Also, the unions are in a much stronger bargaining position in the future if our members are contributors to the health and pension system. Our position: fight for enrolment together with improvements.

I. KARAKIKAN
Pensions are payable after you have paid premiums for 25 years, but this doesn’t mean that you have to pay in for 25 years.

The period from when you were twenty years of age to when you arrived in Japan are added to the number of years of contributions.

To use this system, you do have to have permanent residency or citizenship prior to reaching retirement age.

II. PENSION TREATIES
Japan has pension treaties with many countries. These treaties may allow you to use some of the time that you paid into the pension in Japan to benefit your pension earnings in your home country, and vice versa. See www.sia.go.jp/e/ag.html for more information.

III. PENSION REFUNDS – DATAI ICHIJIKIN
You can receive a lump sum return on your pension payments. Those leaving after having been enrolled in Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai for 36 months can have almost 100% of their contributions refunded. Compare this to the approximately 50% that you can get back if you’re enrolled in Kokumin Nenkin and you’ll see why Shakai Hoken/Shigaku Kyosai are the way to go.