Japanese Business Glossary

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.

企業年金 (kigyo nenkin) refers to corporate pensions in Japan. These are retirement plans set up by companies to provide financial support to their employees after retirement. Corporate pensions in Japan can be categorized into two main types: Defined Benefit (DB) plans and Defined Contribution (DC) plans.

In a Defined Benefit plan, the employer guarantees a specific retirement benefit amount, which is usually based on the employee's salary and years of service. The employer is responsible for managing the investment and bearing the investment risk.

In a Defined Contribution plan, the employer and/or employee contribute a fixed amount to the pension plan, but the retirement benefit amount depends on the investment performance of those contributions. The employee bears the investment risk in this case.

Corporate pensions are an important part of the overall retirement system in Japan, complementing the public pension scheme (Kosei Nenkin) to provide financial security for retirees.

地方自治体 (chiho jichitai) refers to local governments in Japan. These local governments are responsible for managing various public services and administrative functions within their designated areas. There are two main types of local governments in Japan: prefectures and municipalities. Japan is divided into 47 prefectures, which include one to (Tokyo), one do (Hokkaido), two fu (Osaka and Kyoto), and 43 ken (other prefectures). Municipalities are smaller administrative units within the prefectures and include cities, towns, and villages.

Local governments have the authority to create and enforce local regulations, manage local public services like education, transportation, and welfare, and handle administrative tasks such as tax collection and local infrastructure development. They play a crucial role in addressing the specific needs of their communities.

所得証明 (shotoku shomei) translates to "income certificate" in English. It is an official document issued by the local government or tax office in Japan. This document certifies an individual's income for a specified period, usually the previous year. The income certificate is often required for various purposes such as applying for loans or credit, renting an apartment, enrolling children in schools, applying for social benefits, and proving income for visa applications. To obtain an income certificate, you typically need to apply at your local city hall or ward office. You may be required to present identification and pay a small fee. Some municipalities also allow online applications for income certificates.