Kokumin nenkin payment

[KCLenny]

Hi all, as some of you may know I applied for a kokumin nenkin exemption a few months ago due to not being able to afford them for me and my wife.
At that time I went to the ward office, and the lady there explained that based on my earnings last year that I would be entitled to a 50% reduction in payment (¥8310). And she said that my wife wouldn’t pay anything at all due to being my dependant and not working or having an income at all.

Fast forward to today, we’ve both just received our pension payment slips in the post and it’s stating that we both need to pay ¥8310 each and month AND pay back all the way back to July! Basically meaning that for the current pension period we’d need to cough up just over ¥80,000 total!

Is there some mistake with this? Or have I misunderstood something along the way?
Is it a “simple” case of going to the ward office and asking if this is right?
Also, is there anyway of getting some bonus out of paying the pension? As in, using a certain payment service or app that’ll get some points or something?
Thanks in advanced.

[adamu]

Sorry I don't know the details, but I would make an appointment and go to the pension office directly, not the pension desk in the ward office.

[RetireJapan]

Sorry I don't know the details, but I would make an appointment and go to the pension office directly, not the pension desk in the ward office.

Yeah, I second this. I have been given the wrong information by the pension desk at the ward office more than once. Apparently they are staffed by part-timers that 'don't really know anything'

Safest bet is to call the national helpline or visit the actual pension office. Find them here: https://www.nenkin.go.jp/section/soudan/index.html

[KCLenny]

So little update.
I got 50% exemption for both me and my wife. That’s fine.
The guy in the ward office told me I could pay it any time in the next 2 years. Great as I’m in the process of moving to a danchi, with a lot cheaper rent. I finally got the promotion at work, so come February I’ll be better financially.
Then a few weeks ago I got a scary looking postcard with a sad emoji on it from the pension people saying I hadn’t payed. Then a week after that me and my wife got a letter each also looking scary saying we hadn’t payed. I took these all to the ward office and asked what was going on. Luckily I saw the same guy as last time and he is genuinely really helpful. Even he was unsure why I got the letters. So he called the pension office himself and still I’m not sure why. But I left the office with the understanding (after explaining my situation, and saying that I would be absolutely paying in march), that I’d be paying in march.
Then just a few days ago, we got another letter. This time not scary looking, but looked like a reissuing of our payslips. Same price. Same dates and same final pay date of 2 years from now.

So what the hell is going on? I’m confident I’ll be ok to pay and start paying regularly in march. But I can’t risk paying ¥60000+ (back pay to July) just in case my current landlord charges me a bomb upon moving out (not impossible).

[adamu]

So what the hell is going on?

You went to the ward office. Don't go to the ward office. Go to the pension office and speak to them directly.

[KCLenny]

So what the hell is going on?

You went to the ward office. Don't go to the ward office. Go to the pension office and speak to them directly.

But the guy in the ward office spoke to the pension office and I even spoke to them on the phone when I was in the ward office too.

And the pension office is not in an easy to access place for me at the best of times, let alone when I’m busy moving and working 40 hours a week because the previous assistant manager effed things up as he was leaving.
The ward office is round the corner from my work.

[KCLenny]

Not to mention the payment slips do literally say that the dead line for paying is 5令和7月

[RetireJapan]

Every time I asked the pension desk at the ward office about pensions, they made a mistake which ended up being my responsibility later.

Recommend not talking to the ward office people about pension stuff. They don't understand it and can't/won't take responsibility for misinforming you.

Go to or call the pension office instead. You'll save time in the long run.