leaving Japan.

She cried — not just out of happiness. She thought, "If I had known sooner, more would have come back."

For the six years she spent in Japan, ¥18,300 was deducted from her monthly salary as "employees' pension premium." ¥18,300 per month. ¥219,600 per year. About ¥1,300,000 over six years. She vaguely understood it as "money paid for retirement." But she had never thought, "If I'm not going to live in Japan forever, what happens to this money?"

The day before leaving Japan, a Japanese colleague quietly told her: "Do you know about the lump-sum withdrawal? There's a system where you can get part of your paid pension back after returning home. But there's a time limit — move quickly."

That night, lying in her dormitory, Ha searched on her phone. Japan Pension Service official website. English explanation page. Application form download link.

The more she read, the more anxious she felt. "Why didn't anyone tell me this before now?"

The lump-sum withdrawal is a system that allows foreign nationals who were enrolled in Japan's National Pension or Employees' Pension to receive a portion of the premiums they paid as a one-time lump sum, by applying after returning home.

Remember three key points:

**1. If you don't apply, you get nothing.** Without applying, the premiums you paid simply remain in the system. Just because a foreigner has left Japan doesn't mean the money is automatically returned.

**2. The deadline is within 2 years of leaving Japan.** After 2 years, the right to apply is lost. "I'll do it later" is not an option.

**3. The amount varies by enrollment period.** For 6 months: approximately ¥50,000–¥70,000. For 1 year: approximately ¥100,000–¥140,000. For 3 years: approximately ¥300,000–¥450,000. In Ha's case of 6 years: over ¥400,000.

Use the checklist below to verify your eligibility and what documents you'll need.

01.Enrolled in Japanese pension (Employees' Pension or National Pension) for 6 months or more
Enrollment for at least 6 months is required. If "Kosei Nenkin" (employees' pension) appears as a deduction on your payslip, you are enrolled. Check your enrollment period via the Japan Pension Service website or pension statement.
02.You do not have Japanese nationality (and do not hold permanent residency)
Japanese citizens are not eligible. Those with permanent residency are generally also ineligible (since they will continue living in Japan).
03.You are not yet entitled to receive a pension (less than 10 years of enrollment)
If you have 10 years (120 months) or more of enrollment, you may have pension eligibility rights and cannot receive the lump-sum withdrawal — confirm with the Japan Pension Service first.
04.You apply within 2 years of leaving Japan
The application deadline is 2 years from the date you left Japan. Once the deadline passes, you can no longer apply. Start the process immediately after returning home.
05.You have prepared necessary documents before leaving Japan
① Pension booklet or My Number confirmation document ② Passport (with exit record showing departure date) ③ Overseas bank account information (Japanese account also acceptable) ④ Withholding tax statement or pension premium payment records. These become difficult to obtain after leaving Japan — gather them before retiring or departing.
06.You know how to apply (postal application available after returning home)
After returning home, you can apply by postal mail to the Japan Pension Service. The application form can be downloaded from their website. An English explanation is also available.
When the lump-sum withdrawal is paid, a 20.42% withholding tax is deducted. However, if your home country has a tax treaty with Japan, you may be able to recover part of that through a refund tax return.

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