Persons Eligible to be Dependents

Relatives within the third degree of kinship (including common-law partners and adopted children) can be recognized as dependents if they meet the requirements to become dependent, and the insured person is recognized as having a duty to support them.

Scope of dependents

Persons who live separately from the member but are still approved to be dependents

1. Spouse (including common-law spouse)
2. Children, parents, grandchildren, grandparents, brothers and sisters

Persons who must live together with the member to be approved as dependents

1. Relatives within the third degree other than above
2. Common-law spouse’s parents and children
3. Surviving parents and children after a common-law spouse's death

Upper limit of dependents’ income

Breakdown of income	Under age 60	Age 60 or older
You have income such as a salary (including business income, old-age pension, retirement benefits, survivor‘s pension, etc.)	Annual income less than 1,300,000 yen (less than 108,334 yen per month)	Annual income less than 1,800,000 yen (less than 150,000 yen per month)
You are receiving a disability pension (including the above-mentioned income)	Annual income less than 1,800,000 yen (less than 150,000 yen per month)	Annual income less than 1,800,000 yen (less than 150,000 yen per month)

Note

1. These incomes differ from the “income” prescribed in the income tax law. It is the total amount of annual constant income earned from the time of applying for dependency approval, which includes benefits (Employment Insurance, Sickness and Injury Allowance, etc.) and pension benefits (Survivors’ Pension, private pension, etc.).
2. For salary and pension benefit income, the income is the amount before the corresponding deductions are made. For business income, the income is the amount after all the necessary expenses are deducted.
3. Regardless of your employment type, if you can be insured by your employer through Social Insurance, you cannot become dependent. Also, even if you are not insured by Social Insurance, but your monthly income exceeds the income limit of 108,333 yen (149,999 yen for those 60 years of age or older), you cannot become dependent.

When a married couple is raising a child (or children), regardless of the number of dependents, dependent(s) will be of the party with the higher income in principle.

Even if a person is eligible to be a dependent, unless the application procedures are made and approved, the person cannot be a dependent.