Application Procedures for Pension Benefits of the Agreement Countries

Before the agreements, you needed to file your application for foreign benefits only to the social security authority in the countries directly. After the agreements, however, if you live in Japan and apply for the benefits of the agreement countries, you can file your application at the Branch Office of Japan Pension Service (JPS Branch Office)or the Pension Consultation Center in Japan. The agreements enabled this initial application procedure.
Note: Under the Agreements with United Kingdom, Republic of Korea and China, you cannot apply your application in the Agreement country's institution.

The payment time of your first benefits payable by the agreement countries and the earliest date you cen apply for them depend on each countrys' system. Please note that some countries provide the benefits starting from only the following month in which your claim was made. It may be different from the Japanese system which pays benefits retroactively.

To apply for the agreement countries' benefits, you can file the application at the JPS Branch Office or the Pension Consultation Center in Japan, together with supporting documents. Your applications are then transmitted from these Offices to the Headquarters of Japan Pension Service(JPS Headquarters) which will transmit your claims to the social security authority in the agreement country.
When you apply, you do not need to submit any proofs regarding your Japanese coverage record. The JPS Headquarters will provide your Japanese coverage record to the social security authority in the agreement country.

Please note, if you apply for the Italian pension in Japan, you can file an Italian pension application at the JPS Branch Office or the Pension Consultation Center in Japan, but the JPS Headquarters will not provide your Japanese coverage record to the Italian authority since it is not possible to totalize applicant's Japanese coverage record under Japan-Italy Agreement.

Notes on Individual Rules under each Social Security Agreement

(United States)

How to receive foreign benefits in Japan depends on each agreement country's payment practice.
Germany/ United States/ Belgium/ France/ Canada/ Australia/ Netherlands/ Czech Republic/ Spain/ Ireland/ Brazil/ Switzerland/ Hungary/ India/ Luxembourg/ Philippines/ Slovak Republic/ Finland/ Sweden / Italy

Under the Income Tax Convention between Japan and the other countries, when you receive the agreement country's benefits in Japan, your benefits from the country are subject only to Japanese income tax system and exempt from income tax system in the agreement country.

The JPS Branch Office or Pension Consultation Center can receive not only your application for agreement countries' benefits, but also your report form for various changes to be sent to the other agreement country, or your appeal against the other agreement country's decision on your benefits application. We transmit your report or appeal to the agreement country. Please contact any of our Branch Office for details.

To file application for the agreement country's benefits, you can file an application at the social security authority in the country. And then you need to submit completed "Claim for Verifying Period of Coverage" as well, if you need to totalize your periods of both the agreement country and Japan. Upon receipt of your completed application, the social security authority in the country asks the Japan Pension Service to provide your coverage record under the Japanese system. Based on the reply from the Japan Pension Service, the social security authority will determine your totalization benefits and pay you.
For more detailed information about the procedures in each agreement country,visit the social security authority's website in the country.

Please note, when you apply for the Italian pension in Italy, you do not need to attach your "Claim for Verifying Period of Coverage" since it is not possible to totalize applicant's coverage record of the Japanese system under Japan-Italy Agreement.