If you are leaving Japan for the United States, the Japanese pension lump-sum withdrawal is not the only option to consider. Japan and the US have a social security agreement that lets each country count the other’s coverage when checking eligibility. US work can help you qualify for a Japanese pension, and Japanese coverage can help you qualify for US Social Security. Receiving a lump-sum withdrawal payment cancels your Japanese coverage periods before the claim, so check the agreement first.
Information checked October 1, 2026. This guide summarizes official guidance from the Japan Pension Service (JPS) and the US Social Security Administration (SSA). Each authority decides your own eligibility. This guide does not cover US income tax on pension payments.
How each country measures coverage
The two systems count coverage differently.
- United States. The SSA credits page explains that you can earn up to four credits a year, based on your earnings. In 2026, one credit requires $1,890 of covered earnings. You need 40 credits to be eligible for retirement benefits.
- Japan. Coverage is counted in months. A Japanese old-age pension generally requires a qualifying period of 120 months (ten years).
When the agreement combines periods, the JPS notes for the US agreement (Japanese) treat one US credit as equal to three months of Japanese coverage.
US credits can count toward Japan’s 120 months
The JPS withdrawal application guidance, pages 3–4 says that if periods totalized under an agreement bring your Japanese qualifying period to 120 months or more, you cannot claim the lump-sum withdrawal.
For example, take someone with 72 months of Japanese coverage and 16 US credits. Using the JPS conversion, 16 credits count as 48 months, and 72 plus 48 is 120. That person may not be able to claim the withdrawal, but may instead qualify for a Japanese pension later. This illustration assumes the periods can be counted without overlap. Ask JPS to assess your actual record and the applicable conversion rules before adding the periods together.
Count all of your US credits, including work in the US before you came to Japan. Your Social Security Statement in a my Social Security account shows your US earnings history.
Japanese coverage can count toward a US benefit
The SSA page on the agreement with Japan explains the US side. If you do not have enough US credits for a regular benefit, your Japanese coverage may help you qualify for a partial US benefit. Two conditions apply:
- You must have at least six US credits (generally a year and a half of work).
- If you already have enough US credits for a regular benefit, the US does not count your Japanese coverage.
So the agreement matters most to people with a short US work history as well as a short Japanese one. If you already have 40 US credits, your Japanese periods do not change your US eligibility. They may still matter for a Japanese pension.
What a withdrawal claim removes
Receiving the lump-sum withdrawal cancels all of your Japanese coverage periods before the claim. The JPS withdrawal guidance warns that these periods can no longer be used for totalization. That applies in both directions: they cannot help you reach Japan’s 120 months later, and they cannot be counted toward a US benefit.
Make the decision with both records in front of you. Our guide to withdrawal and totalization covers the general rules for all agreements.
Check both records before you leave
- Japanese record. Use Nenkin Net to see your month-by-month coverage. Set up a user ID before you leave; our Nenkin Net registration guide explains why. Our record-checking guide explains what to look for.
- US record. Download your Social Security Statement and check that your US earnings are recorded.
- Basic Pension Number. Keep it with your US Social Security number. The SSA asks for both when you apply under the agreement.
Applying later from the US
You do not have to be in Japan to claim a Japanese pension under the agreement. According to the SSA agreement page, you can apply for Japanese benefits at any US Social Security office, using form J/USA 1 for retirement or disability benefits. An application filed in one country can be treated as a claim in the other, and each country then decides under its own law.
Use JPS sources for the Japanese requirements. On October 1, 2026, the SSA page still showed older Japanese rules, such as a 25-year coverage requirement. Japan’s qualifying period is now ten years.
Taxes are a separate question
The JPS US agreement notes (Japanese) say that a Japanese pension paid to someone living in the US is taxable in the US under the US–Japan tax treaty, and that treaty forms must be filed with JPS to receive this treatment.
A lump-sum withdrawal is handled differently in Japan: tax is withheld from the Employees’ Pension portion, and a refund requires a separate filing. See our tax refund guide. Ask a US tax professional how the US treats any Japanese payment you receive.
Before deciding
- Count your Japanese months and your US credits, and convert credits at three months each.
- If the total could reach 120 months, ask JPS whether you are eligible for withdrawal at all.
- If you have fewer than 40 US credits, ask SSA whether your Japanese periods would help you.
- Keep your Basic Pension Number, Social Security number and both records together.
- Check the two-year claim deadline in our complete withdrawal guide if you decide to withdraw.
Add these steps to your departure checklist so the pension decision is made before you leave Japan.