Opening the NISA and getting started - Questions in each stage

[Dee.Geo]

Big Thanks to RJ, my wife and I have finally taken the first steps of opening a Monex and a Rakuten account.
So far, the first steps of registration have gone smoothly and I will come back here with questions as they arise. But for now, it's about a low value DC Plan which my wife is holding. It's her company's DC plan.

Questions: 1. Does company DC plan mean ideco? If yes, it means all the regulations, fund limits and other conditions of ideco apply to this?
2. There are two names involved - J-PEC (Japan Pension Navigator) and NRK(Japan Record Keeping Network). J-PEC was on the brochures sent to her but NRK is where the records are. Could someone give a short explanation on this?
3. Once NISA is all set she might consider increasing the ideco contribution. In that case should she stay with this provider, or can/should she change?
4. Most importantly, in the NISA opening process, does the ownership or contribution amount of this DC plan mean anything?

Thanks in advance!

[zeroshiki]

Yes its iDECO or more accurately iDECO is the personal version of the DC plans. You can't get iDECO if you have a DC plan yet but starting October you can. The requirement is you have to not add money to the DC plan (your company can still do it).

You can't change DC plans since that's chosen by your employer. You can change the funds being purchased through it though. You can see it on the NRK page.

NISA has nothing to do with DC/iDECO so no need to worry about that.

[Dee.Geo]

Thanks
So, without the new changes from October one wouldn't be able to quit and choose another service provider? irrespective of the high charges the company DC might have?

[beanhead]

Thanks
So, without the new changes from October one wouldn't be able to quit and choose another service provider? irrespective of the high charges the company DC might have?

Company DCs are limited. You don't get to choose the provider.
You get to choose the funds from a list that are offered, but as you have seen, the choice is not always so great.
The change in October just means that you can also add a small amount to iDeCo even if you have a company DC.

[Dee.Geo]

Just seeing if I get lucky.

Anyone got an English copy of the Rakuten Securities Service Guidebook? If not, a link or a video - anything which gives a full coverage of the topics covered in it?
The Service Guide Book (in Japanese) is a 28 pages PDF which explains the whole process of opening and getting started.

[Dee.Geo]

Finally, I got my accounts started and active. Started with the small steps towards index investing.
Thanks to all the help from the forum and RJ.

Anyone got any recommendations on the Chinese Mutual funds or ETFs, just to have a bit of diversification?

[adamu]

Anyone got an English copy of the Rakuten Securities Service Guidebook? If not, a link or a video - anything which gives a full coverage of the topics covered in it?

Not now, but this is the kind of thing I'd love to have on the wiki. Realistically I don't think it's going to happen out of voluntary contributions though, so we'd need to actually raise funds and hire a translator / curator. Something I have nowhere near enough time to manage right now