Paid Unnecessary Japanese Pension Contributions – Can I Request a Refund?

Hi everyone,

I arrived in Japan 1 month before my official start date for my job, and later, I received multiple notices to pay the pension contribution for those many days. I ended up paying the contributions, but after looking into it, I realized that as an unemployed person, I should have been exempt from paying during that period.

My question is: Can I request an exemption for the pension contributions I paid, and is it possible to get a refund for the amount I’ve already paid? Has anyone been in a similar situation, and if so, were you able to get a refund or exemption?

Any advice or personal experiences would be greatly appreciated!