Insurance and Pension

Please see the document below first.

社会保険制度について（日本年金機構）

National Health Insurance

Health Insurance & Pensions Section Tel:0761-24-8059

Eligibility to join

Anyone registered as alien who has not purchased other health insurance and could prove the length of stay to be over a year is eligible for National Health Insurance. However, those with a “Diplomatic”, Official” or “Short Term Stay” status of residence, or have an expired visa, are not eligible.

Insurance Card

As an Insurance Card will be posted after one takes out a policy, one must have a mailbox ready. Notify the office within 14 days if there has been a change in details, such as name and address.

The card must be handed in when one exits the country or moves out of the city.

Insurance Tax

This must be paid at one of the designated financial institutions (Bank, Credit Association, etc.) based on the Payment Slip, which would be posted later.

Insurance Benefit

When one receives treatment at medical institutions designated by the National Health Insurance, 70% of the cost of treatment would be paid by Komatsu City.

• As pregnancy is not an illness, no benefit shall be paid out. 
• When the insured person gives birth, a certain amount of benefit would be paid out as a “Lump Sum Birth Allowance”. 
• Though benefits are paid out for dental treatments, no benefit shall be paid out for orthodontics. It is advised that one enquires the dentist before receiving treatment, as some treatments are not covered by insurance depending on the dentist. 
• If the insured person dies, a certain amount of benefit would be paid out to the person who held the funeral. 
• Immunizations are normally free of charge. 
• One must report to the police in cases of accidents. The person responsible must pay for the cost of treatment in cases of accidents. 
• If the medical cost increases after receiving a treatment in case of illness or injury, the difference would be paid out after one submits an application. 
• Please join the social insurance scheme of the company one works for if it is available.

Cancellation

One must go through the cancellation procedure at the municipal office of one's residence if one of the following applies.

• Returning to one's own country 
• Joined the Health Insurance Scheme of one's employer 
• Death

National Pension

This is a government-operated scheme funded by the insurance premiums paid by policyholders and state contribution.

Eligible persons

Everyone aged over 20 to 60, including foreign nationals residing in Japan, who have not joined other public pension plans such as the Welfare Pension should join the National Pension Plan.

A pension notebook would be issued after joining the plan.

Insurance premium and pension benefits

• Basic Pension for the Elderly
  When the length of years of paying the insurance premium exceeds 25 years, benefits would be paid out when one reaches the age of 65. 
• Basic Pension for the Disabled
  When a policyholder becomes disabled due to illness or injury, benefits would be paid out according to the level of disability. 
•  Basic Pension for the Bereaved
  Benefits are paid out to the survivors (Wife with child(ren) or child(ren)) when a policyholder dies.

Lump Sum Withdrawal Benefit System

With foreign nationals, there have been some cases in which a person returned to his/her own country without receiving any benefit, as he/she had not qualified for benefits due to his/her short period of stay. As such, a system was set up in which a certain amount of lump sum withdrawal benefit is paid out if one meets certain benefit requirements, i.e., the length of insurance premium payment exceeds six months, and if benefit is claimed within two years of returning to one's own country.