Is the ideco worth it in my situation?
Re: Is the ideco worth it in my situation?
Employees of international organizations (primarily UN-affiliated organizations) based in Japan get this no-tax treatment. Some of these organizations have permanent offices here and plenty of staff that fall under this category. They are officially "on mission" as far as their Japanese visa status goes, but unlike diplomats who get rotated in and out of country, they can be permanently stationed in Japan long-term. The no-tax thing can be a bit of a double-edged sword as they are not eligible for many societal benefits, also, depending on their status within the UN, they may or may not be eligible for a pension... but it goes without saying that if you have your shit together the tax savings can go a long way to funding your own retirement.