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Pension & Lump-sum Withdrawal Guide for Foreigners (How to Claim a Refund 2026)

Published 2026.06.04 ・ Updated 2026.10.11 | Operated by MRI Co., Ltd. | Written & verified by Zainichi Life Navi Editorial Team (Editorial Policy)
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📌 Key points
  • Foreigners working in Japan also pay into the National Pension or Employees' Pension.
  • When you leave Japan for good, you can claim a lump-sum withdrawal payment refunding part of what you paid in.
  • The article explains the eligibility requirements, how to apply, and a rough guide to the payment amount.
PRPension is one part of your money life in Japan — a card to consider
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年会費が無料（標準カード）で、マルイ店舗で受け取る場合は最短即日発行に対応しています。発行の可否はカード会社の審査により決まります。No annual fee (standard card), and same-day issuance is available when you pick up the card at a Marui store. Whether a card is issued is decided by the card company's screening.年会费免费（标准卡），在丸井店铺领取时最短可当日发卡。能否发卡由发卡公司的审查决定。Miễn phí thường niên (thẻ tiêu chuẩn), nhận thẻ tại cửa hàng Marui có thể được phát hành nhanh nhất trong ngày. Việc có phát hành thẻ hay không do công ty thẻ xét duyệt quyết định.

※カードの発行には審査があり、在留資格・在留期間により発行できない場合があります。条件は公式サイトでご確認ください。* Issuance is subject to screening and may not be available depending on your residence status/period. Check the official site for conditions.※发卡需审查，可能因在留资格·在留期间无法发行。条件请见官方网站。* Việc phát hành cần xét duyệt và có thể không được tùy tư cách/thời gian lưu trú. Xem điều kiện trên trang chính thức.

Foreigners who have worked in Japan pay into the National Pension and Employees' Pension, and can receive a partial refund called a lump-sum withdrawal payment when they leave the country. Both pension types are part of Japan's social insurance system, so understanding enrollment and contributions can help you plan ahead.

① What Is the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment?

It is a one-time payment that foreigners enrolled in Japan's pension system (National or Employees' Pension) can claim when leaving Japan. Part of the premiums you paid is refunded.

💡 Application deadlineYou must apply within 2 years of leaving Japan. After that you can no longer claim it.

② Eligibility

  • You are a foreign national (no Japanese nationality)
  • You paid National/Employees' Pension premiums for 6 months or more
  • You no longer have an address in Japan (after departure)
  • You have not met the 10-year qualifying period for an old-age pension

Note that those aged 40 or older also pay long-term care insurance premiums separately from pension — check if this applies before you leave.

③ How to Apply

  1. Leave Japan (remove your resident registration at the city office)
  2. Mail the "Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Claim" to the Japan Pension Service
  3. After review (about 2–3 months), payment is transferred to your designated account

④ Estimated Amount (Employees' Pension)

Enrollment periodAmount (at ¥200,000/month salary)
6 months~¥100,000
1 year~¥220,000
3 years~¥660,000
5 years~¥1,100,000

*These are estimates calculated using an average standard remuneration of ¥200,000/month (excluding bonuses) and an Employees' Pension contribution rate of 18.3%. Amounts are higher if you receive bonuses or a higher salary. Please confirm the actual amount with the Japan Pension Service.

💡 Cap to rise from 5 to 8 yearsThe FY2025 pension reform law (promulgated 20 June 2025) decided to raise the cap on the number of months used in the calculation from 5 years (60 months) to 8 years (96 months). However, the effective date of this provision is set by law as "a date specified by government ordinance, within 4 years of promulgation," and as of August 2026 that date has not yet been fixed by ordinance. The Japan Pension Service's official guidance still shows the cap as 60 months (5 years) as of August 2026. Please confirm with the Japan Pension Service at the time of your claim whether and when the 8-year (96-month) cap actually applies to you. Note: 1 April 2026 is not the effective date of this lump-sum withdrawal reform — it is the effective date of a different provision in the same law (the increase to the in-service old-age pension suspension threshold). Please do not confuse the two.

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: Pension System Reform (lump-sum withdrawal related items) and same, "Revision of the In-Service Old-Age Pension" (effective 1 April 2026).

⚠️ About taxesA 20.42% withholding tax is deducted from the lump-sum payment. Residents of countries with a tax treaty can claim a refund — see our tax return guide for how to file.

To receive the lump-sum withdrawal or a tax refund within Japan, you need a bank account.

Taking your money home?

After you leave Japan, sending your lump-sum withdrawal (and any tax refund) to your home country can cost a lot in bank fees and exchange-rate margins. Our sister site Zainichi Money Navi has a quick 3-question finder that suggests a low-cost way to send money abroad from Japan, so you can weigh fees and exchange rates before you transfer.

Find a low-cost way to send money →

How much of the lump-sum withdrawal you keep can depend on how you claim it and how it is taxed. Our sister site Zainichi Money Navi explains the take-home side, including the income-tax refund after leaving Japan, in Maximizing your lump-sum pension withdrawal (incl. tax refund). If you plan to keep working in Japan and build up savings, see also How foreign residents can start investing with NISA.

If you plan to send your lump-sum withdrawal payment to your home country, using a remittance service is one option.

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If you would like to compare fees across providers, see our Remittance Fee Chart.

FAQ

Q: By when must I apply?You must apply within 2 years of leaving Japan. After that you can no longer claim it.
Q: How much can I receive?It depends on your enrollment period and salary. At ¥200,000/month for 5 years, about ¥1,100,000 is a guideline.
Q: Can I claim it under the National Pension too?Yes. With 6+ months under the National Pension you can claim it, though the amount is smaller than under the Employees' Pension.

Sources

※Rules may change. Please check the official sites for the latest information.

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年金の脱退一時金にあわせて、住民税・確定申告・銀行口座開設・iDeCo・NISAなどお金まわりの深掘りは姉妹サイト「在日マネーナビ」が便利です。Alongside lump-sum pension withdrawal, deep dives on resident tax, tax filing, bank account opening, iDeCo and NISA are on our sister site Zainichi Money Navi.脱退一时金之外，住民税·确定申告·开户·iDeCo·NISA等金融深度内容请见姊妹站「在日マネーナビ」。Bên cạnh tiền hoàn nenkin, thuế cư trú, khai thuế, mở tài khoản, iDeCo, NISA chi tiết — xem trang đồng hành Zainichi Money Navi.

在日マネーナビを見る →Visit Zainichi Money Navi →访问在日マネーナビ →Đến Zainichi Money Navi →

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