The pension lump-sum withdrawal cap limits the months used to calculate a payment. It does not mean that all contributions for those months are returned, or that earlier pension rights beyond the cap are preserved after a withdrawal.
Which cap applies?
Under the Japan Pension Service calculation rules, the 60-month cap applies to National Pension when the final paid contribution month is April 2021 or later, and to Employees’ Pension when its final covered month is April 2021 or later. Earlier periods use a 36-month cap. For Employees’ Pension, the final month is the month before the month containing the loss-of-coverage date.
These are the current payment tables. A 2025 reform provides for changes to re-entry claims and the payment cap; it should not be treated as an already available eight-year payment. See MHLW’s explanation of the reform (Japanese) and check JPS guidance when applying.
What happens to periods beyond the cap?
Receiving a lump sum invalidates Japanese pension coverage before the claim. For example, an eligible person with 84 months of coverage under the 60-month cap does not retain the other 24 months for a future pension. See the official English withdrawal guidance.
Before claiming, ask the pension office whether you meet the old-age pension qualifying period, including applicable totalization periods. Meeting that qualifying period can make you ineligible for a lump sum even before pension age. Years of residence alone are not your pension qualifying record.
Consult the official agreement list for your countries of coverage. Agreements differ in scope; do not assume that every agreement allows pension totalization.
How the amount depends on your scheme
National Pension amounts depend on the fiscal year of the final paid contribution month. For April 2026 through March 2027, the official schedule gives JPY 53,760 for 6–11 qualifying months and JPY 537,600 for 60 or more. These are conditional schedule amounts, not universal minimum and maximum payments for every claimant.
Employees’ Pension uses average standard remuneration and a payment rate. For a final covered month from April 2021, the 60-month rate is 5.5. An assumed average of JPY 300,000 therefore gives a gross illustration of JPY 1,650,000. This is before withholding and costs and assumes eligibility. Check the official tables for your period.
Make the decision using your record
- Ask for your Japanese coverage record, or check it in Nenkin Net, and identify overseas pension periods.
- Confirm withdrawal eligibility and your deadline before weighing the options.
- Request an explanation of the pension rights you would preserve by not withdrawing.
- Compare your need for funds now with future benefits, tax and transfer costs, and uncertainty about future work and residence.
Do not assume that voluntary contributions from abroad are available to you, or that either option is financially better for everyone. Confirm what is possible in your circumstances.
Continue with our eligibility and application guide if you decide to investigate a claim. For withholding and any later refund, use the tax filing preparation guide.