In general, foreign employees from affiliated companies overseas who are dispatched to Japan must join both the social security system of their home country and Japan’s social security system, resulting in double insurance payments. However, due to the Social Security Agreement between China and Japan, it is possible to avoid double participation.
Table of Contents
- Social Security Agreement
- Status of the Effectiveness of Social Security Agreements with Various Countries (as of October 1, 2019)
- The Japan-China Social Security Agreement Effective from September 1, 2019
Social Security Agreement
With the increasing international movement of people, more individuals are being dispatched to work abroad or coming to Japan for work. Generally, they are required to join both the social security systems of their home country and Japan, incurring double insurance payments. However, countries that have signed a social security agreement can exempt individuals from joining one country’s insurance system, and the periods of insurance paid by both countries can be combined. The content of the social security agreement varies depending on the country involved and the foreign worker’s home country. Generally, those who are dispatched to Japan for less than five years may be exempt.
Status of the Effectiveness of Social Security Agreements with Various Countries (as of October 1, 2019)
Countries with Signed Agreements: Germany, the UK, South Korea, the US, Belgium, France, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Spain, Ireland, Brazil, Switzerland, Hungary, India, Luxembourg, the Philippines, Slovakia, and China.
Japan-China Social Security Agreement Effective from September 1, 2019
The agreement applies only to the following pension systems:
- China’s basic pension insurance for employees
- Japan’s National Pension and Employees’ Pension Insurance
Social Security Agreement Procedures
Procedures Before Dispatching to Japan:
- Before dispatching to Japan, please apply for a “Certificate of Insurance” from China’s Social Insurance Management Center.
Procedures After Dispatching to Japan:
- After arriving in Japan, submit the “Certificate of Insurance” to Japan’s Pension Office as needed.
- For employees dispatched to Japan before the agreement’s effectiveness, after submitting the “Certificate of Insurance” issued in China to Japan’s Pension Office, also submit a “Loss of Eligibility Declaration” to the Pension Office.
