Moving from Japan Tax Guide 2026: Exit Tax on ¥100M+ Portfolios, Jūminhyo & Kakutei Shinkoku

KEY INSIGHT

Japan has an exit tax (kokugai tenshutsu zei) introduced in 2015 that applies to financial assets exceeding ¥100 million for individuals who have been Japanese tax residents for 5 or more of the past 10 years. Below this threshold or with less than 5 years of residency, no exit tax applies. Japan's exit tax covers shares, bonds, investment trusts, and derivatives — not real estate. The administrative departure requires Jūminhyo (resident register) deregistration, a final kakutei shinkoku (confirmed tax return), and potentially appointing a tax representative (zeirishi or nōzei kanrinin) to handle Japanese tax obligations after departure.

At a glance

Key Facts

Japan Exit Tax (Kokugai Tenshutsu Zei): The ¥100M Rule

Japan's exit tax (Articles 60-2 to 60-4, Income Tax Act) applies when you: (1) hold financial assets with a combined FMV of ¥100 million or more on departure date, AND (2) have been a Japanese tax resident for 5 or more years in the 10 years preceding departure. Assets in scope: shares (kabushiki), bonds (saiken), investment trust units (tōshi shintaku), derivatives (saki mono), and cryptocurrency. NOT in scope: Japanese real estate (taxed separately on actual sale); business assets; non-financial assets. Calculation: all in-scope assets are treated as sold at FMV on the departure date. The resulting gain is subject to Japanese capital gains tax rates: 20.315% (15% national tax + 5% local tax + 0.315% special reconstruction surtax). Example: ¥200M portfolio with ¥80M in unrealised gains: exit tax = ¥80M × 20.315% = approximately ¥16.25M. Deferral: if you are moving to a tax treaty country and the treaty provides an exit tax deferral or exemption, consult the specific Japan DTA. Japan-USA DTA: limited exit tax treaty relief. Security deposit: you can apply to defer exit tax payment by providing collateral security to the tax authority (NTA — National Tax Agency). Exemption from exit tax: individuals who have been in Japan for less than 5 of the past 10 years; individuals whose total financial assets are below ¥100M; non-permanent residents (those who have been Japanese residents for fewer than 10 years and whose income is not from Japanese sources — complex rules apply).

Jūminhyo Deregistration and Jūsho Tax Residency

Japan's tax residency is based on the concept of jūsho (domicile — the place a person has a home with the intention to permanently remain) and kyoshō (residence — the place where a person actually lives). Japan's municipal resident register (Jūminhyo) maintained by each city, town, or ward office records all residents. On departure: file a Tenshutsu届 (transfer-out notification) at your local municipal office on or before your departure date. This removes you from the Jūminhyo. Tax consequence: once you are no longer registered in the Jūminhyo and have left Japan with no remaining home (jūsho) in Japan, you become a non-resident for Japanese tax purposes. Anti-avoidance: if you retain a Japanese home available to you (owned property, property leased to family), the NTA may argue you still have a Japanese jūsho. Selling or leasing out your Japanese property before departure removes this risk. Nōzei kanrinin (tax representative): for non-residents with Japanese tax obligations after departure (rental income, property sales), you must appoint a nōzei kanrinin (tax agent in Japan). This person (an individual or zeirishi) handles your Japanese tax filings while you are non-resident.

Final Kakutei Shinkoku and Year of Departure

Kakutei shinkoku is Japan's self-assessed income tax return, filed annually for the prior tax year (Japan's tax year runs January 1 to December 31; return due by March 15). In your year of departure: you file a final kakutei shinkoku covering January 1 to your departure date (worldwide income for the resident period). The exit tax calculation (if applicable) is reported on this final return — Form 申告書第一表 plus the exit tax specific schedules. If you depart before December 31: file a 'pre-departure' return before leaving Japan (this is the most common approach — file the return for the current year at your local tax office, then depart). Alternatively, appoint a nōzei kanrinin to file on your behalf after departure (deadline: March 15 of the following year). Final Japanese tax for year of departure: covers employment income, rental income, dividend income, business income for the resident period. Local inhabitant tax (jūminzei): separately assessed by your municipality — paid in 4 instalments in the year following the tax year. The jūminzei for your final year of Japanese residency will be assessed after you have left — ensure your nōzei kanrinin handles this.

Japanese Pension (Nenkin) on Departure

Japan has two main pension systems: (1) Kokumin nenkin (National Pension) — the universal basic pension; all Japan residents (including foreigners) between 20–60 are required to contribute. Monthly contribution: approximately ¥16,980 (2025). Full pension requires 40 years of contributions (¥816,000/year at full entitlement for 2025). (2) Kōsei nenkin (Employees' Pension Insurance) — for company employees; higher contributions but higher pension. On departure from Japan — two options: (a) Lump-sum withdrawal (dattai ikkat shikyū): available to foreign nationals who have left Japan and renounce their Japanese pension rights. Apply within 2 years of departure. Conditions: no Japanese nationality; must have paid Japanese national pension for at least 6 months; must not be residing in Japan; must not be currently receiving Japanese pension. Tax: 20.42% withheld at source on the lump sum. The 6-month minimum is a low bar — even short-term foreign workers can reclaim contributions. (b) Preserve the pension for retirement: if you have sufficient years of contribution (10+ qualifying years to receive a pension), you can leave the pension in Japan and receive it at age 65 internationally. Japan has totalization agreements with many countries (USA, UK, Germany, France, etc.) — years in each system can be combined to meet the minimum 10-year threshold.

Japanese Property and Non-Resident Tax

Japanese real estate (fudōsan) is NOT subject to the exit tax on departure. If you own a Japanese apartment or house: no deemed disposal on departure. As a non-resident selling Japanese property: capital gains on Japanese real estate are taxable in Japan. The gain is subject to Japanese income tax: short-term gains (held <5 years): 39.63%; long-term gains (held ≥5 years): 20.315%. The buyer may withhold 10.21% of the gross sale price as withholding tax under the non-resident source withholding rules (unless an exemption applies). Main residence exemption: Japanese residents who sell their principal home can deduct ¥30 million from the gain — this is NOT available to non-residents. Non-resident rental income from Japanese property: taxable in Japan. File kakutei shinkoku as a non-resident (via nōzei kanrinin). Alternatively, appoint a dairi ninkasha (authorised representative) for rental management and tax compliance. Japanese fixed assets tax (kotei shisan zei): annual property tax levied by municipalities — continues to apply to non-residents who own Japanese property; typically 1.4% of government assessed value.

Introduction

Japan's exit tax, introduced on July 1, 2015, was designed to prevent high-net-worth long-term residents (particularly wealthy foreign executives and entrepreneurs) from relocating to a low-tax jurisdiction immediately before realising large capital gains on financial portfolios. The ¥100 million threshold and 5-year residency requirement mean the exit tax does not affect most foreign employees on temporary assignments in Japan. However, for long-term Japan residents — foreign nationals who have built significant investment portfolios during 10+ years of Japanese residency — the exit tax can be a significant departure cost. Beyond the exit tax, Japan's administrative departure process (Jūminhyo deregistration, final kakutei shinkoku) is well-defined.

Section 01

Moving from Japan to the USA: Key Planning Points

Japan-to-USA migration is common among multinationals rotating staff and Japanese-American families. Key JP-US planning points:

Exit tax and US residency timing: Japan's exit tax is assessed on the day before departure. If you depart Japan on March 1 and become a US tax resident on March 1 (same day), there is potential for the gains to be assessed by both Japan (as pre-departure deemed disposal) and the USA (as income from the date of US residency). Work with a cross-border specialist to time the Japanese departure and US residency commencement to avoid double taxation on the same gains.

Japan-USA DTA: The 2003 Japan-USA DTA is comprehensive. Capital gains: primary taxing right generally in residence country. If the exit tax creates a deemed gain while you are still Japan-resident, Japan taxes first; US FTC for Japan taxes paid. Pension: Japan pension payments to US residents — 10% Japanese withholding (DTA Article 17); creditable in USA.

Japanese pension lump sum vs preservation: If you have fewer than 10 years of total Japanese pension contributions but more than 6 months: the lump-sum withdrawal is available (20.42% withholding). Under USA-Japan totalization agreement: US Social Security years + Japanese pension years can be combined to reach the 10-year threshold — this may make keeping the pension worthwhile.

FBAR for Japanese accounts: Once a US resident, all Japanese bank accounts exceeding $10,000 in aggregate must be reported on FinCEN Form 114 annually.

💡

CountryTaxCalc.com is reader-supported. When you use our partner links, we may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more about our affiliate partnerships

Best for JPY International Transfers

Wise

★ 4.3 Trustpilot · 287,413 reviews

Move your Japanese savings to your destination country at the real exchange rate when you leave. Wise is used by expats globally for transparent, low-cost international JPY transfers.

⚠ For currency exchange only — not a bank account replacement.

Transfer JPY Internationally with Wise →

International Health Insurance

SafetyWing

★ 4.2 Trustpilot · 3,259 reviews

Bridge the gap between your Japanese National Health Insurance (kokumin kenkō hoken) ending and your destination country's cover beginning. SafetyWing covers expats and remote workers worldwide.

⚠ Not a replacement for comprehensive private health insurance in high-cost countries.

Get International Health Cover from Day One →

For Those Moving to the USA

Greenback Expat Tax Services

★ 4.8 Trustpilot · 1,625 reviews

Moving from Japan to the USA? Greenback handles dual-status returns, Japan pension lump-sum reporting, FBAR for Japanese accounts, and first-year US residency returns for Japan expats.

⚠ Not the cheapest option — best for complex situations and expats who want a dedicated CPA.

Get US Expat Tax Help After Leaving Japan →

Interested in reaching this audience? Advertise on CountryTaxCalc →

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

I've lived in Japan for 8 years with a ¥150M investment portfolio — how much exit tax do I owe?

With 8 years of Japanese residency (≥5 years) and financial assets over ¥100M, the exit tax applies in full. The tax is calculated on all unrealised gains across all in-scope financial assets (shares, bonds, investment trusts, derivatives, crypto). Step 1: calculate FMV of each asset on the day before departure. Step 2: subtract your original acquisition cost (cost basis). Step 3: sum all net gains across the portfolio. Step 4: apply 20.315% exit tax rate. Example: ¥150M portfolio, cost basis ¥80M, unrealised gain ¥70M. Exit tax: ¥70M × 20.315% = approximately ¥14.2M. The tax is reported on your final kakutei shinkoku (filed before departure or by March 15 via nōzei kanrinin). If cash flow is an issue, apply to the NTA for a deferral arrangement by providing security (collateral). The NTA's exit tax helpline and NTA Publication No. 2869 provide detailed guidance on the calculation methodology.

Can I reclaim my Japanese pension contributions when I leave?

Yes — the lump-sum withdrawal (dattai ikkat shikyū) lets foreign nationals reclaim their Japanese pension contributions on departure. Key requirements: (1) you do not hold Japanese nationality; (2) you have contributed to the Japanese national pension (kokumin nenkin) or employees' pension (kōsei nenkin) for at least 6 months total; (3) you are not currently living in Japan; (4) you have not yet reached Japanese pension age; (5) you apply within 2 years of leaving Japan. Apply from outside Japan via the Japan Pension Service (Nihon Nenkin Kikō — nenkin.go.jp) or through the Japanese embassy in your country. You will need: your basic pension number (kiso nenkin bangō), your non-Japanese bank details for payment, and a completed application form. Tax: Japan withholds 20.42% of the lump sum at source. Under most DTAs, you may be able to reclaim excess withholding — check the specific DTA. The amount returned depends on your total contribution months: the more months you contributed, the larger the lump sum, subject to a maximum of 60 months (5 years) of contributions.

I was in Japan on a company assignment for 3 years — does the exit tax apply to me?

Probably not. The Japan exit tax requires: (1) total financial assets of ¥100 million or more on departure, AND (2) at least 5 years of Japanese tax residency in the past 10 years. For a 3-year assignment: you have fewer than 5 years of Japanese residency — the exit tax does NOT apply regardless of your asset level. Additionally, if you were under a 'non-permanent resident' status (non-Japanese nationality, fewer than 10 years of Japanese residence, income not from Japanese sources): Japan has more limited taxing rights on foreign-source income anyway. For most corporate assignees on 2–5 year rotations: the exit tax is not a concern. The exit tax primarily affects wealthy entrepreneurs, investors, and executives who have been long-term Japan residents with substantial financial portfolios. Check your exact residency years carefully if you are near the 5-year threshold.

What happens to my Japanese bank accounts and investments when I leave?

Japanese bank accounts (at Mitsubishi UFJ, SMBC, Mizuho, Japan Post Bank, etc.): you can maintain them as a non-resident. Notify your bank of your change of residency. Japanese banks may reclassify non-resident accounts and restrict some services (online banking, new product subscriptions). Interest on Japanese bank accounts: subject to 20.315% withholding for non-residents. Securities accounts (NISA, iDeCo): NISA (Nippon Individual Savings Account) — the Japanese equivalent of an ISA — must be closed within a certain period of becoming non-resident; gains in the NISA account at closure may be subject to tax. iDeCo (individual defined contribution pension): contributions stop on departure; the balance remains invested until withdrawal at age 60+. As a non-resident, iDeCo balance is preserved but not accessible early. Regular securities accounts (tōkihikoza): can be maintained as non-resident. Dividends and gains: subject to Japanese withholding tax on Japan-source income.

Disclaimer:This guide provides general tax information for educational purposes only. Japan's exit tax thresholds, pension lump-sum rates, and NTA procedures change with Japanese tax legislation (Tax Reform Act). Nothing in this guide constitutes tax or legal advice. Consult a Japanese zeirishi (certified tax accountant) before departing Japan, particularly if your financial assets exceed ¥100 million.

Keep reading

Moving from Japan Tax Guide 2026: Exit Tax on ¥100M+ Portfolios, Jūminhyo & Kakutei Shinkoku

Key Facts

Moving from Japan to the USA: Key Planning Points

Wise

SafetyWing

Greenback Expat Tax Services

Frequently Asked Questions

I've lived in Japan for 8 years with a ¥150M investment portfolio — how much exit tax do I owe?

Can I reclaim my Japanese pension contributions when I leave?

I was in Japan on a company assignment for 3 years — does the exit tax apply to me?

What happens to my Japanese bank accounts and investments when I leave?

Related Guides

More like this, every two weeks.

Moving from Japan Tax Guide 2026: Exit Tax on ¥100M+ Portfolios, Jūminhyo & Kakutei Shinkoku

Key Facts

Moving from Japan to the USA: Key Planning Points

Wise

SafetyWing

Greenback Expat Tax Services

Frequently Asked Questions

I've lived in Japan for 8 years with a ¥150M investment portfolio — how much exit tax do I owe?

Can I reclaim my Japanese pension contributions when I leave?

I was in Japan on a company assignment for 3 years — does the exit tax apply to me?

What happens to my Japanese bank accounts and investments when I leave?

Related Guides

More like this, every two weeks.

Share This Page