On 1 January 2010, the Japan Pension Service (JPS), a public corporation that manages public pensions, succeeded the Social Insurance Agency (SIA). This new entity was established in order to provide appropriate public pension administration and to regain public trust.

Hence, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is now in charge of pension financing, administration and management. The public pension operations, previously managed by SIA, are delegated and entrusted to the JPS. Pension operations include application, registration, contribution collection, record keeping, consultation services, benefit entitlements and payments.

As set out in the fundamental principles of the Japan Pension Service law, the JPS will:

- provide considerate, timely, accurate and efficient client service;

- measure client satisfaction and have their feedback reflected in the pension operations;

- provide information to the public for transparency and better understanding;

- recruit a thousand employees with working experiences in private companies with a view to changing the organizational culture and establishing new staff management policies and procedures to achieve outcome-oriented performance;

- enhance governance, compliance and risk-management structures.

Source: Website of the Japan Pension Service http://www.nenkin.go.jp/index.html.

Reference: The "Japan Pension Service Law."

Legislation date: 06.07.2007

Implementation date: 01.01.2010