Disability pension claims
For the Japanese disability pension (障害年金), preparing and filing the documents for the 裁定請求 — the claim procedure through which the pension is awarded — is the work of a Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant (社会保険労務士法, the Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant Act, Article 2(1)(i) and (i)-2, and Article 27). 四葉社会保険労務士事務所 (Koishikawa, Bunkyo City, Tokyo) accepts instructions directly from the person with a disability and their family. No advisory contract is required. We help from organizing the required documents through filing the claim and confirming the outcome.
What kind of scheme is the disability pension?
It is a public pension for people whose daily life or work is affected by illness or injury. It divides into two types according to the scheme the person was enrolled in.
| Type | Who it is generally for |
|---|---|
| 障害基礎年金 (Basic Disability Pension, under the National Pension) | People enrolled in the National Pension on the date of first medical examination, people whose first examination was before age 20, and others |
| 障害厚生年金 (Employees' Disability Pension, under Employees' Pension Insurance) | People enrolled in Employees' Pension Insurance on the date of first medical examination, such as company employees |
Receiving the pension requires confirming the date of first medical examination, the contribution payment requirements, and that the condition falls within the certification criteria. Intellectual disabilities, developmental disabilities and mental disorders may also be covered. Grades, pension amounts and certification criteria follow the current treatment by the Japan Pension Service. Because they are revised from year to year, no amounts are stated on this page. Whether an individual case qualifies is something a qualified professional will organize with you in consultation.
Who may be asked to handle the claim?
A person who is not a Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant may not, for remuneration and as a business, prepare applications under the labor and social insurance laws or act as agent for filing them (社会保険労務士法, Article 27). The roles of the professionals involved are as follows.
- Preparing and filing the claim documents = Certified Social Insurance and Labor Consultant (this office)
- Writing the medical certificate = the physician (we help you organize your daily-life circumstances into a form you can convey to the physician)
- Wills, voluntary guardianship and contracts = administrative scrivener (四葉行政書士事務所, a separate business under a separate contract)
- Disputed cases and litigation = attorney (we will put you in touch; no referral fees are exchanged)
A disability pension claim is not a procedure that ends once the documents are filed. Evidencing the date of first medical examination, and conveying the state of the disability accurately in writing, are the crux of it. Our representative, who spent 34 years as a newspaper journalist organizing facts into a form that gets through, takes charge of preparing these documents.
Can I instruct you without an advisory contract?
Yes. The disability pension is a service for individual clients, so no advisory contract is required. We accept instructions directly from the person concerned and their family. The first consultation is free.
Fees are listed under “障害年金 (individual clients)” on the fees page. The upfront fee and success fee are tax-inclusive. Out-of-pocket costs such as the medical certificate fee are charged separately.
What can be prepared for the time after the parents are gone?
When thinking about the future of a child with a disability, money, legal preparations and housing cannot be separated from one another. Within the Yotsuba group, these three are handled by different businesses.
- Disability pension claims = 四葉社会保険労務士事務所 (this office)
- Wills, voluntary guardianship and contracts = 四葉行政書士事務所
- Housing such as a group home = Yotsuba Real Estate Co., Ltd.
The three are independent businesses and are engaged under separate contracts. Fees, invoices and payment details are also separate for each office. No referral fees are exchanged between the businesses.
Can I consult you in Chinese or English?
Yes. Our representative was posted to China, Taiwan and Thailand as China General Bureau Chief of the Mainichi Shimbun, and works in Chinese (both traditional and simplified) and English. If you are a foreign national who was enrolled in the Japanese pension system, or if your family is uneasy about exchanging documents in Japanese, this office will take your consultation just the same.
What does the process look like?
- 1. Consultation (first one free, online available)
- 2. Organizing the likelihood of an award, and a quotation
- 3. Engagement
- 4. Collecting and preparing documents (evidencing the date of first medical examination, organizing medical and work history, and helping you request the medical certificate)
- 5. Filing the 裁定請求 claim on your behalf
- 6. Confirming the outcome and further consultation
For details, please see From consultation to contract.