Social insurance (shakai hoken) for employees

If you’re employed by a Japanese company, a chunk of your salary goes to shakai hoken — the employees’ social-insurance package your employer enrols you in. It’s two systems bundled together, and it’s not the same as the “national” insurance the self-employed pay. Here’s how it works, from the Japan Pension Service (JPS) and the Japan Health Insurance Association (Kyokai Kenpo).

What it is, and who enrols you

“There are two kinds of social insurance systems: health insurance and pension insurance systems.” (Kyokai Kenpo)

“If you work for a Japanese company, your employer enroll you in the social insurance system regardless of your nationality.” (Kyokai Kenpo)

The pension half is Employees’ Pension Insurance, which JPS describes as covering “workers of company and public sector” — as opposed to the National Pension that all residents otherwise join.

Premiums: split with your employer

“Half of the social insurance premiums is paid by your company.” (Kyokai Kenpo)

The other half is your share, taken out of your salary before you’re paid. We deliberately don’t quote a specific percentage here — rates change and vary by prefecture and scheme; confirm the current figure with your employer or the official sources below.

Employees’ track vs the national track

Which insurance you’re in depends on your work status. In pension terms, residents fall into categories:

• Category II — employees: covered via the employer under Employees’ Health Insurance + Employees’ Pension. Your pension contribution goes through payroll; you don’t pay National Pension separately.
• Category I — self-employed, students, unemployed: join National Health Insurance and the National Pension directly at the city office and pay the full premium.

So changing between employment and self-employment (or leaving a job) means switching tracks — don’t assume you’re covered in the gap.

Dependents

“The premium does not change even if you add your family members as dependents! (Certain requirements should be met…)” (Kyokai Kenpo)

And on the pension side, a dependent spouse registered as a Category III insured person “do[es] not have to pay their own National Pension contributions” (JPS).

Leaving Japan: the pension refund applies here too

“If you are non-Japanese and leave Japan after short coverage periods under National Pension or Employees’ Pension Insurance, you can apply for Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments.” (Japan Pension Service)

“…you file the application for the Payments within two years since you leave Japan.” (Japan Pension Service)

See our pension guide for how the Lump-sum Withdrawal and the totalization trade-off work.

Frequently asked questions

Enrolment rules and the leaving-Japan refund above are from the Japan Pension Service and the Japan Health Insurance Association (2026-07-13). We omit specific premium percentages, which change and vary; this is general information, not individual advice. Confirm current figures and your own eligibility with the official bodies.