The paperwork looks intimidating mostly because nobody lays out the actual order of steps. Here it is, from before you leave Japan to the money arriving in your account.
Step 1: Before you leave, go to your city office
Visit your local city or ward office and file a moving-out notification. This tells Japan you are leaving the country for good, not just travelling. This step matters even more than most people realize, especially if you still hold a re-entry permit. Without this notification, your pension enrollment can stay active long after you have left. We explain this in detail in a separate article.
Step 2: Confirm you have no address in Japan
Once your moving-out notification is processed, your residence registration is removed. This is required before you can apply. If you already left Japan without doing this, contact your city office or a tax representative to check your current status.
Step 3: Get the claim form
The Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment claim form is available from the Japan Pension Service, in multiple languages. You can request it be sent to your home address abroad, or download it if it is available online.
Step 4: Gather your documents
You will typically need:
- Your pension handbook or your Basic Pension Number
- A copy of your passport pages showing your name, photo, and the date you left Japan
- Proof you no longer have an address in Japan
- A bank statement or passbook page from your home country account, in your own name, not at Japan Post Bank
Step 5: Fill in and mail your claim
Complete the form and mail it, along with your documents, to the Japan Pension Service. You do not need to be in Japan to do this. Most people file this entirely from their home country by post.
Step 6: Wait for processing
Payment usually takes around 3 to 4 months from when your complete claim is received. If anything is missing or unclear, this can take longer, so it helps to have everything correct the first time.
Step 7: Check your tax refund separately
If you were enrolled in the Employees’ Pension, 20.42% of your payment will be withheld as tax. Getting that back is a separate claim, and it requires a tax representative registered in Japan. This does not happen automatically, and it is easy to miss. See our article on the 20.42% tax for the full explanation.
In short
- File a moving-out notification at your city office before you leave Japan. This step protects your ability to claim later.
- You can complete the entire application by mail from your home country.
- Have your pension book, passport pages, proof of no Japan address, and home bank details ready before you start.
- Expect 3 to 4 months for payment, and remember the tax refund is a separate claim.
If the paperwork still feels like too much to handle alone, send us a photo of your pension book and we will take it from there. Flat fee, told to you before we start.