Overview
- On Nov. 20, the ministry presented to a Social Security Council subcommittee a plan to widen the group paying 20% while keeping low-savings seniors at the current 10% rate.
- The approach would factor bank deposits and other financial assets into copay decisions for people who would otherwise move from 10% to 20%.
- Today, about 90% of users pay 10%, single people with annual income of at least ¥2.8 million pay 20%, and those with incomes comparable to working households pay 30%.
- Ministry data showed substantial savings among some older users, including findings that half of certain 75+ single earners hold over ¥10 million in deposits and that median assets for comparable groups are around ¥5 million.
- Committee members voiced strong objections citing price pressures on retirees, some backed the equity rationale, and officials acknowledged unresolved issues such as how to verify assets and where to set thresholds.