Hi everyone, I wanted to share my experience with a company called Fifth Wings Co., Ltd. so that others can avoid the same situation.
I worked there as what they presented as a “full-time employee,” but in reality, they classified me as an independent contractor (gyomu itaku). That meant:
- I was not enrolled in Shakai Hoken (health insurance + pension).
- I had to pay for National Health Insurance myself.
- I was never signed up for the National Pension scheme, and now I am receiving a huge bill (almost 400,000 yen) for unpaid pension contributions.
I later learned that this is not just me — several former coworkers, including non-Japanese staff, were treated the same way. Some were even discouraged from signing up for pension at all.
This practice is not normal in Japan if you are working under conditions that clearly resemble employee status (fixed schedule, teaching at a set location, following company rules). It leaves workers exposed to big financial and legal problems.
I am in the process of reporting this to the Labour Standards Inspection Office and other authorities. In the meantime, I want to warn others who might be applying or currently working there.
If you worked for Fifth Wings and had the same experience (contractor contract instead of employee, no pension/insurance), I’d encourage you to document your case and consider filing with the authorities.
Stay safe and double-check your contracts — don’t assume companies are handling your pension and insurance properly!
by EnglishTeacher909