Is it possible to get a shakai hoken refund without leaving japan? -

ive heard that the only way to get a refund is by leaving japan and that includes canceling japanese visa.. ive got my permanent visa last year and i dont want to file for another visa when i decide to come back in japan.. any idea how?

No. You can t get a refund on any of your Shakai Hoken payments, but you might be able to get something back on the pension payments (kokumin nenkin or kousei nenkin)you ve made. But, this is not really a refund. It s a Lump Sum Withdrawal Payment. What you are telling the government is that you are leaving Japan, so you know longer wish to be apart of the Japanese pension system. So, the government will give you an early payout based on the amount you ve contributed to the program and your time in the program. But, you don t get all of your payments back. A quick estimate for people participating in the Kousei Nenkin Pension Plan is 1 month s average pay per year in Japan up to 3 years. In order to apply for this, you have to show proof that you re no longer in Japan and such early witdrawal payments are only sent to overseas bank accounts. You can t apply from a Japanese address. You also have to pay Japanese Income Tax (20%) on this payment which means you ll have to have a tax representative file a return on your behalf. This money can be sent to a bank account in Japan, but you ll have to wait until a tax return is filed in your name for the tax year in which you got your payment. So, as you can see there is alot involved. You can find out more here http://www.sia.go.jp/e/index.html The Japanese health and pension plans are social plans. Your contributions are not only for you, but for everyone else in the same plan (which in this case is practically everyone in Japan). If you ve already gotten a permanent resident visa then you seem to have made a commitment to living here long term. The only way to claim this lump sum withdrawal payment is to leave Japan and have your visa cancelled (or commit massive fraud). If you were on a instructor visa then sure leaving Japan, filing your claim and then coming back might seem to be not so bad. I ve known people who have done that. But, permanent residency is not easy to get. If you give it up you might not be able to get it back. Also, if you leave the pension plan then all of your history in the program is wiped clean. You go back to zero. So, when you come back and sign up for the plan again you ll be back at square one. There is no way you ll get anything back that is near to what you ve paid in, so you will jsut be screwing up your future benefits for not only yourself but also for any immediate family members since they are indirectly covered and eligible for certain benefits based on your participation in the plan. Since you re a permanent resident, you probably know that Japanese law requires all people (there are certain exceptions) to belong to both the Shakai Hoken and Kokumin (Kousei) Nekin systems or an equivalent system that is recognized by the Japanese government. So, you ll have to sign up for something again anyway once you get back. It seems to me that you ll be losing much more than you d gain. If it were me, I wouldn t do it. But, different strokes for different folks.

There is NO way to get refund. Japanese people NEVER get its refund. If you want to live in Japan permanently, you have to pursue your obligation as a Japanese resident. And it s obligation to pay shakai hoken and never get refund,