The US-Japan Social Security Totalization Agreement: What You Need to Know

If you`re a US citizen considering working in Japan or a Japanese citizen considering working in the United States, it`s important to understand the social security totalization agreement between the two countries. The agreement, signed in 2005, helps ensure that workers who split their careers between the US and Japan don`t lose out on social security benefits.

What is the US-Japan Social Security Totalization Agreement?

The agreement between the US and Japan allows workers who have contributed to both countries` social security systems to combine their credits and receive benefits from both. This helps ensure that workers don`t lose out on benefits due to differences in the two countries` social security systems.

Before the agreement, workers who split their careers between the US and Japan could face a reduced benefit or even no benefit at all, depending on the length of time they spent working in each country. The totalization agreement helps prevent this by allowing contributions to both systems to be counted towards eligibility for benefits in each country.

Who is covered under the agreement?

The US-Japan social security totalization agreement covers workers who are citizens of one or both countries and who have worked in one or both countries. It also covers dependents and survivors of those workers.

To be eligible for benefits under the agreement, workers must have contributed to both the US and Japanese social security systems for a certain amount of time. The exact requirements vary depending on the specific benefit being sought.

What benefits are covered under the agreement?

The US-Japan social security totalization agreement covers a range of benefits, including retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. It also covers Medicare benefits for US citizens who have worked in Japan and are eligible for Japanese pension benefits.

Under the agreement, workers who have met the eligibility requirements for benefits in both countries may receive a partial benefit from each country`s system. The amount of the benefit will depend on the worker`s contribution history in each country.

How to apply for benefits under the agreement?

To apply for benefits under the US-Japan social security totalization agreement, individuals should contact the social security agency in their country of residence. For US citizens living in Japan, this would be the US Embassy in Tokyo or one of the US Consulates in Japan. For Japanese citizens living in the US, this would be the Social Security Administration.

When applying for benefits, individuals should provide documentation of their work history in both countries, including proof of contributions to each country`s social security system.

In conclusion, the US-Japan social security totalization agreement provides important protections for workers who split their careers between the two countries. By allowing contributions to both systems to be counted towards eligibility for benefits, the agreement helps ensure that workers don`t lose out on social security benefits due to differences in the two countries` systems. If you`re planning to work in Japan or the US, it`s important to understand how the totalization agreement works and how to apply for benefits under the agreement.