Social Protection

Japan

Extension Social Insurance Coverage in Japan: The Role of the Labour and Social Security Attorney System (Sharoushi)

Extension Social Insurance Coverage in Japan: The Role of the Labour and Social Security Attorney System (Sharoushi)

Labour and Social Security Attorneys, known in Japan as “Sharoushi,” function independently, akin to solicitors, under the supervision of the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare. Their expertise lies in social insurance and labour issues. Japan has a community of 45,000 Sharoushi, and an annual national examination is conducted to recruit new members to this profession. This examination has a notoriously low pass rate of around 5%, marking it as one of the most challenging exams in the country.