If You Leave the Agreement Country to Work in Japan

When you are sent by your employer in your country to work in Japan, you may have to enroll in the Japanese social security system in addition to the social security system in your country, and pay contributions to both countries.

General rule

Under the Social Security Agreements, you will be covered only by the system of the country where you work. When you are sent by your employer in an agreement country to the branch office in Japan or you are locally hired by an employer in Japan, you will be covered only by the Japanese system.

Temporary detachment (for not more than 5 years)

However, when you are temporarily sent to Japan for the expected period of not more than 5 years, you are subject to the exception rule under the agreements. That is, you will be continuously covered only by the system of the agreement country and you will be exempt from coverage under the Japanese system.

If you work in both countries for the same period (Only for the Japan-the U.K. / the Japan- Korea / the Japan- Italy Agreement)

When you work in both Japan and the agreement country for the same period, you will be covered only by the pension system in the country where your primary place of residence is located. If Japan is your primary place of residence, you will be covered only by Japanese pension system and exempt from coverage in the other country.
In case that your primary place of residence is in the agreement country

NOTE : Again, if you are temporarily sent to Japan, you are subject to the rule of temporary detachment workers.

Depending on your work and detachment condition, you will be covered by the system as follows:

The above mentioned rules also apply to self-employed persons. If you plan to temporarily work as a self-employed person in Japan, you will be continuously covered by the agreement country's system. If you plan to work for more than 5 years in Japan, you will be covered only by the Japanese system. If you are not a self-employed person in the agreement country currently but you will work as a self-employed person in Japan, you will be covered only by the Japanese system.

Respective agreements provide which system you will be covered by.
Germany/ United Kingdom/ Republic of Korea/ United States/ Belgium/ France/ Canada/ Australia/ Netherlands/ Czech Republic/ Spain/ Ireland/ Brazil/ Switzerland/ India/ Luxembourg/ Slovak Republic/ China/ Finland/ Sweden/ Italy

In order for you to be continuously covered only by the social security system in an agreement country and to be exempt from coverage under the Japanese system, you need to satisfy all the following conditions:

1. You are covered by the system of the agreement country while you are detached to Japan.
2. While you are detached, you continue to be employed by your employer in the agreement country.*
3. Your expected detachment period is not more than 5 years.

* "you continue to be employed by your employer..." means that you provide services to your employer and your employer controls personnel matters and provides labor managements for you.

In order for you to be continuously covered only by the social security system in an agreement country and exempt from coverage of the Japanese system, you need to satisfy all the following conditions:

1. You are covered by the agreement country's system while you are working in Japan.
2. You continue to work as a self-employed person in Japan.
3. Your expected period of work in Japan is not more than 5 years.

Notes on Individual Rules under each Social Security Agreement
(Germany)

(United States)

(Belgium)

(France)

(Canada)

(Australia)

(Netherlands)

(Spain)

(Ireland)

(Brazil)

(Switzerland)

(Hungary)

(India)

(Luxembourg)

(Philippines)

(Slovak Republic)

(China)

(Finland)

(Sweden)

(Italy)

When you need to work in Japan exceeding the originally expected work period, your employer in the agreement country (or if you are a self-employed) may apply for the extension of the exemption.
In principle, you are exempt from coverage under the Japanese social security system for up to 5 years. However, depending on your employer's (or your) specific reason, you may be granted the extension of the exemption in addition to the 5 years. The maximum extension period exceeding 5 years depends on respective agreements.
Germany/ United Kingdom/ Republic of Korea/ United States/ Belgium/ France/Canada/ Australia/ Netherlands/ Czech Republic/ Spain/ Ireland/ Brazil/ Switzerland / Hungary/ India/ Luxembourg/ Philippines / Slovak Republic/ China/ Finland/ Sweden / Italy
If your detachment (or self-employment activity) period exceeds the specified maximum period mentioned above, you will be covered only by the system of Japan, according to the basic rule.

If you are temporarily sent from an agreement country to work in Japan and continue to be covered by the social security system of the country and are exempt from the Japanese social security system, coverage for your spouse and children who stay in Japan with you, i.e., accompanying spouse and children, is determined as below. You need to provide documents required to establish exemption.
Please note that if they are exempt from the Japanese system, they may even apply to enroll in the Japanese system if they so wish.

• Certificate of Coverage of the temporarily detached worker which was issued by the institute of the agreement country
• Either 1 or 2 to show the relationship to the temporarily detached worker

1. Certified copy of residence registration for foreigner (GAIKOKUJIN JUMINHYO)
2. Any document equivalent to 1

• Any one of the three as below to show that the resident status is "Dependent"

1. Resident Card
2. Certified copy of residence registration for foreigner (GAIGOKUJIN JUMINHYO)
3. Any document equivalent to 1 or 2

• Certificate of Coverage of the temporarily detached worker which was issued by the institute of the agreement country
• Either 1 or 2 to show the relationship to the temporarily detached worker

1. Certified copy of residence registration for foreigner (GAIKOKUJIN JUMINHYO)
2. Any document equivalent to 1

• Documents which are usually required to be approved as dependent family members under Japanese health insurance system

(United Kingdom)

(United States)

(Netherlands)

(Czech Republic)

When you are sent to work in Japan for a long period of time, you are covered by the Japanese health insurance system. If you receive medical care treatments at hospitals outside of Japan, you may claim medical care expenses to cover your cost in hospitals under the Japanese health insurance system. You may file a claim for the medical care expenses to your insurer.

If your detachment or self-employed activity started prior to the effective date of each agreement, the effective date is considered to be the date when your detachment or self-employment begins. That is, you will be exempt from coverage of the Japanese social security system, if your detachment to Japan is expected to be not more than 5 years from the effective date of the agreement.