U.S. and Japan: Social Security Agreement

What it covers

In force: Oct 1, 2005

For Japan, the agreement covers social security taxes (including the Japanese health insurance portion in some cases) and social security retirement, disability and survivors benefits. SSA's pamphlet says the agreement does not cover the National Pension Fund and the Employees' Pension Fund or the pension system for members of local assemblies, and does not apply to the Old-Age Welfare Pension or other Japanese non-contributory, means-tested allowances paid from general revenues.

How the U.S. counts Japan credits

Applies to every U.S. agreement.

• SSA says that to have your Japan credits counted for a U.S. benefit you must have at least 6 U.S. credits (generally one and one-half years of work).
• If you already have enough U.S. credits for a benefit, the U.S. cannot count the foreign credits.
• If you are short, you may qualify for a partial U.S. benefit based on both countries' credits.
• In 2026, one U.S. credit takes $1,890 of covered earnings, up to 4 credits a year (SSA's pamphlet prints an older 2022 amount).

Japan's side

Japan pays through a two-tiered program: the National Pension (NP), a contributory program covering all residents of Japan, and earnings-related programs, the most important being the Employees' Pension Insurance (EPI). To have your United States and Japanese credits counted together for a Japanese benefit, you must have at least one month of coverage credited under the Japanese system. The Japanese system measures credits in months.

Ages, payments and forms

• How Japanese coverage becomes U.S. credits (from the text of the agreement): one U.S. credit for each three months of Japan-certified coverage, with a remainder under three months counting as one more credit; no credit for a quarter already credited under U.S. law; at most four credits per calendar year.
• SSA's pamphlet says the National Pension retirement age is 65, with reduced benefits as early as 60, and a minimum of 25 years of coverage is shown in the pamphlet's table. The pamphlet's table also shows full EPI benefits at age 60 with 25 years of coverage. These are the numbers printed in SSA's pamphlet and may be out of date; check with the Japan Pension Service for the current rule.
• Japanese benefits are paid by direct deposit on the 15th of even-numbered months in Japan, covering the preceding and current months. For overseas payments, SSA says the deposit arrives about 3 to 7 days after the 15th. The U.S. pays monthly. Each country pays its own benefit.
• How the U.S. benefit is figured (from the agreement text): a partial benefit based on your average earnings in the U.S. only, multiplied by the ratio of your U.S. coverage to a full coverage lifetime. Japan counts three months of coverage for each U.S. quarter of coverage, up to 12 months for a year.
• Some Japanese periods are left out: certain periods for Japanese nationals living abroad and some National Pension Category III periods, with an exception for up to 11 quarters of Category III coverage if you also have Category I or II coverage, or one U.S. quarter, before and after. Ask SSA about your exact periods.
• In Japan, the Japanese Basic Pension number is the number SSA lists for claims (and for certificates for the self-employed).

Where to start

• You can apply in one country and ask that it count as a claim in the other. Each country processes the claim under its own laws, counts credits from the other country when appropriate, and tells you its decision.
• In the United States: visit or write any U.S. Social Security office, or call 1-800-772-1213 (8 a.m. to 7 p.m., business days; TTY 1-800-325-0778).
• If you live in the United States: you can apply for Japanese benefits at any U.S. Social Security office using Form J/USA 1 (retirement or disability) or J/USA 2 (survivors). If you live in Japan: contact the Federal Benefits Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo (1-10-5 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-8420), or any Japanese social security office.

What this page cannot tell you

• Whether your own record will qualify. Only SSA and the other country can decide that.
• Current ages and amounts. SSA's pamphlets show a 2022 credit amount and some older age tables, so confirm numbers with SSA or the other country.
• Anything not stated on SSA's page for this country.