JP Office Benefits Overview (December 2025 - ENG)

Transcript

1. Employee Benefits Overview JP Offices Revised December 2025
2. Social insurance in Japan The Japanese Social Insurance system ensures everyone living and working in Japan has access to essential services like healthcare, pensions, and support in times of need. You will automatically be enrolled in health insurance, employees’ pension insurance, employment insurance, workers' accident compensation insurance, and, if you are over the age of forty, nursing care insurance upon starting work at SmartNews. The premiums for these social insurances are determined by your income and are automatically deducted from your monthly salary; however, the premium for workers' accident compensation insurance is covered by SmartNews.
3. Health insurance In Japan, health insurance is mandatory for all residents regardless of citizenship. SmartNews provides health insurance through the Kanto IT Software Health Insurance Union to full-time employees, fixed-term full-time employees, and part-time employees working more than twenty hours per week. Coverage includes hospital care, doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, and most dental and vision care procedures. Individuals of working age will pay a 30% copay for medical expenses. Please visit the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan's website for more information about the Japanese medical system. Employees' pension insurance All residents of Japan are required to enroll in the Japanese pension program between the ages of twenty and fifty-nine, regardless of citizenship. Your contributions to your pension are automatically deducted from your monthly earnings, and the amount is determined by your income. SmartNews also makes a separate contribution on your behalf. Not sure if you’ll be staying in Japan until retirement? Not to worry— receiving your pension in lump-sum withdrawal payments is possible after leaving Japan. You can read this PDF from the Japan Pension Service to learn more about this system. Employment insurance Employment Insurance is a system designed to provide financial support and assistance to workers who have lost their jobs. Your contributions are automatically deducted from your monthly earnings, and the amount is determined by your income. SmartNews also contributes. If you lose your job due to layoffs or company closures, you can apply for benefits through the Employment Insurance system. Employment insurance also provides financial support to eligible employees on childcare leave. See page 8 for more information. Nursing care insurance Nursing care insurance is a system that provides support and assistance to individuals who require long-term care due to illness, disability, or aging. The services provided through this insurance depend on the level of care needed and may include in-home care, adult daycare service, or residential care. Deductions for this insurance begin from the month of your fortieth birthday. The exact support provided via this system varies depending on the municipality where you live, so please contact your ward office or city hall for more information.
4. Y our well-being In addition to the social insurance programs described on the previous page, SmartNews also offers the following benefits. • SmartNews covers the total cost of a basic yearly physical examination for full-time, fixed-term full-time employees, and part-time employees enrolled in health insurance. • SmartNews offers group life insurance policies that cover the amount of two years' worth of your annual salary up to 50 million yen for full-time and fixed-term full-time employees in the event of death or permanent disability. SmartNews covers 100% of the premium for this insurance.
5. Paid leave and holidays With our paid leave system and national holidays, you’ll get the time you need to rest, recharge, and renew so you can perform at your best. Summer holidays In addition to annual paid leave, SmartNews offers four additional days of summer holiday to be used between July 1st and September 30th. The number of days you receive in your first year of employment depends on the month you joined. Special paid leave SmartNews employees receive additional paid leave for certain life events, such as: • Time off to care for sick and injured children • Time off for caregiving responsibilities • Congratulatory or bereavement leave Caregiver leave In the event one of your family members requires constant nursing care for a period of two weeks or longer due to injury, illness, or physical/ mental disability, employees are able to apply for caregiver leave, also known as nursing care leave. This program is overseen by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. To learn more about this program, please visit the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare website (English auto-translation available). Paid leave The amount of paid leave you receive in your first year at SmartNews depends on the month you join, with a maximum of 10 days. Additional paid leave is granted at the beginning of the fiscal year in April, and unused days can roll over into the next year for a maximum of two years. The amount of paid leave you receive increases every year until reaching the maximum of 20 days per year in your seventh year of employment. National and New Year holidays SmartNews employees have days off on national holidays and the New Year holidays (12/31-1/3). You will also get two additional days of paid leave that can be used between December 1st and January 31st. Menstrual leave Employees with menstrual cycles can take up to one day of paid time off each month in addition to their annual paid leave if they are unable to work due to painful menstrual symptoms.
6. Flexibility and collaboration Whether from the office or wherever life takes you, our flexible work options ensure that you have the freedom to choose a work environment that suits your preferences. Work from Anywhere program Our company proudly offers a Work from Anywhere program as part of our employee benefits package. With this program, you have the flexibility to work remotely from any location for up to 30 business days per year continuously or intermittently with prior approval from management. You can also choose to work from one of our global offices. We encourage choosing destinations that facilitate seamless collaboration with your team, allowing you to stay connected and productive while enjoying the benefits of remote work.
7. Maternity & childcare leave Welcoming a new member to your family is a tremendous milestone. In this section, we’ll briefly explain maternity and childcare leave in Japan as well as SmartNews benefits to support our working parents. Maternity Leave Per government regulations, expecting employees can take six weeks of maternity leave before the expected due date (fourteen weeks in the case of twins or multiples) and eight weeks after giving birth. If the employee is enrolled in health insurance at the time of delivery, they are eligible to receive a maternity allowance by applying through health insurance. The exact amount of this support will be calculated based on your salary. To learn more about maternity leave benefits and the benefit amount calculation method, please see the information published by the Kanto IT Software Health Insurance Association (English auto-translation available).
8. Childcare leave Under this system, both mothers and fathers can take extended leave to care for their children from birth until the child turns one year old, with the leave being divided into four installments for men and two installments for women until the child turns one year old. Employees enrolled in employment insurance for twelve months during the two years before the start of childcare leave can apply for financial childcare leave benefits via employment insurance.* The exact amount of this support will be calculated based on your salary. *If you are changing jobs locally in Japan and were working in a role in which you were enrolled in employment insurance, the length of your previous employment will count towards the twelve-month requirement. If you are joining SmartNews from overseas, please note that you will need to be enrolled in social insurance for twelve months through SmartNews before you are eligible to receive childcare leave benefits via employment insurance. Time off for sick or injured children For employees who are raising a child who has not yet started junior high school, SmartNews offers up to ten days of paid time off per year in addition to their annual leave to take care of their child when they are sick, injured, or when they need to have a medical examination or a vaccination. Employees who have two or more children can take up to ten days per year per child. SmartNews offers five days of congratulatory leave to employees whose spouse has given birth. The leave can be taken within three months before or after the expected date of birth. Congratulatory Leave
9. SmartNews Tokyo office perks SmartKitchen Having access to healthy meal options is critical for peak performance. That’s why we opened SmartKitchen. Professional kitchen staff prepare breakfast granola, lunch, and a daily snack in our fully-equipped kitchen on the Tokyo office's third floor. The daily menus are carefully planned to provide well-balanced meals and utilize vegetables from local organic farms, providing safe and nutritious ingredients while supporting environmentally friendly farming practices. Chikyu Coffee If you need a pick-me-up during your day, stop by our in-house cafe, Chikyu Coffee. Our cafe offers a rotating selection of single-origin coffees, teas, espresso-based drinks, and seasonal beverages. The baristas and beans come from The Roastery by Nozy Coffee, a specialty coffee shop located on the nearby Cat Street. If you visit their shop, you can get a 20% discount for being a SmartNews Employee!
10. Get in touch! SmartNews is committed to supporting your health, well-being, and future as we work together toward a better-informed world. Please contact your recruiter if you have questions about our benefits or social insurance in Japan.