FAQ
Common Questions
Yes. Our service is operated by 米満建太郎税理士事務所, a licensed Japanese tax accounting firm. Our representative, Kentaro Yonemitsu, holds Tax Accountant Registration No. 151201 with the Tokyo Tax Accountants' Association (Kitazawa Branch). You can verify this via Japan's official tax accountant registry.
Technically you can, but to do so you would need to register a tax agent (納税管理人) in Japan, correctly apply the retirement income selective taxation (退職所得の選択課税), and navigate Japan's online filing system — all in Japanese, from abroad. Most non-residents find this impractical. Our service handles everything for ¥22,000, which is typically a small fraction of your refund amount.
Yes — but only if that agent is a licensed tax accountant (税理士). Under Japan's Tax Accountant Act (税理士法), filing a tax return on behalf of another person without a licence is illegal, regardless of whether a fee is charged. Always verify your agent's licence before proceeding.
The refund amount equals the withholding tax shown on your Decision Notice — labelled 「所得税額及び復興特別所得税額」. In most cases, all or most of this amount is refunded. Refer to the estimate table above for typical ranges.
You will need your Lump-sum Withdrawal Payment Decision Notice (脱退一時金支給決定通知書) and a copy of your valid passport. We will provide a checklist after payment.
After you submit your documents, we typically file within 1–2 weeks. The Japanese tax authority then processes your return, which usually takes 2–4 months. The total time from payment to receiving your refund is approximately 3–5 months.
If the Japanese tax authority does not issue a refund — which is rare — we will return your full service fee of ¥22,000. This guarantee applies when you meet all eligibility requirements and provide accurate documents.
You have 5 years from the date your lump-sum withdrawal was paid to claim your tax refund. If you received your payment in 2021, for example, your deadline is 2026. Do not wait — if you miss this window, the refund cannot be claimed.
Yes. Your data is handled exclusively by our licensed tax accountant and used only for the purpose of filing your tax return. We do not store, sell, or share your information with any third party.
Please contact us before applying. Depending on what was previously submitted (or not submitted), we may still be able to help. Each situation is different.
A transfer fee of approximately USD 5–10 will be deducted from your refund before it reaches your bank account. This is an actual expense passed through at cost — we do not add any profit to this fee.
Yes. Our service is available regardless of where you are currently located, as long as you have already received your lump-sum withdrawal payment and hold the Decision Notice.
When Japan Pension Service pays a lump-sum withdrawal (脱退一時金) to a foreign national, it automatically withholds 20.42% as income tax and special reconstruction tax. Foreign nationals who have left Japan can reclaim this withheld tax through a special procedure called 退職所得の選択課税. This procedure must be carried out by a licensed tax accountant (税理士) acting as the claimant's tax agent (納税管理人). In most cases, all or most of the withheld tax is refunded.
After our licensed tax accountant files your return on your behalf, the Japanese tax authority typically processes it within 2–4 months. Including the time to prepare and submit your documents, the total period from payment to receiving your refund is approximately 3–5 months.
Three things make it particularly hard for non-residents to file independently. First, you need a tax agent (納税管理人) physically based in Japan to receive correspondence from the tax authority on your behalf. Second, the correct tax treatment — 退職所得の選択課税 — is a specialist procedure that requires accurate calculation of retirement income and the application of progressive tax rates. Third, all correspondence with the Japanese tax authority is conducted in Japanese. Together, these barriers make independent filing impractical for most people living outside Japan.
f more than 5 years have passed since you received your lump-sum withdrawal payment, the right to claim a tax refund under 退職所得の選択課税 is permanently lost. There are no extensions or exceptions. If you are approaching the deadline, contact us as soon as possible.