Japanese Business Glossary

共済年金 (kyosai nenkin) is a type of pension system in Japan designed for public sector employees such as civil servants, private school teachers, and employees of certain organizations like agricultural or fishery cooperatives. This system is similar to the Employee Pension Insurance (厚生年金, Kosei Nenkin) but is tailored for those in specific public service sectors.

The Kyosai Nenkin is one of the components of the public pension system in Japan, which includes three main types: the National Pension (国民年金, Kokumin Nenkin) for all residents, the Employee Pension Insurance (厚生年金, Kosei Nenkin) for private sector employees, and the Mutual Aid Association Pension (共済年金, Kyosai Nenkin) for public sector employees.

In 2015, the Kyosai Nenkin system was integrated into the Kosei Nenkin system to streamline and unify the pension systems for better management and equity. Now, public and private sector employees contribute to and receive benefits from the same pension scheme, though historical benefits and rights accrued under the Kyosai Nenkin are preserved.

For public sector employees, their pension contributions and benefits are managed under this unified system but they still have some specific provisions and benefits that recognize their public service.

費目 (himoku) refers to "expense items" or "cost items" in Japanese accounting. These are categories used to classify and record different types of expenses incurred by a business. Properly categorizing expenses helps in financial reporting, budgeting, and analysis.

Common expense items include rent, salaries, utilities, office supplies, travel expenses, and advertising. These categories help businesses track their spending and manage their finances effectively.

The term 国家総合職 (kokka sougou shoku), National General Professional Career, refers to a high-level civil service position in Japan, aimed at recruiting future leaders for government ministries and agencies. This position is highly prestigious and involves handling advanced policy planning, drafting, and research tasks. The recruitment process for these roles is extremely competitive and includes a rigorous examination.

The exam for the National General Professional Career, also known as the 国家総合職試験, is challenging and consists of multiple stages, such as written tests, policy proposals, and interviews. Candidates are evaluated on their knowledge and aptitude for dealing with complex societal issues. Eligible candidates must be university graduates or expected to graduate soon and meet specific age requirements. The acceptance rate for this exam is very low, reflecting its high difficulty and the strong competition among applicants.

There are two main types of national civil service positions in Japan: the General Professional Career (総合職) and the General Administrative Career (一般職). The General Professional Career positions involve frequent relocations and a broader scope of responsibilities focused on policy-making and high-level administrative tasks. In contrast, General Administrative Career positions are more specialized, stable, and involve fewer relocations with more operational duties.

Candidates aspiring to work in the General Professional Career are expected to possess a global perspective and a keen understanding of societal issues, aiming to address and resolve these problems through their roles. In comparison, those in the General Administrative Career typically work on the front lines of administration, handling specific operational tasks.

事案 (jiaan) is a Japanese term that translates to "case," "incident," or "affair" in English. It is often used in legal, business, and governmental contexts to refer to a specific issue, matter, or case that needs attention or resolution. For example, in a legal setting, it could refer to a particular legal case or incident under investigation. In a business context, it might refer to a specific problem or situation that a company needs to address.

年金保険 (nenkin hoken) refers to Japan's pension insurance system. It is a social insurance program designed to provide financial support to individuals during their retirement, in case of disability, or to surviving family members after a contributor's death. The system ensures that people have a stable income once they are no longer able to work.

There are two main types of pension insurance in Japan. The first type is 国民年金 (Kokumin Nenkin), also known as the National Pension. This is the basic pension plan for all residents of Japan, including self-employed individuals, students, and part-time workers. It provides a flat-rate pension benefit upon retirement, starting from age 65. Participation is mandatory for all residents aged 20 to 59.

The second type is 厚生年金 (Kosei Nenkin), also known as Employees' Pension Insurance. This is an earnings-related pension plan for employees of companies and organizations. It provides benefits based on the employee's salary and the length of their contribution period. Employers and employees both contribute to this pension plan. In addition to the basic pension benefit, Kosei Nenkin also offers disability pensions and survivor pensions.

These pension schemes are administered by the Japan Pension Service and are crucial for ensuring financial security for individuals and families in their later years.

In Japanese, 手当 (teate) typically refers to various forms of allowances, benefits, or compensations provided to employees by their employer. These can include family allowance, which is support provided for employees with dependents, housing allowance, which is assistance with housing costs, and commuting allowance, which covers commuting expenses. It also includes overtime allowance, which is compensation for overtime work, holiday work allowance, which is extra pay for working on holidays, and special allowances, which are various other types of allowances depending on the company's policies and the nature of the work. These allowances are meant to support employees in their personal and professional lives and can vary widely from company to company.