♿ Disability Pension Denial Review: Progress Update

❓ What was updated?

On August 31, 2026, the Japan Pension Service updated its website page "About the certification status of disability pensions," releasing preliminary figures on how far its review of denied and similar cases has progressed. Disability pension is a public pension benefit for people whose daily life or ability to work is restricted by illness or injury. It comes in two forms: the Disability Basic Pension from the National Pension and the Disability Employees' Pension from Employees' Pension Insurance. Three conditions must be met: (1) you were enrolled in a public pension on the date of your first medical consultation for the condition, (2) you satisfy the contribution payment requirement up to two months before that date, and (3) your condition matches the certification criteria. Decisions are made through a document-based examination of your application and your doctor's medical certificate. This update does not change the eligibility rules or benefit amounts. It concerns cases where a denial or similar decision was already issued: the agency is re-examining those cases, and this release shows how far that work has advanced. Because the preliminary figures are refreshed as the work proceeds, anyone who received a denial can check the latest status on the agency's page.

👥 Who is affected?

• ●Anyone who applied for a disability pension and received a denial or similar decision (regardless of nationality)
• ●Applicants currently waiting for a decision on a disability pension claim
• ●Foreign residents whose illness or injury makes working difficult and who are considering a claim
• ●Family members handling the procedure on behalf of a person with a disability

🌏 Impact on foreign residents

Disability pension has no nationality requirement. Foreign residents in Japan enrolled in the National Pension or Employees' Pension Insurance can receive it on the same terms as Japanese nationals if they meet the requirements. Even so, it is a benefit many people never claim simply because they do not know it exists, and they go without support after illness or injury stops them from working. Because the examination is document-based, how the Japanese-language medical certificate and the statement of medical history and work situation are written strongly affects the outcome. Proving the first consultation date is often harder when the first treatment took place overseas or when hospitals changed around the time of arrival in Japan. This progress update gives people who were previously denied a way to see how their type of case is being handled. If you disagree with a decision, note that appeals have a deadline, so check the date on your notice.