my wife claims to pay 2100$ a year for pension in japan and at one pt she didn’t pay for years and had to pay over 6500$. and she has no job . what kind of scam is this if she never worked for over 10 years
Not a scam. Whether you have income or not, technically you have to pay nenkin until you retire. Just apply for exemption for the period of time with no income.
The big bill of over $6500 reflects around 3 years of payment, so that looks about right. Exemption usually refers to future exempts, it’s not granted retroactively.
How to apply for exemption: read the guide.
In the US we are trained to think that we pay only as we earn. Not in Japan. Don’t call the system a scam just because you are not used to the idea.
Even a lot of Japanese natives make mistakes all the time, so don’t worry. For example, there are many students over 18 who are unaware that technically they still have to pay or apply for exemption. They also assume they’re good just because they have no income.
Taxes are a SCAM! The government is a SCAM! Breathing air is a SCAM! The slow, steady, inevitable march toward death is a SCAM!
Go talk to the ward office. It’s not a scam, but ignorance on your part.
8 comments
What?
Are you sure she’s paying for pension in Japan? Japan uses yen, not dollars.
Does she live in Japan? Do you?
There are exemptions for unemployment, financial troubles, dependents etc. I don’t know much about them though.
This isn’t a scam.
She should have received an exception from the time and wasn’t working. But SHE would have had to file for it. It’s not automatic.
The Japanese pension is a scam. If you die before retirement your family get nothing of the money paid in.
[https://www.nenkin.go.jp/service/pamphlet/seido-shikumi.files/LN13.pdf](https://www.nenkin.go.jp/service/pamphlet/seido-shikumi.files/LN13.pdf)
Not a scam. Whether you have income or not, technically you have to pay nenkin until you retire. Just apply for exemption for the period of time with no income.
The big bill of over $6500 reflects around 3 years of payment, so that looks about right. Exemption usually refers to future exempts, it’s not granted retroactively.
How to apply for exemption: read the guide.
In the US we are trained to think that we pay only as we earn. Not in Japan. Don’t call the system a scam just because you are not used to the idea.
Even a lot of Japanese natives make mistakes all the time, so don’t worry. For example, there are many students over 18 who are unaware that technically they still have to pay or apply for exemption. They also assume they’re good just because they have no income.
Taxes are a SCAM! The government is a SCAM! Breathing air is a SCAM! The slow, steady, inevitable march toward death is a SCAM!
Go talk to the ward office. It’s not a scam, but ignorance on your part.