Many applicants are surprised to learn that receiving the lump-sum withdrawal payment is not the end of the process. When the Japan Pension Service pays out the refund, it automatically deducts a 20.42% withholding income tax. For many applicants, this deducted amount is meaningful, and it can be reclaimed through a separate procedure.
Why Is Tax Withheld?
Under Japanese tax law, the lump-sum withdrawal payment is classified as income that is subject to withholding tax at the time of payment. The rate is 20.42% — made up of 20% income tax and a 2.1% reconstruction surtax applied on top of that amount.
This withholding is automatic. The Japan Pension Service deducts it before transferring the payment to you. You do not have the option to opt out of the deduction at the pension stage.
A Practical Example
These figures are illustrative. The actual amounts depend on your individual gross payment.
Can the Withheld Tax Always Be Refunded?
In most cases, yes — but there are conditions. The tax refund is filed as a non-resident income tax return (kakutei shinkoku) with the Japanese tax authorities. Whether the full amount or a portion is refundable depends on factors including your country of residence and whether Japan has a tax treaty with that country.
For most applicants who are non-residents of Japan and reside in a country without a specific treaty provision that changes the treatment, the withheld tax is generally recoverable in full through this procedure.
PenPos assesses your individual situation as part of the process and will advise on the tax refund step where applicable. You do not need to determine this yourself in advance.
How the Tax Refund Step Works
The tax refund procedure is separate from the pension claim itself and takes place after the lump-sum withdrawal payment has been received. Here is how it works in practice when handled through PenPos:
How Long Does It Take?
The tax refund step typically takes several additional months after the pension payment is received. The exact timeline depends on the tax office's processing load and the completeness of the filing. PenPos keeps you updated at each stage.
There is a separate filing deadline for the tax refund, independent of the 2-year pension claim deadline. PenPos manages this timeline on your behalf, but starting the overall process early gives more flexibility for both steps.
PenPos's Role
PenPos acts as your authorised tax agent in Japan for the purposes of the refund filing. This means you do not need to interact directly with the Japanese tax office, prepare the return yourself, or manage correspondence in Japanese. The entire tax refund step is handled by PenPos as part of the end-to-end service.
Our fee is deducted only after the refund is received — there is no upfront cost at any stage of the process.
Ready to reclaim what is yours?
PenPos handles the full process — pension claim and tax refund — with no upfront cost.
Start your application →