Japan pension eligibility rules for survivors and spouses

Japanese pension systems, including survivor pensions and dependency additions, are subject to specific eligibility requirements regarding family relationships and age.

Survivor pensions (survivor basic pension and survivor employees' pension) are designed to support the livelihoods of family members after a person's death. Eligibility is not determined by inheritance laws but by specific criteria, such as whether the person was supported by the deceased and whether they meet age requirements. For example, a common-law spouse may be eligible if they meet dependency criteria, while children from a previous marriage must also meet specific age or disability requirements to qualify.

Regarding dependency additions (kakyu nenkin) added to an employees' pension, these payments typically cease in the month the spouse reaches age 65. Under the pension system, age is considered reached on the day before a birthday. While the addition to the husband's pension stops, the wife may become eligible for a transfer addition (furikae kasan) to her own basic pension under certain conditions.