Step 5 of 6
Join insurance and pension
Confirm which public health-insurance and pension systems apply to you after establishing your life or employment in Japan.
Overview
Japan's public health-insurance and pension arrangements depend on factors such as employment, age, residence status, and household circumstances. Employees who meet the applicable conditions may be enrolled in Employees' Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance through their employer, while other residents may need to complete municipal or National Pension procedures themselves.
Requirements
- Confirm whether you are covered through your employerIf you work for an applicable employer and meet the coverage conditions, enrollment in Employees' Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance is generally handled through your employer.
- Confirm your pension categoryJapan's National Pension system classifies insured persons by circumstances. Category I generally includes residents aged 20 to 59 who are not Category II or Category III. Category II generally covers employees enrolled in Employees' Pension Insurance. Category III generally covers certain dependent spouses of Category II insured persons.
- Check whether a Social Security Agreement appliesIf you came to Japan from a country that has a Social Security Agreement with Japan, special coverage rules or exemptions may apply depending on the agreement and your circumstances.
Documents and items
- Residence and identity informationKeep your residence card and other identity information available when completing municipal, employer, or pension-related procedures.
- Employment informationIf you are employed, keep information from your employer available so you can confirm whether enrollment in Employees' Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance is being handled through the workplace.
- Pension-related noticesKeep notices or documents issued by the Japan Pension Service or your municipality because they may contain information needed for later contributions, exemptions, or other procedures.
Actions
- Ask your employer about employee social-insurance enrollmentIf you are employed, confirm whether your employer is enrolling you in Employees' Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance.
- Complete National Pension enrollment where requiredIf you become a Category I insured person, submit the required National Pension enrollment procedure yourself at the municipal office for your place of residence. Japan Pension Service guidance states that Category I enrollment should be submitted within 14 days after becoming subject to that category.
- Confirm health-insurance coverage if not enrolled through an employerIf you are not covered through Employees' Health Insurance, confirm with your municipality which public health-insurance procedure applies to your circumstances.
- Keep contribution and coverage information currentFollow instructions from your employer, municipality, health insurer, or Japan Pension Service when your employment, address, household, or residence circumstances change.
Practical notes
- National Pension generally covers registered residents of Japan aged 20 to 59 regardless of nationality, subject to statutory exceptions.
- Foreign nationals working at applicable workplaces are subject to Employees' Health Insurance and Employees' Pension Insurance under the same coverage framework as other workers when the applicable conditions are met.
- People arriving from countries with Social Security Agreements with Japan may be subject to special coverage rules. Confirm the agreement that applies to your country and circumstances.
- Do not assume that health insurance and pension enrollment are always completed through the same office. Employer-based coverage and municipal/National Pension procedures follow different processes.
- JMNET should not determine an individual's legal insurance or pension category. Users should confirm their situation with their employer, municipality, health insurer, or Japan Pension Service.