Senior Care

With great natural landscapes, delicious cuisine, and efficient public services, there is much that makes Japan an appealing country to retire to. However, there are also barriers, such as visa requirements and a fairly low number of English speakers.  First and foremost, you’ll need to know that Japan doesn’t have a specific retirement visa. You will usually need to have lived there for at least five years, unless you have significant family ties. If you’ve worked in Japan, you might want to consider applying for citizenship or permanent residency, which will allow you to retire and join the ever-growing community of English-speaking expats that are developing in several major cities.   Here are some of the main considerations for those thinking of retiring to Japan.  Getting a Pension in Japan  Foreigners can get a state pension in Japan, but the qualifying period for a full pension is 40 years of salary contributions. The minimum contributory period is 10 years. Workers in Japan can retire at 65 and get a full pension if they meet the requirements, or choose to retire as early as 60 for a reduced pension.  In addition to the state pension, employees in Japan usually also pay into…