When You Cannot Pay National Pension Premiums in Japan: How to Apply for Exemption or Payment Postponement (Income Criteria, Where to Apply, What to Bring, Making Up Payments Later)

This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.

In Japan, if it is difficult for you to pay your National Pension (国民年金) premiums, do not just leave them unpaid. Apply for an exemption (免除, menjo) or payment postponement (納付猶予, nofu yuyo). You can apply at the National Pension counter of the city, ward, town or village office where you live, or at a nearby pension office (年金事務所, nenkin jimusho). If your application is approved, the period you could not pay is still counted toward the period required to receive a pension.

The Short Answer: What to Do When You Cannot Pay

1. The National Pension premium for fiscal year Reiwa 8 (令和8年度) is 17,920 yen per month. The payment deadline is the last day of the following month
2. If it is difficult to pay, submit an application form for exemption or payment postponement at the National Pension counter of your city, ward, town or village office, or at a pension office. You can also apply by mail or online
3. Your application is reviewed based on factors such as your income for the previous year, and you will be notified of the result
4. For the approved period, you can pay the premiums later (making up payments, 追納, tsuno) within 10 years. If you make up the payments, your future pension will increase

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “National Pension Premiums”, Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

An overview of the procedures you do at the municipal office is available in Procedures at the Municipal Office After You Arrive in Japan: Moving-in Notification, My Number, National Health Insurance, National Pension and Resident Tax Basics.

Problems If You Leave the Premiums Unpaid

If you neither pay the premiums nor apply for an exemption, that period becomes “unpaid” (未納, mino). If you leave it unpaid, the following may happen.

• You may not be able to receive the Disability Basic Pension (障害基礎年金) if you are left with a disability from illness or injury, or the Survivors’ Basic Pension (遺族基礎年金) that your family receives if you die
• Even if you apply for an exemption retroactively later, that period is not counted toward the conditions for receiving the Disability Basic Pension (the conditions on the period you paid premiums). As soon as you know you cannot pay, apply early
• To receive the Old-age Basic Pension (老齢基礎年金) when you get older, you need a total of 10 years or more of periods in which you paid premiums plus periods of exemption and similar

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

Difference Between Exemption and Payment Postponement

Type	Whose income is reviewed	Reflected in pension amount (compared with paying in full)
Full exemption	You, your spouse and the head of household	1/2
3/4 exemption	You, your spouse and the head of household	5/8
Half exemption	You, your spouse and the head of household	6/8
1/4 exemption	You, your spouse and the head of household	7/8
Payment postponement (age 20 or older and under 50)	You and your spouse	Not reflected (counted toward the period required to receive a pension)

• Exemption: All or part of your premium is exempted. With a partial exemption, you need to pay the reduced premium. For fiscal year Reiwa 8, the amount you pay is 4,480 yen per month with a 3/4 exemption, 8,960 yen per month with a half exemption, and 13,440 yen per month with a 1/4 exemption
• Payment postponement: A system that lets you postpone paying the premiums. It is for people aged 20 or older and under 50, and the income of the head of household (such as a parent) is not reviewed
• The pension amount ratios apply to premiums from April Heisei 21 (平成21年4月) onward

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

Income Criteria (Income for the Previous Year)

What is reviewed is your income for the previous year (depending on the period you apply for, your income for the year before the previous year may be reviewed instead). “Income” here means the income used for tax calculations, not the amount of your salary itself. According to the Japan Pension Service, the criteria are as follows.

• Full exemption and payment postponement: (number of dependents, etc. + 1) × 350,000 yen + 320,000 yen or less
• 3/4 exemption: 880,000 yen + deduction for dependents, etc. + deduction for social insurance premiums, etc. or less
• Half exemption: 1,280,000 yen + deduction for dependents, etc. + deduction for social insurance premiums, etc. or less
• 1/4 exemption: 1,680,000 yen + deduction for dependents, etc. + deduction for social insurance premiums, etc. or less

The criteria are different for people with disabilities, widows and single parents. If you are not sure whether you qualify, ask at the counter where you apply.

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

How to Apply

Where to Apply

• The National Pension counter of the city, ward, town or village office where you are registered as a resident
• A nearby pension office
• You can also apply by mail. Online applications are also possible

What to Bring

• If you do the procedure with your Basic Pension Number (基礎年金番号, kiso nenkin bango): a document showing your Basic Pension Number, such as your Basic Pension Number Notice or pension handbook (年金手帳)
• If you do the procedure with your My Number (Individual Number): your My Number card. If you do not have the card, a document showing your My Number (such as a notification card or a copy of the resident record (certificate of residence) with your My Number on it) and an identity document (such as a driver’s license, passport or residence card)
• If you apply because you left your company or for a similar reason, a document showing this (see “When You Leave Your Job” below)

How Far Back Can You Apply?

You can apply for periods for which 2 years have not yet passed since the payment deadline (periods going back to 2 years and 1 month before the time you apply).

Do You Need to Apply Every Year?

In principle, you need to apply every fiscal year. However, if you were approved for a full exemption or payment postponement, you can choose to be reviewed for the next fiscal year as if you had applied (continued review).

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

When You Leave Your Job (Special Rule for Unemployment)

If it can be confirmed that you left your company (became unemployed), your company went bankrupt, you closed your business, or similar, there is a special rule that lets you receive an exemption or payment postponement regardless of the previous year’s income of the person who became unemployed. The income of your spouse and the head of household is reviewed as usual.

• Examples of documents to bring: a copy of your Employment Insurance Separation Notice (雇用保険被保険者離職票), a copy of your Employment Insurance Eligibility Certificate (雇用保険受給資格者証), etc.
• People approved under this special rule also need to apply again for the next fiscal year

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

For employment insurance (unemployment benefits) after you leave your job, read Unemployment Benefits in Japan After Leaving Your Job: Separation Notice, Hello Work Procedures, Conditions and How Long You Can Receive Them.

For Students (Special Payment Rule for Students)

Students use the Special Payment Rule for Students (学生納付特例制度, gakusei nofu tokurei) instead of exemption or payment postponement.

• Who it is for: students at universities and graduate schools, junior colleges, high schools, colleges of technology, specialized training colleges, miscellaneous schools (courses of 1 year or longer), etc. Evening, part-time and correspondence courses are also included
• Income criteria: your own income for the previous year is “1,280,000 yen + number of dependents, etc. × 380,000 yen + deduction for social insurance premiums, etc.” or less. Your family’s income is not reviewed
• Where to apply: the National Pension counter of your city, ward, town or village office, or a pension office. If your school accepts applications on behalf of the office, you can also apply at the school you attend
• The approved period is counted toward the period required to receive a pension (10 years or more), but it does not increase your pension amount as it is. You can make up the payments within 10 years

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “Special Payment Rule for Students for National Pension Premiums”)

Paying Later (Making Up Payments)

For periods approved for exemption, payment postponement or the Special Payment Rule for Students, you can apply to pay the premiums later (make up the payments) within 10 years. If you make up the payments, your future Old-age Basic Pension will increase by that amount.

If you make up the payments in the third fiscal year or later, counting from the fiscal year after the approved period, an additional amount based on the time that has passed is added to the premium of that time.

(Sources: Japan Pension Service “System for Making Up National Pension Premiums”, Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”)

Frequently Asked Questions

If I apply for an exemption, is it all right not to pay?

You do not have to pay the approved portion. With a partial exemption, you need to pay the reduced premium. Until you are notified of the result, check at the counter what to do with the payment slips you have received.

What if my application is not approved?

If your income is higher than the criteria, your application may not be approved. In that case, you pay the premiums. If you are having financial difficulties, consult the counter at the city, ward, town or village office where you live.

What if I do not understand Japanese?

The Japan Pension Service website has pension pamphlets in languages such as English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Indonesian, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, Myanmar and Nepali (Japan Pension Service “Language”).

Primary Sources Referenced in Writing This Article

• Japan Pension Service “National Pension Premiums”
• Japan Pension Service “Exemption System and Payment Postponement System for National Pension Premiums”
• Japan Pension Service “Special Payment Rule for Students for National Pension Premiums”
• Japan Pension Service “System for Making Up National Pension Premiums”
• Japan Pension Service “Language”