Just wondering if anyone has any information they could share on this as the question is not addressed directly in the pension literature anywhere that I can see and I've had conflicting advice about it from the city office and the pension office. I'm confused.
What happens to your pension contributions if you
a) have Permanent Resident status and don't plan to leave Japan when you retire
b) don't meet the minimum 10 year contribution threshold to qualify for pension payments?
I will only have made 9 years worth of contributions by the time I retire but the rules state that you must no longer have an address/reside here to qualify for the lump-sum withdrawal option, which I believe refunds you 5 years worth of contributions.
My contributions were via kosei nenkin (the employer contribution-matching type) which is obviously a significant sum after 9 years, but nowhere does it address what happens to this money if you're a permanent resident who plans to stay on but doesn't meet the threshold to collect the pension.
There's some mention of permanent residents perhaps qualifying for the pension depending on when they first entered Japan but it's poorly worded, whether or not it would apply to me is anyone's guess. If it doesn't, what happens to the millions of yen I've paid in? Gifted to the country?
by Yiasy