Leaving Japan Checklist: Say Goodbye With Peace of Mind

Time to say goodbye.

Want to accomplish your move without losing your cool or forgetting an essential step? 

Aside from packing up personal belongings, there are regulations and procedures to take care of when leaving Japan permanently. 

We've created a concise leaving Japan checklist of things to do before you go—and we answer your pressing FAQs about defaulting on pension payments, appointing a tax representative, and more! 

Note: If you're leaving temporarily, check out our other article on the topic: "Leaving Japan Temporarily? Your FAQs Answered."

1. Cancel your lease. 

Call your real estate agent and inform them of your upcoming departure as soon as possible. Some agencies require up to 2 months' advance notice. Avoid paying additional rental fees by getting this chore done and over with first. 

2. Cancel your phone contract & Internet.

Most phone and Internet contracts require a 1-month notice. If you want to avoid paying for an extra month of service that you won't be around to use, notify your phone and Internet companies 1 month before your departure date. 

3. Notify the utility companies.

For some housing units, utilities are bundled within the lease, and letting your real estate agent know of your upcoming departure will be the same as canceling your utilities. However, if you signed separate contracts for any of your utilities, you must let them know your move-out date. 

4. Pack and ship stuff home. 

Japan Post Office's international parcel post service allows you to send up to 30 kg per box with a 10 percent discount for 10 to 49 parcels. Other options include Yamato Transport's International Moving Service. Read about the best ways of shipping items home in this article. 

For US-specific shipping from Japan, here is an article for all the shipping costs: Shipping from Japan to the US: Cost Table for Japan Post.

5. Get rid of the rest. 

Whatever you don't intend to bring home must be recycled or thrown away.

Consider Craigslist, Book-Off, Hard-Off, or other second-hand stores for well-cared-for items. Use this website for city recycling instructions for large appliances and furniture you could not sell. 

6. Appoint a tax representative.

The yearly resident tax bill (juminzei) arrives in June or July. If you leave before paying this bill, you will need to appoint a tax representative to settle this bill for you. Your tax representative can be a non-Japanese friend or colleague, but it's best if they read and write Japanese at a business level. See FAQ section. 

7. Set up international mail forwarding. 

While the Japan Postal Service offers domestic forwarding, they do not provide international mail forwarding. Instead, private companies offer international mail forwarding services and private PO box services. We recommend MailMate, which digitizes each piece of mail you receive, allowing you to open and process your Japanese mail from anywhere in the world.

8. Cancel your bank account. 

You will need to close the account in person at the bank counter for most bank accounts. Bring your passbook, bank card, seal, and ID to process the bank-closing paperwork. See FAQ section. 

9. Notify city office of your move. 

Up to two weeks before your departure date, notify your city office of your upcoming move (tenshutsu todoke). Bring along proof of departure when filing this notice (e.g., your travel itinerary/plane ticket) and an ID (e.g., passport, residence card, My Number card). See our step-by-step guide, "How to Submit a Moving-out Form in Japan."

10. Cancel health insurance. 

After filing your move-out notice (tenshutsu todoke) at the city office, head to the National Health Insurance window, turn in your health insurance card and settle your health insurance bills. 

11. Withdraw from the pension program. 

If you have paid into Japan's pension program for over 6 months, you can file paperwork ("Application for the Lump-sum Withdrawal Payments") to request a refund. The maximum amount that you can withdraw is up to 36 months. See FAQ section. Learn more about lump-sum withdrawals in our article, "Japan's Pension Refund for Foreigners [Step-by-Step How to Withdraw]." 

12. Cancel your My Number card at City Office.

Cancel your My Number card before leaving Japan at the city office. You can do this on the day you file your move-out notice. Interesting fact: If you return to Japan, the city office will issue the same number to you again. 

13. Lastly, turn in your residence card at the airport. 

At the airport, submit your residence card to the immigration officer at passport control. 

👉 Learn about luggage delivery services in Japan!

YouTuber The Japanese Ways gives a quick round-up of the above points in the following video.

Leaving Japan timeline checklist

Leaving Japan: What you need to do depending on your situation

Different people leaving Japan face very different obligations. Below are practical guides tailored to the four most common situations we see. Use these to understand what applies to you and what can safely wait until later.

✅ If you're a permanent resident leaving Japan

Permanent Residents have more flexibility than other visa holders—but also more to lose if paperwork is mishandled.

Procedures before leaving Japan

• File moving-out notification (転出届 / tenshutsu todoke) at your city office within 14 days before departure

• Cancel National Health Insurance (or ensure employer health insurance ends correctly)

• Ensure residence tax obligations are handled

• Settle or plan pension, utilities bills, bank accounts, and outstanding contracts

• Appoint a tax representative if anything remains to be paid after departure

• Submit your residence card at the airport if you are not returning

Keeping your PR status

If you want to keep PR:

• Apply for a Re-Entry Permit before leaving Japan

• You must renew your residence card every 7 years, meaning you’ll eventually need to physically return to Japan to renew it

• You do not need a Japanese address to keep PR—but you must not let the residence card expire

If you leave without a re-entry permit, your PR status will be revoked.

Who this path is best for

• People planning to return within a few years

• People who want to keep Japan as an option

• Long-term residents with future ties to Japan

✅ If you’re leaving Japan mid-year

Leaving mid-year changes how taxes and insurance work, and timing matters.

Expect these obligations

• Income Tax: You must settle income earned from January 1 until your departure date. If you leave before normal tax season, you may need to file early or appoint a tax representative.

• Residence Tax: Based on last year’s income. Bills arrive in June.

  • If you leave before June → you’ll need a tax representative to receive & pay it

  • If you leave after July → pay before departure if possible

• Health Insurance: National Health Insurance and pension will be prorated up to your departure date.

Practical steps

• Ensure city hall knows your departure date

• Appoint a tax representative if there are any unknowns

• Forward your mail so tax and government notices actually reach you

✅ If you're never coming back

If your departure from Japan is truly permanent, your goal is to cleanly close every legal, financial, and administrative tie.

Do NOT skip these steps

• File tenshutsu todoke

• Cancel National Health Insurance (or ensure employer health insurance ends correctly)

• Resolve unpaid pension or insurance premiums

• Close bank account(s) and credit cards

• Handle utilities bills, mobile phone bills, internet

• Return company/school/municipal property

• Deregister vehicles if applicable

Pension refund

If you paid into Japanese pension for 6+ months, you can apply for a lump-sum withdrawal, and separately claim back the 20% withholding via a tax representative.

Tax & legal risk if you leave without the necessary procedures

Skipping obligations can result in:

• future legal or financial claims

• difficulty returning to Japan later

• issues with immigration records

• frozen or terminated accounts

• penalties on unpaid taxes

If you’re truly closing your Japan chapter, be thorough now so nothing follows you later.

✅ If you're unsure whether you'll return

If you might return, your strategy should be to minimize irreversible damage while keeping options open.

Strongly recommended procedures

• Apply for a Re-Entry Permit (especially if PR)

• Appoint a tax representative

• Set up international mail forwarding

• Maintain digital access to accounts

• Keep documentation organized (My Number history, pension, tax records)

Consider carefully

• Whether to close your bank account

• Whether to cancel all Japanese financial tools

• What to do with your phone number (important for 2FA)

Why this matters

Most problems happen after departure, not before:

• Residence tax bills arrive later

• Government notices come late

• Banking authentication fails abroad

• Missed deadlines = expensive mistakes

Leaving “option-friendly” makes your life much easier if you ever decide to return.

🧭 Quick recommendation guide

Other critical offboarding tasks people forget when leaving Japan

Even the most organized people overlook a few “silent” obligations when leaving Japan. Missing these doesn’t always cause immediate problems. However, they often come back later as fines, frozen accounts, or administrative headaches when you least expect them. Before you leave, make sure you’ve covered the following:

🔐 Update or cancel any services that use 2FA (two-factor authentication)

Many Japanese services still rely on SMS authentication to a Japanese phone number. Once your number stops working, you may lose access completely.

Check these before departure:

• Online banking & credit cards

• Mobile carrier accounts

• Pension & My Number online portals

• Shopping platforms (Rakuten, Amazon Japan, Mercari)

• Insurance portals

• Employer HR systems

Recommended actions

• Switch to email or app authentication

• Update phone number to an international number if possible

• Print or securely store backup login codes

• Take screenshots of critical account settings

🧾 Cancel or transfer subscriptions and memberships

Japan is subscription-heavy, and auto-renewal is common. Some companies will continue billing even after you leave if you don’t cancel formally.

Common services people forget:

• Gym memberships

• Language schools / online lessons

• Streaming services tied to Japanese billing (Netflix JP, Hulu JP, etc.)

• Magazine or delivery subscriptions

• JR commuter passes & IC card auto-recharge

• Cloud storage tied to Japanese carriers

Make sure each is formally cancelled. Many require in-person cancellation or mailed forms, so plan ahead.

🚗 If you own a car, motorcycle, or bicycle

Japan treats registered vehicles seriously.

Before leaving Japan:

• Deregister your car or motorcycle

• Cancel compulsory automobile insurance (JCI) & voluntary insurance

• Arrange disposal or transfer ownership properly

• Deregister bicycles that were registered to your name

Failing to deregister can result in bills, complications with insurance, or future legal inconvenience.

🏢 Close corporate, freelancer, or business obligations

If you operated a business in Japan, even part-time or as a freelancer, you may still have outstanding legal or tax responsibilities.

Consider:

• Filing final tax returns

• Business deregistration (if self-employed)

• Notifying the tax office if you had corporate status

• Ensuring social insurance and corporate taxes are settled

• Updating your registered company address if staying legally active

If unsure, consult a tax professional or appoint a tax representative before departure.

🏥 Cancel or transfer any private insurance policies

Even if you cancel National Health Insurance, many people forget private policies.

Review:

• Private health insurance

• Life insurance

• Earthquake or home contents insurance

• Company benefit-linked policies

Ensure coverage is cancelled or relocated appropriately.

🎓 If you have children in school

Leaving Japan with children adds another layer of bureaucracy.

Don’t forget to:

• Request official school transfer documents

• Obtain vaccination & medical records

• Notify daycare/kindergarten/afterschool programs

• Cancel PTA memberships and school-related auto-pay accounts

📬 Notify your employer

Simply quitting and leaving isn’t enough in Japan.

You may need to:

• File resignation paperwork properly

• Confirm final paycheck & tax withholding

• Verify issuance of employment separation documents

• Return corporate assets (laptops, badges, cards)

Many employers continue mailing tax forms after you leave—another reason mail forwarding matters.

🧾 Download & save important life documents

Once you leave Japan, retrieving official copies can be extremely difficult. Before you go, gather and securely store digital or physical copies of:

• Tax returns

• Pension records

• My Number confirmation documents

• Insurance history

• Employment contracts

• Rental agreements & deposit settlement records

• Health insurance history and payment records

Think of it as your “Japan life archive.”

Frequently asked questions about leaving Japan permanently

We get asked these questions a lot. In case you're wondering about these issues too, we've included them below: 

I'm a permanent resident leaving Japan. What will happen to my PR status? 

If you are a permanent resident and you do not apply for a re-entry permit when leaving Japan, your permanent resident status will be revoked. By obtaining a re-entry permit, you can keep your permanent resident status for up to 5 years without entering Japan (so long as your residence card remains valid during this time). 

Additionally, you can renew your re-entry permit for an additional year at a Japanese embassy or consulate while abroad. Please see "Application for re-entry permission (PDF)" from the MOJ and Immigration Services Agency of Japan. 

Hitoshi Oishi, Solicitor & Immigration Lawyer, further explains, “To keep PR, you don’t need to have an address in Japan. However, you have to renew your residence card every 7 years, and to renew it, you have to come back here. So, be careful about managing your schedule.”

If you are uncertain of your plans and wish to keep your options open, you will want to apply for a re-entry permit before leaving Japan.

Who can I appoint as my tax representative when leaving Japan? 

The National Tax Agency states that a tax representative can be any resident in Japan, whether paid or unpaid. However, because they must submit documents on your behalf, you should choose someone who is comfortable reading and writing Japanese. A common practice is to appoint a tax accountant as your tax agent to handle your affairs after leaving Japan. 

Your tax agent will help you file the necessary paperwork to claim your lump-sum pension withdrawal's 20% tax refund. They can also assist if your residence tax bill arrives after you have departed Japan.   

To appoint a tax representative, you and your tax rep must fill out a form and submit it to the tax office presiding over your area. See also "Income tax information for an individual who will leave Japan," National Tax Agency.

Is it OK to leave Japan without paying my pension premiums? 

If you have unpaid premiums at the time of leaving Japan, you may be unable to claim the total lump sum amount to which you are otherwise entitled. (See our article "Japan's Pension Refund for Foreigners [Step-by-Step How to Withdraw]"). Additionally, Japan's National Pension Service can seize assets for payments in arrears. 

If you have no plans to return to Japan and have zero assets in Japan, the National Pension Service's ability to prosecute you will be limited. However, if you do plan to return to Japan in the future, then it is highly recommended you settle all your bills before leaving Japan. 

According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the payment rate of National Pension Insurance premiums in June 2021 was 77%, but not all of the approx. 20% of non-payers were in arrears. The number of people who have not paid their premiums includes those who use exemption or deferment programs.

Can I keep my Japanese bank account open even after leaving Japan? 

Japan's Financial Services Agency requests foreign residents close their bank accounts when leaving Japan. Thus, as standard policy, most banks in Japan have a clause in their Terms of Use regarding closing one's bank account before departure. Please consult your financial institution if you wish to keep your bank account open because you have plans to return. 

To close a Japanese bank account, bring your bank book, debit card, seal, and ID information to your bank. Or determine if you can close your account online or by using a mail-in form. 

Do I need to pay residence tax before I leave Japan? 

Your residence tax bill is the tax you owe from the previous year’s income and arrives in June of each calendar year. If your departure date is before June, appoint a tax representative to pay your residence tax. If your departure date is after July 1, you have time to pay your bill beforehand. (Ask us, MailMate, to be your tax rep!)

How do I file a tenshutsu todoke (moving-out form)? 

Residents must file a moving-out form when leaving Japan. The timeframe for filing is within 14 days before departure. You can find the correct form on your city’s official website. Search for 転出届 + [your city’s name]. Download the file and fill it out. You can submit this document in person or post the notification.

Since several additional steps are required at the city office as you move out, we recommend going in person and taking care of the various other tasks in one go. 

What happens if I don’t file a moving-out form (転出届) before leaving Japan?

If you don’t submit your tenshutsu todoke (moving-out form), your residency will remain active in the city’s records. This may lead to issues such as continued billing for health insurance or residence tax, problems when applying for re-entry or future visas, and conflicts with Japanese pension and My Number records. You must file this form up to 14 days before departure at your city hall. It’s one of the most important legal steps when exiting Japan.

Can I file taxes or claim my pension refund after I’ve already left Japan?

Yes, you can—but only if you appointed a tax representative before leaving. Your tax rep will receive your resident tax bill (if applicable), help file your final tax return, and submit your pension refund paperwork to claim the 20% withholding back. Without a tax rep, you may lose your ability to handle these matters from abroad.

What are the tax implications of leaving Japan mid-year?

If you leave Japan in the middle of the calendar year, you’re still responsible for paying income tax and possibly residence (juminzei) tax for the time you lived and earned income in Japan. Income Tax: You must file a final tax return covering your income from January 1 until your departure date. If you’re leaving before the regular tax season (February–March), you’ll need to file early and may need to appoint a tax representative to do it on your behalf. Residence Tax: This tax is based on your income from the previous calendar year and billed by your local city office from June onward. Even if you leave Japan before the bill arrives, you are still responsible for paying it. You must appoint a tax representative to receive and pay this on your behalf. Pension and Health Insurance: You may owe prorated amounts for the portion of the year you were enrolled. Make sure to settle these at your city office before departure. Tip: Appointing a reliable tax representative before leaving ensures you can handle all remaining tax obligations without needing to return.

Can I leave Japan and keep my apartment or lease?

In most cases, no. Standard Japanese lease agreements do not allow subletting or long-term absence without notifying the property manager. If you plan to return, options include asking your landlord for a temporary suspension (rare), storing your belongings and moving out, or subletting only with landlord approval (uncommon and risky). Check your lease terms.

What happens to my Japanese credit card after I leave Japan?

Most credit card issuers in Japan require a Japanese billing address. If you move overseas and don't update your contact information or continue using the card, your account may be frozen or closed. If you plan to return to Japan, it’s safer to keep the card active—but if not, it’s better to close it before leaving.

Can I access Japanese online services like banking or My Number after I leave?

You may have difficulty accessing certain services from abroad, especially if two-factor authentication relies on a Japanese phone number. Online banking, pension portals, and government services often assume you're in Japan. Before leaving, switch to email-based login where possible, and keep backup access methods ready (like printed passwords or authentication apps).

Final thoughts: Japanese mail forwarding—simplified

Here's a case study that might resonate with you: Kate is leaving Japan, but the Japan Postal Service does not provide international mail forwarding. 

She knows there will be physical correspondence she will still receive after she is gone. 

So, wouldn't it be fantastic if there were a service that could scan her Japanese physical mail and upload it to the cloud so she could take care of her Japanese mail from anywhere? 

A bonus would be if they could translate, summarize, pay remaining bills, and help her deal with correspondence on an as-needed basis. 

Guess what? MailMate is a first-of-its-kind tech solution that does all this and more.

John Cross is a Canadian Expat living in Japan. "I ended up at Mailmate after I forgot to pay my electricity bill once and they turned off the electricity in my apartment. They probably sent a warning in the mail but I don't think I would have recognized it."