Labor minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki said Wednesday his ministry will investigate why around 2 million workers are not members of the employees' pension program despite being eligible.
The individuals are those who, despite being in regular employment, are instead members of the national pension program, known as kokumin nenkin, which is designed to cover the self-employed. Members of kokumin nenkin pay a flat rate of contributions and receive lower benefits than many members of the employees' scheme.
Those involved account for 11 percent of the 18 million members of kokumin nenkin, as of March 2014.