• Introducing Ibaraki City
• Support desks staffed by foreign language speakers offered by the Osaka Prefectural government
• Japanese language schools
• Exchanges with Japanese citizens
• Foreign resident registration
• Submitting information to create a new family register
• Taxes
• National Health Insurance
• The National Pension
• Care for the Aged Insurance
• Childbirth and childcare
• Day-care facilities
• Education
• Welfare Service
• Daily life
• Emergency calls
• Medical care
• Sister and friendship cities

The National Pension

National Health Insurance and Pension Division (TEL: 620-1632)
At one time, the Public Pension system in Japan served everyone except company workers. At that time, workers were covered by the employees’ pensions from the Welfare Annuity Insurance and Mutual Aid Associations that existed in corporations and factories for workers. The spouses of workers were excluded from entering the Public Pension system, because they were partly covered by these workers’ pension systems within the corporations. In April 1986, the Japanese government changed the system and everyone, including workers joining occupational pension systems (such as Annuity Insurance) and their spouses, became covered by the National Pension.

Paying insurance premiums

All residents living in Japan aged from 20 to 60 (including foreigners) must join the National Pension. In order to receive an old-age pension from the age of 65, you have to pay insurance premiums for 25 years or longer.

Receiving a pension

There are several types of pensions: the old-age pension is paid to people from age 65, who have qualified by paying premiums for 25 years or longer. The handicapped person's pension is for members who have become handicapped due to illness or injury. The survivor’s pension is paid to family members (the wife and children aged 18 or younger) of a pension member who has paid in for 25 years or longer. To receive a handicapped person's pension or a survivor’s pension, one must meet the required conditions for eligibility.

Lump-sum payments for those leaving the Pension system

If a foreigner lives in Japan for a short period and does not meet the qualifications for receiving the pension he or she has contributed to, and returns to the home country, that will receive a lump-sum payment under a special clause enacted in April 1995. The conditions for receiving the immediate payment are as follows.

1. The person is a foreigner who is returning to the home country.
2. The person had been a member of the Welfare Pension Insurance program for 6 months or longer or had paid National Insurance premiums for 6 months or longer.
3. The person will not be in a position to receive pension payments.
4. The person applies for a lump-sum payment within 2 years after returning to the home country.