Before leaving Japan, organize the official records and information that may be needed later, and confirm how your address and departure will be recorded. Preparation can reduce missing-information delays, but it does not establish eligibility or start every deadline in the same way. Use current Japan Pension Service instructions and keep uncertain items marked for review.
Review the official Japan Pension Service information
What you can prepare before leaving
You can organize information that may be needed after you leave Japan. This is preparation only: the lump-sum withdrawal claim itself normally depends on meeting the official requirements, including status and address-related facts.
- Pension records, including your Basic Pension Number if you can find it
- Employment and coverage-period information from your employer or payroll records
- Address and move-out records, including how your departure from Japan is recorded
- Contact information that will remain usable after departure
- Bank or payment-related information that matches the official application instructions
- Copies of relevant identity, residence, pension, and payment documents
- Important dates that may need official confirmation later
What cannot normally be completed before leaving
Preparing records is different from filing a valid claim. Do not assume that you can complete the pension lump-sum withdrawal process while you still have an address in Japan, or that a planned flight date by itself makes you eligible.
Pre-departure preparation does not guarantee eligibility, payment, acceptance by PenPos, or a confirmed deadline. The final decision depends on the official claim review and the records used by the Japan Pension Service.
Pension and employment records to confirm
Try to identify where your pension number and coverage records are kept. If your pension number is unknown, do not enter it on this page and do not assume the future claim is impossible. Mark it as an item for individual review.
- Pension records: pension number, pension notices, pension book, or other official record references you already have.
- Employment records: employer names, employment dates, payslips, and documents that may help confirm coverage periods.
- Address / move-out information: records showing how your move-out or address status will be recorded.
- Copies of relevant documents: keep copies you already have, without entering or uploading them on this page.
- Important dates: last working day, possible coverage-loss date, planned move-out date, and actual departure date.
Address and move-out status
The address record matters. Japan Pension Service guidance distinguishes having an address in Japan from no longer having an address in Japan, and the deadline analysis can depend on those facts. Confirm how your move-out or residence status will be recorded; do not reduce it to the flight date alone.
Contact and payment information
Keep a reliable email address and mailing address that will remain usable after leaving Japan. Review the official instructions for receiving-account information before assuming that a particular bank account is sufficient.
- Contact information: email and mailing details you can access after leaving Japan.
- Payment-related information: bank name, branch, account holder name, and other details requested by the current official form.
Documents and copies to retain
Keep copies of records you already have, but do not upload documents, images, names, numbers, or account details on this article page. For the claim-document inventory, use the dedicated document guide.
Before and after leaving Japan
On a small screen, scroll the table horizontally to view all columns.
| Task | Before leaving Japan | After leaving / after requirements are met | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Records | Collect pension, employment, and address records you already have. | Use official records to support the claim review. | Missing or uncertain records may need individual review. |
| Address status | Confirm how move-out or address changes will be recorded. | Verify the address status relevant to the claim and deadline. | Do not use the flight date as the only date. |
| Claim timing | Prepare information and ask questions early. | File only when the official requirements can be reviewed. | Preparation is not the same as claim eligibility. |
| Payment information | Review account information requested by official instructions. | Provide current receiving-account details when filing. | Requirements can depend on the current official form. |
| PenPos review | Ask PenPos to review uncertain records before departure. | Continue with the formal process if the case can proceed. | Consultation does not guarantee acceptance or payment. |
This preparation checklist is for the pension lump-sum withdrawal claim. A later tax-refund procedure, if relevant, is a separate step and should not be treated as the same filing.
When to ask for individual review
Ask for review if you cannot confirm the pension number, the current insured status, address or move-out records, the relevant deadline starting point, or whether a social-security agreement or prior claim may affect the case.
Check your situation before deciding the next step
The preliminary checker uses general questions and does not ask for your name, email address, pension number, or document uploads.
Start the preliminary eligibility check →Official information
Use current Japan Pension Service information as the authority for the claim requirements and form instructions:
- Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments - Japan Pension Service
- Official English/Japanese application form and instructions (PDF)
This article provides general information only. It is not legal, tax, pension, or individual advice. Treatment can differ according to individual facts, and preparation before departure does not guarantee eligibility, payment, PenPos acceptance, or any outcome. Official confirmation is required before a claim can be assessed.