International Programs
Totalization Agreement with Japan
Introduction
For Japan, the agreement covers social security taxes (including the Japanese health insurance portion, in some cases) and social security retirement, disability and survivors benefits. The agreement does not cover the National Pension Fund and the Employees’ Pension Fund or the pension system for members of local assemblies. The agreement does not apply to the Old-Age Welfare Pension or other Japanese non-contributory, means‑tested allowances paid from general revenues.
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Eliminating dual coverage for self-employment
Under U.S. law, U.S. Social Security covers self-employed workers if they are U.S. citizens or non-U.S. citizens, even if they live and work outside the United States.
Self-employed workers who work only in the United States are assigned U.S. coverage. Self-employed workers who work only in Japan are assigned Japanese coverage.
The Agreement indicates that a person who is normally self-employed in one country who transfers their trade or business to the other country for five years or fewer will remain covered under the country from which that person transferred the self-employment activity.
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Japanese certificates for employees
Your employer in Japan must request a certificate of coverage (form J/USA 6) from the local Japanese social insurance agency that collects your social security taxes in Japan.
To request a certificate by mail or fax, please provide the following information:
- Full name of worker (including maiden name);
- Date and place of birth;
- Citizenship;
- Country of worker’s permanent residence;
- U.S. Social Security number;
- Date of hire;
- Country of hire;
- Name and address of the employer in the United States and Japan;
- Date of transfer and anticipated date of return;
- A statement, signed by your employer, certifying whether or not you, and all family members who live with you in Japan, are covered by an employer-sponsored or other private health insurance plan while in Japan;
- Nature of self-employment activity (Self-employed);
- Dates the activity was or will be performed (Self-employed); and
- Expected date that the assignment in Japan will end.
NOTE:In addition to retirement, disability and survivors benefits, Japanese social security taxes cover several other benefit programs including Japan’s health insurance program. If the employer or a self-employed person certifies the worker and all family members who accompany the worker to Japan are covered by an employer-sponsored or other private health insurance plan while in Japan, the worker and accompanying family members can be exempted from paying Japanese social security taxes as well as taxes funding Japan’s health insurance program and cannot receive health care services or other benefits under the Japanese health insurance system.
If the employer or self-employed person certifies the worker and all family members who accompany the worker to Japan are not covered by an employer‑sponsored or other private health insurance plan while in Japan, the worker and accompanying family members must pay taxes for Japan’s health insurance system.
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Japanese certificates for self-employed workers
To establish your exemption from coverage under the U.S. Social Security system, your employer in Japan must request a certificate of coverage (form J/USA 6) from the local Japanese social insurance agency that collects your social security taxes in Japan.
The same information required for a certificate of coverage from the United States is needed to get a certificate from Japan except that:
- You must show your Japanese Basic Pension number rather than your U.S. Social Security number.
- Your employer doesn’t need to certify whether you and your family are or are not covered by private health insurance.
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Monthly benefits
Japan pays benefits through a two‑tiered program. The first tier, called the National Pension (NP), is a contributory, universal program that covers all residents of Japan. The second tier is made up of four supplementary earnings-related programs, the most important of which is called the Employees’ Pension Insurance (EPI).
The EPI covers employed people in commerce and industry, including miners and merchant seaman. The three other earnings-related programs cover distinct occupational groups. The term EPI is sometimes used to refer to all four second-tier programs.
Under the U.S. Social Security system, you may earn up to four credits each year depending on the amount of your covered earnings. For example, in 2022, you receive one credit for each $1,410 of your covered annual earnings up to a maximum of four credits per year. The amount needed to earn a work credit goes up slightly each year. For more information, see How You Earn Credits(SSA Publication No. 05-10072).
The Japanese system measures credits in months. For simplicity, the table shows the requirements in years of credits.
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Retirement or old-age benefits |
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United States |
Japan |
Worker—Full benefit at full retirement age.* Reduced benefit as early as age 62. Required work credits range from one and one-half to 10 years (10 years if age 62 in 1991 or later). |
Worker—NP-Full retirement age is 65. Reduced benefits are payable as early as age 60. A minimum of 25 years of coverage is required. EPI—Full benefit at age 60 (age 55 for seamen and miners). A minimum of 25 years of coverage is required. |
*Full retirement age for people born before 1938 is age 65. The full retirement age increases gradually until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1960 or later
Disability benefits |
|
United States |
Japan |
Worker—Under full retirement age* can get benefit if unable to do any substantial gainful work for at least a year. One and one-half to 10 years credit needed, depending on age at date of onset. Some recent work credits also needed unless worker is blind. |
Worker—NP-Class I disability benefits are payable if totally disabled and require constant care. Class II disability benefits are payable if unable to work due to disability. The person must be covered under NP (or, if aged 60 through 64, be a resident of Japan) on the date of first medical examination establishing the disability and have coverage credited for at least two-thirds of the period between age 20 and the date of the medical examination. Worker—EPI-Class I and Class II disability benefits are payable. The person must be covered under EPI on the date of first medical examination establishing the disability and have coverage credited for at least two-thirds of the period between age 20 and the date of the medical examination. Class III disability benefits are payable to people with a partial disability that does not prevent them from working. A lump-sum disability allowance may be payable if the degree of disability is less than Class III. |
*Full retirement age for people born before 1938 is age 65. The full retirement age increases gradually until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1960 or later.
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Family benefits to dependents of retired or disabled people |
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United States |
Japan |
Spouse—Full benefit at full retirement age* or at any age if caring for the worker’s entitled child under age 16 (or disabled before age 22). Reduced benefit as early as age 62 if not caring for a child. |
Spouse—NP-No provision for spouse of retired or disabled worker. EPI—No provision. However, as of April 1, 2022, a supplement is payable to a retired or disabled (Class I or Class II only) worker’s EPI dependent spouse younger than the normal retirement age with less than 20 years of EPI contributions (not counting NP coverage or exempt periods). An additional supplement is payable for a dependent spouse under age 65. |
Divorced Spouse—Full benefit at full retirement age.* Reduced benefit as early as age 62. Must be unmarried and have been married to the worker for at least 10 years. |
Divorced Spouse—No provision under either the NP or the EPI. |
Children—If unmarried, up to age 18 (age 19 if in an elementary or secondary school full time) or any age if disabled before age 22. |
Children—NP-No provision for children of retired worker. A supplement is payable to a Class I or Class II disabled worker for dependent children under age 18 (age 20 if disabled). EPI—A supplement is payable to a retired or disabled (Class I or Class II only) worker for dependent children under age 18 (age 20 if disabled). |
*Full retirement age for people born before 1938 is age 65. The full retirement age increases gradually until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1960 or later.
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Survivors benefits |
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United States |
Japan |
| Survivor benefits payable to the following categories: | Survivor benefits payable as follows: |
Surviving Spouse—Full benefit at full retirement age* or at any age if caring for the deceased’s entitled child under age 16 (or disabled before age 22). Reduced benefit as early as age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) if not caring for child. Benefits may be continued if remarriage occurs after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled). Divorced Surviving Spouse—Same as surviving spouse if marriage lasted at least 10 years. Children—Same as for children of retired or disabled worker. |
NP—The deceased must be covered or receiving a pension at the time of death and have coverage credit for at least two-thirds of the period from age 20 to the date of death. Benefits payable to a dependent surviving spouse who is caring for the deceased’s child under age 18 (age 20 if disabled). surviving spouse’s benefit includes a supplement for children. A separate benefit payable to orphans under age 18 (age 20 if disabled). EPI—The deceased must be covered or receiving a pension at the time of death and have coverage credit for at least two-thirds of the period from age 20 to the date of death. Benefits payable to a dependent surviving spouse who is caring for the deceased’s child under age 18 (age 20 if disabled). Surviving Spouse’s benefit includes a supplement for children. If there is no surviving spouse caring for the deceased’s child, benefits may be paid to another survivor of the worker in the order of priority listed below.
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Lump-Sum Death Benefit—A one-time payment not to exceed $255 payable on the death of an insured worker. |
Lump-Sum Death Benefit— |
*Full retirement age for people born before 1938 is age 65. The full retirement age increases gradually until it reaches age 67 for people born in 1960 or later.
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Refund of contributions |
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United States |
Japan |
No refund of properly paid contributions. |
Foreign workers can receive a partial refund of NP and EPI contributions if the worker is not eligible for any Japanese benefits, has contributed for 6 months or longer under NP or EPI, left Japan after November 8, 1994, and requests the refund within 2 years after leaving Japan. |
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How benefits can be paid
If you have social security credits in both the United States and Japan, you may be eligible for benefits from one or both countries. If you meet all the basic requirements under one country’s system, you will get a regular benefit from that country. If you don’t meet the basic requirements, the agreement may help you qualify for a benefit as explained below.
- Benefits from the United States - If you don’t have enough work credits under the U.S. system to qualify for regular benefits, you may be able to qualify for a partial benefit from the United States based on both United States and Japanese credits. However, to be eligible to have your Japanese credits counted, you must have earned at least six credits (generally one and one-half years of work) under the U.S. system. If you already have enough credits under the U.S. system to qualify for a benefit, the United States cannot count your Japanese credits.
- Benefits from Japan - Social security credits from both countries can also be counted, when necessary, to meet the eligibility requirements for Japanese benefits. To be eligible to have your United States and Japanese credits counted, you must have at least one month of coverage credited under the Japanese system.
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Claims for benefits
If you live in the United States and wish to apply for U.S. or Japanese benefits:
- Visit or write any U.S. Social Security office; or
- Phone our toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. any business day. Individual who are hearing impaired may call our toll-free TTY number, 1-800-325-0778.
- You can apply for Japanese benefits at any U.S. Social Security office by completing application form J/USA 1 to apply for retirement or disability benefits, or application form J/USA 2 to apply for survivors’ benefits.
If you live in Japan and wish to apply for U.S. or Japanese benefits, contact:
Federal Benefits Unit
United States Embassy
1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-8420
JAPAN
- Any Japanese social security office to file for Japanese benefits.
You can apply with one country and ask to have your application considered as a claim for benefits from the other country. Information from your application will then be sent to the other country. Each country will process the claim under its own laws‑counting credits from the other country when appropriate—and notify you of its decision.
If you haven’t applied for benefits before, you may need to provide certain information and documents when you apply.
These may include:
- The worker’s United States Social Security number;
- The worker’s Japanese Basic Pension number;
- Proof of age for all claimants;
- Evidence of the worker’s U.S. earnings in the past 24 months; and
- Information about the worker’s coverage under the Japanese system.
You may wish to call the social security office before you go there to see if you need any other information.
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Payment of benefits
Each country pays its own benefit. U.S. payments are made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury each month and cover benefits for the preceding month. Japanese benefits are paid by direct deposit on the 15th of even-numbered months in Japan and cover benefits for the preceding month and the current month.
For overseas payments, the benefit is paid by direct deposit approximately 3 to 7 days after the 15th of even-numbered months because the exchange rate conversion is done on the 15th of the month and also covers benefits for the preceding month and the current month. For more information, contact the Japanese authorities at the address in the section titled, “For more information.”Return to Totalization Agreements overview
For more information about Japan's social security programs
For more information about Japan’s social security programs, visit the Japanese social security system’s website at https://www.nenkin.go.jp/index.html or https://www.nenkin.go.jp/international/english/overview/overview.html.
If you live outside of the United States, write to:
Federal Benefits Unit
United States Embassy
1-10-5 Akasaka
Minato-ku
Tokyo 107-8420
JAPAN
You may also contact any branch office of a Japanese social insurance agency listed on the chart below. Do not worry if you are not sure which Japanese social insurance agency to contact. If you do not write to the proper office, the Japanese agency will forward your inquiry or application to the correct office.
If your most recent social security tax was paid to the: |
Write to: |
National Pension |
Japan Pension Service |
National Public Service Mutual Aid |
Federation of National Public Service Personnel Mutual Aid Associations |
Local Public Service Mutual Aid |
Pension Fund Association for Local Government Officials |
Private School Teachers’ and Employees’ Mutual Aid |
The Promotion and Mutual Aid Corporation for Private Schools Of Japan |