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Enforcement Date: 2026-11-01
Tax-Free Shopping Overhaul! Store→Airport Refund
From Nov 1, 2026, tax-free shopping changes to refund system. Pay 10% tax at stores, get refund at airport.
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Tax & Pension
30 itemsLatest tax-related information: income tax, consumption tax, pensions, and social insurance
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
Invoice System Transitional Measure Reduced 80%→70%
From October 2026, input tax credit from tax-exempt businesses reduced from 80% to 70%. Affects foreign freelancers, sole proprietors, and businesses dealing with exempt vendors.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
Pension Childcare Exemption Starts October 2026
Japan's National Pension childcare premium exemption starts in October 2026. From September 11 the Japan Pension Service chatbot answers questions on who qualifies and how long the exemption runs — useful for foreign residents paying premiums themselves.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
Pension Deduction Slips Sent from October
Japan Pension Service will send 2026 National Pension deduction certificates from mid-October (digital) and late October (paper). Premiums are fully deductible and the slip is required for year-end filing.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
Furusato Nozei Eligible Towns Updated (From Oct 2026)
Japan designated the local governments eligible for furusato nozei from Oct 1, 2026 to Sep 30, 2027. Donations to towns outside the list lose the special tax deduction.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
New Childcare Exemption for National Pension
From October 1, 2026, Japan's National Pension offers a new childcare exemption. Category 1 insured persons — the self-employed, freelancers, students and others aged 20-59 — can file a notification and have premiums waived until their child turns 1, regardless of income, while the months still count as paid toward their old-age basic pension. Here is who qualifies and how to apply.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-10-01
Pension Transfer Notices Mailed for October 2026 Payment
Japan Pension Service is mailing October 2026 pension transfer notices to recipients whose deposit amount changes because care-insurance and other deductions are revised from October.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-30
Pension Claim Reviews May Take 1–2 Weeks Longer
Japan Pension Service announced on Sept 30, 2026 that local government system upgrades may slow residence and income data checks, adding about 1–2 weeks to pension claim processing. Rules and required documents are unchanged — only the review time.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-24
Typhoon 25 Bank Relief: Chiba & Tokyo
On September 24, 2026, Japan's FSA announced that the Kanto Local Finance Bureau requested financial measures for Typhoon No. 25 damage in Chiba and Tokyo. Here is who to contact and what to prepare if you are a foreign resident affected.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-15
NTA Ruling on Ikusei Shuro Benefit Tax
Japan's National Tax Agency published a written reply on September 15, 2026 on the income tax treatment of benefits that Ikusei Shuro foreign workers receive from their employers. The Immigration Services Agency and MHLW filed the inquiry; Income Tax Act Arts. 28 and 183 are cited.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-11
Furusato Tax Portals: Ministry Publishes Fee-Cut Replies
On September 11, 2026, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications published portal operators' replies to its request to cut furusato nozei platform fees. Donors' ¥2,000 share is unchanged, but more money may stay with local governments. Here's how the system works for foreign residents.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-07
Typhoon No. 24 & Rain: Bank Relief for Kagoshima
On Sept 7, 2026 Japan's Financial Services Agency announced that the Kyushu Local Finance Bureau asked banks and insurers to support victims of Typhoon No. 24 and frontal heavy rain in Kagoshima. Foreign residents qualify on the same terms.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-09-01
Pension support benefit forms from Sep 1
From September 1, 2026, the Japan Pension Service mails postcard-type claim forms for the Pension Support Benefit to basic pension recipients who newly qualify. Recipients may file online instead of by mail.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-31
Pension Claim Reviews May Take 1–2 Weeks Longer
On August 31, 2026, the Japan Pension Service announced that ongoing municipal system upgrades may slow the checks of residence and income data needed to review pension claims, adding roughly one to two weeks to processing. Benefit rules themselves are unchanged.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-31
Disability Pension Denial Review: Progress Update
On August 31, 2026, the Japan Pension Service updated its page on disability pension decisions, publishing preliminary figures on the progress of its review of denied and similar cases. Disability pension has no nationality requirement, so foreign residents enrolled in Japan's public pension are covered too.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-27
Aug 27 Heavy Rain: Bank Relief Steps for Toyama & Ishikawa
On Aug 27, 2026, Japan's FSA announced that the Hokuriku Local Finance Bureau requested financial relief measures for Toyama and Ishikawa after that day's heavy rain: eased cash withdrawals, faster insurance payouts and loan consultations, open to foreign residents too.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-27
Foreign Pension Life Proof Gets Easier
Life certificates for foreign public pensions received in Japan: Japan's MIC published follow-up results on Aug 27, 2026, confirming Germany allows a residence record copy, an embassy route or an app when municipalities decline to certify.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-25
Myna App Bug Halts Nenkin Net e-Filing
Since 8:00 a.m. on August 25, 2026, the Myna App release has caused errors in Nenkin Net e-filing on some Android phones. Seven procedures, including bank transfer setup and pension claims, must be filed on paper until the fix. Affected devices and steps explained.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-04
Pension Account Auto-Registration
From August 2026 the Japan Pension Service mails pension recipients a consent letter about registering their pension deposit account as a public payout account. Agreeing needs no action — only objectors must return the non-consent slip by the deadline.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-08-04
Pension Account as Public Money Account
From August 2026 Japan Pension Service mails a consent-check form on registering your pension deposit account as a Public Money Receiving Account; a chatbot explains timing and opt-out steps 24/7.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-07-01
Departure Tax Triples! ¥1,000→¥3,000
From July 1, 2026, Japan's departure tax increases from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000. Applies to everyone aged 2+.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-04-01
Pension Lump-Sum Withdrawal Rules Changed!
From April 2026, foreigners who departed with re-entry permits cannot claim pension lump-sum withdrawal during the permit validity period.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-04-01
National Pension Premium Up ¥410/month (¥17,510→¥17,920)
From April 2026, National Pension premium rises from ¥17,510 to ¥17,920/month. Full Old-Age Basic Pension: ¥70,608/month. Directly affects all foreign residents enrolled as Category 1 insured.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-04-01
National Health Insurance Premium Cap Raised to ¥1.1M
From April 2026, National Health Insurance premium cap rises from ¥1.09M to ¥1.1M. Medical portion up from ¥660K to ¥670K. Affects high-income foreign residents earning ~¥11.5M+.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-04-01
Low-Value Import Tax Exemption Under Review (<¥10K)
The Ministry of Finance is reviewing abolition/reduction of duty-free threshold for imports under ¥10,000. May affect foreign residents who shop from overseas sites (Shein, Amazon.com, etc.).
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Enforcement Date: 2026-04-01
Heated Tobacco Tax Hike! Apr & Oct
Heated tobacco (IQOS, glo, Ploom) is taxed closer to cigarettes in two 2026 stages, then rises yearly to 2029—Terea ¥580 to about ¥700. A rising cost for foreign smokers and visitors in Japan.
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Enforcement Date: 2026-03-01
Kyoto Accommodation Tax Surge!
From March 2026, Kyoto's accommodation tax increases significantly. Luxury stays taxed up to ¥10,000/night. 3-tier system for all accommodations.
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Enforcement Date: 2025-12-31
Gasoline Tax Abolished! ~¥25/L Cheaper
Japan's 50-year provisional gasoline tax ended Dec 31, 2025: gasoline ~¥25.1/L cheaper, diesel ~¥17.1/L from Apr 1, 2026. Subsidies phase the drop into pump prices—good news for foreign drivers.
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Enforcement Date: 2025-10-01
Furusato Tax Point Rewards Fully Banned!
From Oct 1, 2025, furusato-tax sites like Rakuten and PayPay can no longer add their own reward points, under a revised Soumu-sho standard. Gifts and the tax deduction stay, but the effective perk shrinks—relevant to tax-paying foreign residents.
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Enforcement Date: 2025-01-01
Income Tax Threshold: ¥1.03M→¥1.78M!
Basic deduction raised from ¥480K to ¥950K, tax-free threshold from ¥1.03M to ¥1.78M. Part-time workers' take-home pay increases significantly.