New to Working in Japan? The Money Set-Ups to Do First

Quick Answer: In your first weeks working in Japan, five set-ups matter most: register your address at the local ward/city office within 14 days, get your My Number, open a Japanese bank account, and confirm you're enrolled in pension and health insurance (usually handled by your employer). Do these early — My Number now links your tax, pension, and insurance records, and paying on time protects your future visa and permanent-residency applications.

Starting your first job in Japan is exciting — and quietly full of admin that no one hands you a checklist for. Miss a step and it resurfaces later as a blocked bank application, a surprise bill, or a complication at visa-renewal time. This guide walks through the money set-ups to do first, in the order they actually happen, so your financial life in Japan starts on solid ground.

This is educational information, not tax, legal, or immigration advice. Rules and figures change and depend on your municipality and employer — confirm specifics with your city office, the Japan Pension Service, the NTA, or the Immigration Services Agency.

Part of our First Year in Japan: Money Starter Kit — the 30/60/90-day path for newcomers.

What should you set up first when you arrive?

Two things come before everything else, because almost every later step asks for them.

1. Register your address (住民登録). Within 14 days of moving into your residence, take your residence card to your local ward or city office (市区町村役場) and register where you live. This puts you on the resident register (住民票), which you'll need to open a bank account, get a phone contract, and enrol in local services.

2. Get your My Number (個人番号). After you register your address, a card or notification carrying your 12-digit My Number follows. This number ties together your tax, pension, and social-insurance records. Your employer will ask for it to process your salary and withholding. You can request the physical My Number Card, which doubles as a photo ID and, increasingly, your health-insurance card ("Myna Hokensho").

Since June 14, 2026, foreign residents also have the option of a new Specified Residence Card (特定在留カード) that combines the residence card and My Number card into one. It's voluntary — you can keep two separate cards if you prefer — and applied for through Immigration or, in some cases, your municipal office.

How do pension and health insurance enrolment work?

If you're a full-time employee, your company usually enrols you in both — but it's worth knowing what you're in, because it affects your take-home pay and your future.

Pension. Most company employees join the Employees' Pension (厚生年金, Category 2) automatically through their employer, with premiums split between you and the company and deducted from salary. If you're not covered by an employer scheme (self-employed, part-time under the threshold, or between jobs), you're responsible for the National Pension (国民年金, Category 1) yourself — the flat premium is ¥17,920 per month for FY2026 (April 2026–March 2027). Enrolment in the public pension is mandatory for residents aged 20–59, regardless of nationality.

Health insurance. Employees join their company's health insurance (健康保険); everyone else enrols in National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) at the city office. Either way you pay roughly 30% of medical costs at the counter, with a monthly cap through the High-Cost Medical Benefit if a bill runs large.

If you might eventually leave Japan, the years you pay in aren't necessarily lost — see Japan's social security agreements and how a pension refund works.

What happened to the pension "blue book"?

Older guides still tell newcomers to keep their pension "blue book" (年金手帳) — but that advice is out of date. The blue book was discontinued in April 2022. New enrollees now receive a Basic Pension Number Notification (基礎年金番号通知書) instead: a single document showing your Basic Pension Number.

Keep it somewhere safe. You'll use that number for decades — every time you change jobs, claim benefits, or one day collect a pension — so treat it like the long-term financial record it is.

Why does paying on time matter more than it used to?

Because My Number now links your pension, tax, and insurance payment status across agencies — and that status is visible when you apply to renew your visa or, later, for permanent residency. Unpaid or late pension and tax can count against those applications.

The practical takeaway: don't treat pension or resident tax as optional. If money is tight, the Japan Pension Service offers exemption and deferral systems you can apply for — but skipping payments silently is the option that hurts you later. Estimate what your public pension might actually pay with the free Japan Pension Estimator.

How this fits your bigger plan

Getting these foundations right does two things: it keeps your visa path clean, and it makes every later money move possible. Once you're registered and enrolled, the highest-value next step is putting money to work tax-free — that's where a NISA account comes in, and later iDeCo once you're settled.

See what actually lands in your account after tax and insurance with the free Japan Tax Calculator, then map your longer timeline with the PlanTogetherFI calculator.

PlanTogetherFI is for educational planning only. It is not financial, tax, legal, or immigration advice. Enrolment rules, premiums, and card procedures vary by municipality and employer and change over time — confirm your situation with your city office, the Japan Pension Service, the NTA, or the Immigration Services Agency.

Frequently Asked Questions

How soon do I need to register my address in Japan?

Within 14 days of moving into your residence, at your local ward or city office (市区町村役場). Bring your residence card. This registration is the prerequisite for your My Number, a bank account, and most other services.

Do I have to join the Japanese pension as a foreigner?

Yes. Public pension enrolment is mandatory for residents aged 20–59 regardless of nationality. Company employees are usually enrolled in the Employees' Pension automatically; otherwise you pay the National Pension yourself (¥17,920/month for FY2026).

Is the pension "blue book" still a thing?

No. The blue book (年金手帳) was discontinued in April 2022. New enrollees receive a Basic Pension Number Notification (基礎年金番号通知書) showing their Basic Pension Number. Keep it safe — you'll need that number for the rest of your working life.

What is the new Specified Residence Card?

Launched June 14, 2026, it's an optional card that combines your residence card and My Number card into one. Participation is voluntary, and you apply through Immigration Services or, in some cases, your municipal office. You can keep separate cards if you prefer.

Can unpaid pension or tax affect my visa?

Potentially, yes. My Number links your payment status across agencies, and it can be reviewed at visa renewal and permanent-residency applications. If you can't pay, apply for the official exemption or deferral systems rather than skipping payments.

Sources and further reading

Figures reflect rules current for FY2026 and may change. Always confirm your own enrolment, premium, and card procedure with your municipal office, the Japan Pension Service, or the Immigration Services Agency.