Lump-sum Death Benefits

When an insured person dies without receiving any pension benefits his/her family member who shared the livelihood with him/her can receive the Lump-sum Death Benefits.
The deceased insured person needs to have at least 36 contribution-paid months* as a Category Ⅰ insured person in total as of the previous day of his/her death.
Contribution-exempted periods are proportionally counted as follows:

• 1/4 of coverage periods (months) for 3/4 contribution-exempted periods
• half of coverage periods (months) for half contribution-exempted periods
• 3/4 of coverage periods (months) for 1/4 contribution-exempted periods

The priority order for persons eligible for Lump-sum Death Benefits is as follows:

1. Spouse
2. Child
3. Parent
4. Grandchild
5. Grandparent
6. Sibling (brother and sister)

Lump-sum Death Benefits cannot be claimed if Survivors’ Basic Pension is payable. However, when the benefits payment for an eligible child is suspended because he/she is supported by a parent without the survivor pension eligibility, the parent may claim Lump-sum Death Benefits.
Legislative reform of 2025 enables child to receive Survivors’ Basic Pension benefits if he/she is supported by parent, effective from April 1, 2028. However, if a parent claims Lump-sum Death Benefits due to the death between April 1, 2026, and March 31, 2028, the child’s pension benefits will be continuously suspended afterward.

Between \120,000 and \320,000 depending on the contribution-paid periods of the deceased person

You need to file “Claim for Lump-sum Death Benefits.”
Documents to be attached are as follows;

• The deceased person’s Basic Pension Number Notice or Pension Handbook
• Document to prove relationship between the deceased person and the claimant, e.g. certified copy of Family Registry*
• Document to prove that the deceased person and the claimant lived in the same household*
• Copy of statements, passbook, or certificate of your bank account, as evidence of your bank account for benefits deposit**
• “Declaration of livelihood sharing and relationship,” if the deceased person and the claimant lived separately

* Date of documents must be after the date of death.

** If you reside outside Japan and wish to have the benefits deposited to your bank account outside Japan, you also need to submit “Notification of Registration (Change) of Address/Pension-receiving Financial Institution of Pension Recipient Residing Outside Japan.”

If you reside in Japan, submit the claim and documents to your nearest JPS branch office or pension consultation center. If you reside outside Japan, send it by post to the JPS branch office in charge of your latest place of residence in Japan or to the JPS Headquarters. See list of JPS branch offices.