Japan is stepping up efforts to register all foreigners that have newly moved to the country in the public pension program by October, aiming to strengthen requirements and shore up a foundation for long-term social stability.
There are over 3 million foreign nationals living in Japan, a number that is expected to keep rising.
Enrollment in the pension program will create an economic foundation for foreign nationals to continue living in Japan in old age.
Currently, people between the ages of 20 and 59 who reside in Japan are required to enroll in the national pension system regardless of nationality.
People who move to Japan from abroad receive an explanation of the enrollment procedures when they register their address at a local government office, but some fail to enroll despite the requirement.
Expatriate workers in Japan are also required to participate in the public pension system.
For countries that signed social security agreements with Japan, like the U.S., China and South Korea, foreigners planning to work in Japan for five years or less are exempted in principle.
That contingent will continue to pay public pension premiums in their home countries.
According to a 2019 survey, the proportion of foreigners living in Japan who are not enrolled was 4.4%, far higher than the 0.1% of Japanese people in the same age group.
That 4.4% is thought to include international students and self-employed people, as well as technical intern trainees whose places of work do not enroll them in the employee's pension system -- a factor that affects their enrollment in the national system and how much they contribute to it.
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will revise the Japan Pension Service's systems and obtain data from a nationwide resident register to access information on new immigrants to Japan.
Those whose pension eligibility cannot be confirmed will be asked to enroll in the system.
If there is no response, the Pension Service will enroll them automatically.
The Pension Service is enrolling the 4% of foreigners already living in Japan who are not currently enrolled once they reach a certain age.
Together with the measures for new immigrants, the labor ministry aims to have everyone in the country enrolled.
Those not signed up will not be able to receive benefits once they turn 65.
Those who become disabled will not be able to receive disability payments.
Japan's population of foreign nationals is climbing.
The number is expected to hit 4.2 million people in 2030, according to the National Institute of Population and Social Security Research.
The figure is set to jump to 7.29 million in 2050.
In 2019, the government began requiring everyone 20 and older living in Japan be registered to the public pension system with no exception to nationality.
A foreigner who leaves the country before paying enough to become eligible to receive a pension can claim a lump-sum withdrawal under certain conditions.
Source: https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Japan-immigration/Japan-to-enroll-all-foreign-residents-in-national-pension-system
