Expat Japan Guide

NISA vs iDeCo for Foreigners in Japan: Which Investment Account Should You Use? (2025)

What you'll learn in this guide What NISA and iDeCo are and how their tax benefits work Whether foreigners can use NISA and iDeCo (spoiler: most can) Contribution limits for both accounts in 2025 NISA vs iDeCo: which one is better for your situation How to open each account as a foreigner in Japan Japan’s two main tax-advantaged investment accounts — NISA and iDeCo — are often overlooked by foreigners. That’s a mistake. Both are open to most foreign residents, both offer real tax savings, and both work with low-cost index funds. Here’s a clear breakdown of what each offers and which one makes sense for you. ...

May 13, 2025 · 6 min · Expat Japan Team
Expat Japan Guide

iDeCo Guide for Foreigners in Japan (2025): How Japan's Personal Pension Works

What you'll learn in this guide What iDeCo is and how it differs from NISA Whether foreigners in Japan can open an iDeCo account iDeCo’s three tax benefits (contributions, growth, withdrawal) How to open an account and which provider to choose What happens to your iDeCo when you leave Japan Quick Answer iDeCo (個人型確定拠出年金) is Japan’s individual defined-contribution pension account. Foreigners enrolled in Japan’s pension system can open iDeCo. The key benefit: contributions are fully tax-deductible, investment growth is tax-free, and withdrawal is taxed at favourable rates. Maximum contribution is ¥23,000/month for company employees. Funds are locked until age 60. ...

May 12, 2025 · 7 min · Expat Japan Team