Pension

Please note that Consular officers are not qualified to offer advice on Australian or Japanese pension agreements, entitlements or processes. Please contact Centrelink in Australia or the relevant Japanese authorities if you require more information.

Australian pensions and benefits

This page contains basic information from Centrelink (former Department of Social Security) which may be useful to answer quieries from existing and/or would be Centrelink Customers who have previously resided in Australia.

Who's Centrelink?

Centrelink and Centrelink International Services (CIS) Hobart, are responsible for the payment of pensions overseas.

Centrelink website

Something's wrong?

If Australian residents/citizens are concerned about non-payment or delays in payment of existing pensions, you should ring the following telephone number (reverse charges) in Australia +61 3 6222 3455.

This number is answered 24 hrs a day (answering machine after hrs) and multi-lingual staff and/or interpreters are available to assist. Leave your telephone number on the answering machine, and CIS staff will attempt to call you back the next working day.

Alternatively, if you need to forward copies of documents or want to make an initial enquiry about an Australian pension, use the following fax number +61 3 6222 2865.

You could email them as well on international.services@centrelink.gov.au

You can write to the following address:

GPO Box 273C
Hobart
Tasmania
Australia 7001

Australia - Japan Social Security Agreement

A new Social Security Agreement between Australia and Japan came into effect on 1 January 2009. It allows eligible people who live in either country to claim pension entitlements from both Australia and Japan.

Further information can be found on the Centrelink website.

A press release on the agreement was issued by the Australian Government and can be found on the Embassy's website - New Social Security Agreement with Japan begins.

For further information, please contact Centrelink.

Tel: +61 3 6222 3455
Centrelink advises on their website that they will accept reverse charge calls to this number.
Email: international.services@centrelink.gov.au
Fax: +61 3 6222 2799
Postal Address:
GPO Box 273, Hobart TAS 7001, Australia

Japanese Pensions

For information on the Japanese National Pension scheme (Kokumin Nenkin), please contact your City / Ward Office's National Pension Section (Kokumin Nenkin Ka).

If you are enrolled in the Social Insurance ("Kosei Nenkin"), you can seek advice from the Social Insurance Agency.

This information is also available on the Tokyo Metropolitan Government website.