Pension situaion for Self-employed-ish plus spouse?

[Sybil]

I've been paying 17k a month for my wife's pension for the last 5-10 years (and if we miss a month we get immediate threatening letters about it). However I've never had or been asked to have a pension for myself in Japan.

If your not paying into the pension, it probably means that you aren't covered by the health insurance either. I don't get sick very often but I'm glad I'm covered in case I have some medical issue down the line. If you don't have health insurance, you need to do something about it.


In Japan a lot of gaijins are covered by garbage insurance policies from the back of the Metropolis magazine. These policies are fine until you actually get sick then good luck at getting any help or money from them.

[goodandbadjapan]

If your not paying into the pension, it probably means that you aren't covered by the health insurance either.

This doesn't necessarily follow. I was once told (by city hall) that I didn't have to pay into the pension and for a few years didn't. When I found out this was in fact false information I started paying in to the pension and backpaid what I could. However I have always paid into the health insurance and never had any issues. You can (or could) easily pay into health insurance without paying into the pension system.

[ricardo]

National Pension and national health insurance are totally different.

You are legally obliged to be in the pension but I’m not sure there is an obligation to have health insurance, if you’re prepared to pay 100% of the cost every time.

But they are separate.

I know someone who’s paid health insurance for years but never paid into the pension.

If you work for a company you get both and the company pays 50%.

The problem here is people who come to Japan, intending to stay for a year or two, avoid signing up for either scheme because they are contractors, then end up staying here for years or for life and regret not joining.

Within days of landing in Japan my wife frogmarched me to City Hall to enrol us in both. One of the best things she’s done - financially...

[Bubblegun]

Have you asked the UK what your contribution class is? Is it class 2?
Class 2 is the cheapest, and you shouldn't have to pay any more that 35 years. Sadly, the UK will not increase the pension for us ex pats. Sadly the UK doesn't have a treaty with japan for accumulation.

I am wondering if you can enquire about being classed as a dependent /spouse of your wife?

It is also worth looking at paying into the system as it will also allow access into seikatsu hogo.

There is this which although from Aichi does say you can ask for a reduction,or exemption, but I think the best place to start is at city hall, speak to them.
http://www2.aia.pref.aichi.jp/sodan/j/k ... 201108.pdf

The union seems to be pretty straight.

http://www.generalunion.org/legal-issue ... -pension#H




I

[Sybil]

Sadly the UK doesn't have a treaty with japan for accumulation.

This is a good thing. It means you have the chance of contributing into both systems and getting the benefits of both.

[0x143]

You are legally obliged to be in the pension but I’m not sure there is an obligation to have health insurance, if you’re prepared to pay 100% of the cost every time.

Japan has what would be called a "universal mandate" in America. Every resident young or old is required to have health insurance. Those who cannot afford may apply to receive subsidies. Children are included under their parents insurance. The only way to avoid this mandate legally is to be a tourist on a tourist visa. Being a contractor might make it easier to skip, but if such a person got sick they could enroll. Thus even those who illegally avoided paying are still allowed/required to enter the system.

[Bubblegun]

Sadly the UK doesn't have a treaty with japan for accumulation.

This is a good thing. It means you have the chance of contributing into both systems and getting the benefits of both.

Absolutely agree.We can get a full UK pension after 35 years contributions, and we can basically top it up via the JP system.Since the UK system class 2 level is basically peanuts, you'd have to be a fool not to pay the full amount, compared to the JP system.
Its just a pity the ex pat lost the case for pensioners outside the EU to get the pension increases. Sadly once brexit kicks in....depending on what type of brexit happens...the UK gov might well stop paying pension increases to UK citizens living in the EU too.

[ricardo]

Why “sadly?”

What’s wrong with Brexit?

Brexit has nothing to do with it if you live in Japan.

Your UK state pension will be frozen, steadily depreciating over time.

I wrote to Boris Johnson’s brother, Jo, about this a few years ago (because I vote in his constituency) and he said there were more important priorities for the government. There are few votes for them in it.

[Bubblegun]

Why “sadly?”

What’s wrong with Brexit?

Brexit has nothing to do with it if you live in Japan.

Your UK state pension will be frozen, steadily depreciating over time.

I wrote to Boris Johnson’s brother, Jo, about this a few years ago (because I vote in his constituency) and he said there were more important priorities for the government. There are few votes for them in it.

Sadly because I thought it meant for some people, they were never going to reach the full amount of pension for a UK pension, or a Japanese pension because they haven't reached the threshold in either country.( There are a few here who appear in that boat)
Thankfully, Japan has changed the law and it is financially worth paying something into the Japanese pension. I asked years ago before the changed the law and I could back pay 1 years, and they said I would to have to pay 40 years contributions which meant I'd have to work until I was 80+ years old before I could have collected a pension.
Thankfully they've changed that, if I am correct 10 years. and I managed to back pay another 10 years.

Absolutely right about Brexit,nothing to do with most people here in japan, and it may not affect me now. However, it may affect me later if I move back to Europe, because as you know pensioners outside the EU, are not entitled to any pensions increases but UK pensioners living in the EU are entitled to the annual increase if they live in the EU. We have a property somewhere else in the EU, and we would like to spend some time in Cyrprus, when we retire.Thats why I mentioned it.
This was only in my regards to my plan.( which of course is subject to change)

Your spot on! Politicians appear to say anything because there is a vote in it, not wether it is deliverable or real.
And lets face it, as ex pats we have no votes, so there is no point, pointing it out to Jo,Boris any anyone, that's why i think they "might" apply the same rules to me if I go to spain,cyprus when I retire.
Lets hope this UK bill passes and we will have a say, and Jo Johnson et al will understand your vote counts too.

https://services.parliament.uk/Bills/20 ... ctors.html

I wonder if japan will give us the same annual pension increases to us if we move abroad when we retire, or will they freeze our pensions with the same rule as the UK?

Totally agree with you! Our pensions are going to be whittled away to nothing over the long term.There was a court case but we lost!

[ricardo]

We do have a vote !

I voted from Japan in the last two general elections, the Brexit referendum and the European elections.