Moving to Japan: Money Checklist for Your First Months

Within 14 days of finding a home

1. Register your address at the city office

   Take your residence card (or your passport stamped "residence card to be issued later") to the city or ward office for your new address within 14 days of moving in. This registers you as a resident, and it is the starting point for everything below. Late registration can lead to a fine, and not registering within 90 days can put your residence status at risk.

2. Join health insurance and the pension (if your employer does not enroll you)

   If you work for a company, it enrolls you in employee health insurance and the employees' pension from your first day, and deducts the premiums from your salary. Otherwise, for example if you are a student, self-employed or not working, join National Health Insurance at the same city office within 14 days, and, if you are 20–59, the National Pension. Both apply regardless of nationality. Students can apply to defer pension premiums.

In your first weeks

1. Receive your My Number

   After you register, your 12-digit My Number is mailed to your address. Your employer, bank and broker will ask for it. You can also apply for a My Number Card, which works as your health insurance card and lets you file taxes online.

2. Give your employer the dependents declaration

   Fill in the declaration for dependents (fuyō kōjo tō shinkokusho) your employer gives you, even if you have no dependents. Without it, a higher withholding rate is used and your employer will not do your year-end adjustment, so you would need to file a tax return yourself.

3. Open a bank account

   Your salary is paid into a Japanese bank account. You usually need your residence card with your registered address, and often a phone number and your My Number. Requirements differ by bank.

Over the first year

1. Check your first payslip

   Health insurance, pension, employment insurance and income tax are deducted from the start, so expect to take home around 75–80% of your gross pay. See your numbers with the take-home pay calculator.

2. Plan for resident tax from your second year

   Resident tax is charged on the previous year's income, so it is usually zero at first and starts in June of your second year, lowering your take-home pay by about 10% of your taxable income. See why resident tax starts in your second year.

3. Year-end adjustment in December

   In late autumn, your employer asks for forms to settle your income tax for the year, including insurance premiums and dependents. Most people get a small refund in December. Estimate it with the year-end adjustment calculator.

Things worth knowing early

• Pension: if you leave Japan before qualifying for a pension, you can claim a lump-sum refund of part of your contributions. See the pension refund calculator. Japan also has social security agreements with some countries that can exempt you or combine periods.
• Saving and investing: NISA is flexible if you may leave, while iDeCo saves more tax but locks the money until 60.
• Income from abroad: in your first 5 years, foreign income is taxed in Japan only if it is paid in or sent to Japan. See the tax return guide.