This is exactly the kind of transition where "I'll sort it out later" quietly turns into an uninsured hospital bill, a pension gap, or a visa problem. Mio doesn't panic and doesn't hand-wave — here's the checklist, in order, with why each one matters.
Chase these while you still have your employer's attention. Once you've left, they can be slow to send.
| Document (Japanese) | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| 離職票 (rishoku-hyō) — separation/leaving slip | Required to claim unemployment benefit at Hello Work. Employers usually issue it after your last day, often via the pension/employment office — ask them to send it promptly. |
| 源泉徴収票 (gensen chōshū-hyō) — withholding slip | Shows income and tax already withheld for the year. You need it for your next employer or a year-end / final tax return. Employers are obliged to issue it. |
| 年金手帳 / 基礎年金番号 (pension book / Basic Pension Number) | You need your pension number to switch schemes correctly. Confirm the employer has processed your loss of coverage so you can re-enroll. |
| 雇用保険被保険者証 (employment insurance card) | Your employment-insurance record; handy for Hello Work and your next job. |
When you leave, your employer's health insurance (shakai hoken) ends. In Japan health insurance is mandatory, so you have to move onto something else or you'll be uninsured — meaning you pay 100% of medical costs instead of ~30%. You generally have three options:
| Option | Notes |
|---|---|
| National Health Insurance (国民健康保険) at your city/ward office | The default fallback. Enroll at your municipality, usually within ~14 days. Premiums are based on last year's income, so they can feel high right after a good year. |
| Voluntary continuation (任意継続, nin'i keizoku) of your employer's insurance | You can often keep the same insurer for up to 2 years, but you pay the full premium (employer no longer covers half). There's a short deadline to apply — usually about 20 days — so decide fast. |
| Dependent on a family member's insurance (被扶養者) | If a spouse/family member has employer insurance and you meet the income limits, you may join as a dependent at low or no extra premium. |
Compare the numbers before deciding. See Mio's guide to health insurance in Japan for foreigners →
Leaving employer pension (kōsei nenkin) means you should move to the National Pension (国民年金, kokumin nenkin) as a Category-1 insured person, at your city/ward office. If you can't afford the flat monthly contribution while job-hunting, apply for a contribution exemption or postponement — that keeps your record clean instead of leaving an unpaid gap. Don't just stop paying silently.
This one ambushes people. Resident tax (住民税, jūminzei) is charged on last year's income and billed the following June–May. So even after you've lost your salary, you can still receive bills for income you earned while employed. If your employer was deducting it monthly, that stops — and the city may send you the remaining balance to pay yourself. Budget for it. Mio's resident tax guide explains the timing →
If you paid employment insurance (雇用保険) long enough, you may qualify for unemployment benefit (失業給付) through Hello Work (ハローワーク). Bring your rishoku-hyō, residence card and bank details. Eligibility, waiting periods and amounts depend on how and why you left and your insured history. See Mio's unemployment insurance guide →
This is the step Japanese colleagues never have to think about, so nobody warns you about it. If you hold a work-based residence status (e.g. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services), you generally must notify Immigration (出入国在留管理庁, ISA) that you left your employer within 14 days — this is the "notification of the accepting organization" for contracted employment. Failing to notify can itself be a problem at renewal.
Separately, your work visa is tied to doing that work. A long period with no employment can affect your next visa renewal, and in some cases staying without engaging in the permitted activity for around three months can put your status at risk. You have a limited window to find new work, or change your status of residence (for example to a job-hunting or dependent status) — so start early. Always verify your specific situation with ISA, because it depends on your exact status and dates.
Treat leaving a job as a paperwork sprint, not a break. Same week: grab your employer documents, switch health insurance, switch pension (or exempt), and notify Immigration within 14 days. Same month: budget for resident tax and file at Hello Work if eligible. The people who "botch" it aren't unlucky — they just assumed things would carry over automatically. In Japan, they don't.