Procedures When You are Working in Japan

Exemption from coverage in Japan : "Certificate of Coverage"
If you are temporarily sent by your employer in one of the agreement countries to Japan, you need to have your "Certificate of Coverage". It proves that you are currently covered by the social security system of the agreement country from which you have been sent. It establishes your exemption from coverage under the Japanese system. Your employer in the agreement country is responsible for applying for your Certificate of Coverage to the social security authority in the country.
Specific procedure is as follows:

1. Your employer applies for your Certificate of Coverage to the social security authority in the agreement country.
2. Upon approval after examination, the authority issues your Certificate of Coverage.
3. When you come to Japan, you need to submit your Certificate to your workplace in Japan.* Your Certificate needs to be presented when the Branch Office of Japan Pension Service(JPS Branch Office)asks for it or asks why you are not covered by the Japanese social security system at the time of inspection.
4. In the process of 2) above, if your application for the Certificate is not approved, you will be covered only by the Japanese social security system.

* You are required to keep your Certificate in Japan if you are from Belgium or France.
If you need to continue to work in Japan over the expected period of detachment, your employer in the agreement country needs to apply for the extension of your Certificate at the authority.

Exemption from coverage in Japan : "Certificate of Coverage"
If you temporarily work in Japan as a self-employed person, you need to have your "Certificate of Coverage". It proves that you are currently covered by the social security system of the agreement country where you have come from. It establishes your exemption from coverage under the Japanese system. You are responsible for applying for your Certificate of Coverage to the social security authority in the country.
Specific procedure is as follows:

1. You apply for your Certificate of Coverage to the social security authority in the agreement country.
2. Upon approval after examination, the authority issues your Certificate of Coverage.
3. When you come to Japan, your Certificate needs to be presented when the JPS Branch Office or the municipal office asks for it or asks why you are not covered by the Japanese system at the time of inspection.
4. In the process of 2) above, if your application for the Certificate is not approved, you will be covered only by the Japanese social security system.

If you need to continue to work in Japan over the expected periods, you need to apply for the extension of your Certificate at the authority.
Notes on Individual Rules under each Social Security Agreement

(United States)

Please note that each agreement specifies which system you will be exempt from.

When you are sent by your employer in an agreement country to Japan for a long period of time or locally hired in Japan, your employer in Japan needs to submit an "Application to Enroll in the Employees' Pension Insurance and Employees' Health Insurance (KOSEINENKIN HOKEN / KENKO HOKEN SHIKAKU SHUTOKU TODOKE)" to the JPS Branch Office.
When you work in Japan as a self-employed person for a long period of time, you need to submit an "Application to Enroll in the National Pension and National Health Insurance (KOKUMIN NENKIN / KOKUMIN KENKO HOKEN SHIKAKU SHUTOKU TODOKE)" to the municipal office where you reside.
When your work in Japan ends and you return to your country, your employer(or if you are a self-employed) needs to submit applications for withdrawal from each Japanese system to each authority in Japan.

When you have already been sent or transferred your self-employed activity to Japan, the effective date is considered to be the date when your detachment or self-employment in Japan begins. In this case, your employer (or you if you are a self-employed) needs to submit an "Application to Withdraw" from each Japanese system to the JPS Branch Office, in addition to the above mentioned procedure for your certificate.