NISA Tsumitate Simulator (English)
Project your New NISA Tsumitate-frame growth in English. Enter a monthly yen contribution, expected annual return, and years to invest — see projected final value, total contributed, and tax-free gains with a year-by-year chart.
Last updated: 2026-07-10 · Limits verified against the FSA (金融庁) official NISA site.
Year-by-year compound growth
Saved scenarios
What is NISA Tsumitate
NISA Tsumitate (つみたて投資枠) is the installment investment frame of Japan's Nippon Individual Savings Account — a tax-free investment program run by the Financial Services Agency. Under the New NISA system that launched in January 2024, residents of Japan (including foreigners with a My Number) can invest up to ¥1.2 million per year in eligible low-cost index mutual funds and ETFs, with all capital gains and dividends completely tax-free.
The Tsumitate frame is designed for long-term, dollar-cost-averaged investing. Funds eligible for Tsumitate are pre-vetted by the FSA and limited to broadly diversified, low-fee products — mostly index funds tracking global or developed-market equities. This simulator helps English-speaking residents project how monthly yen contributions compound over decades under realistic return assumptions.
2024 New NISA Rules
The New NISA (新NISA) replaced the old system in January 2024 with far more generous limits. The Tsumitate frame allows ¥1.2 million per year (¥100,000 per month), and the Growth frame (成長投資枠) allows a separate ¥2.4 million per year for individual stocks, ETFs, and actively-managed funds — a combined ¥3.6 million annual limit when both frames are used together. Both frames share a combined lifetime non-taxable holding cap of ¥18 million per person, of which the Growth frame may occupy at most ¥12 million. Unlike the old system, the non-taxable holding period is now indefinite — there is no rollover deadline, and when you sell holdings the used quota is restored the following year at acquisition (book) cost, so it can be reused. Eligibility is any resident of Japan aged 18 or over.
New NISA limits at a glance (FSA)
| Frame | Annual limit | Lifetime holding cap |
|---|---|---|
| Tsumitate frame (つみたて投資枠) | ¥1,200,000 | Shares the ¥18M total |
| Growth frame (成長投資枠) | ¥2,400,000 | ¥12,000,000 sub-cap |
| Combined (both frames) | ¥3,600,000 | ¥18,000,000 total |
Figures are the New NISA limits published by Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA / 金融庁). The lifetime cap counts principal at acquisition cost, not market value; holdings can grow beyond ¥18M and stay tax-free. Holding period is indefinite. Outside a NISA, investment gains in Japan are taxed at roughly 20.315% (15% income tax + 0.315% reconstruction surtax + 5% local tax).
Tsumitate vs Growth Frame
Tsumitate suits beginners and passive investors: automated monthly debits from a bank account, a curated universe of low-fee index funds, and no timing decisions. Growth frame suits investors who want individual Japanese or US stocks, sector ETFs, or higher-risk active funds. Most English-speaking residents start with Tsumitate only — a ¥30,000–¥100,000 monthly auto-debit into an all-country equity index fund through Rakuten Securities or SBI Securities. You can use both frames simultaneously, up to the ¥3.6M combined annual limit and ¥18M lifetime cap.
Tax-Free Until Withdrawal and Beyond
Inside a NISA account, you pay zero tax on dividends, zero tax on capital gains, and zero tax on fund reinvestment. A taxable brokerage account would take roughly 20.315% of your gains. Over 20 years at 5% annual return, a ¥30,000/month investor projects about ¥4.97 million of gains on ¥7.2 million contributed — a taxable account would owe 20.315% on those gains, so NISA keeps roughly ¥1 million more (about ¥1.0–1.3 million depending on whether the tax is modelled as a single exit event or an annual drag). When you withdraw, there is no tax event and no required reporting. Non-permanent residents should confirm their home-country tax treatment, as NISA's tax exemption only covers Japanese tax.
Why Use a NISA Calculator Before You Open an Account
A NISA calculator turns the abstract ¥1.2M/year Tsumitate limit and ¥18M lifetime cap into concrete future numbers you can plan around. Spreadsheets handle compound growth, but they rarely model the New NISA-specific rules — annual cap, lifetime principal cap, and the Tsumitate vs Growth frame split. This simulator applies those constraints automatically, warns when monthly contributions exceed the ¥100,000 cap, and projects year-by-year balance under 3–7% return assumptions. The 2024 New NISA rules and eligible-fund list are maintained by Japan's Financial Services Agency (FSA official NISA portal). For a side-by-side Tsumitate vs Growth frame projection, also try our 2027 NISA Frame Comparison.
Opening a NISA Account as an English Speaker (2026 Broker Steps)
Foreign residents open a Tsumitate NISA at one of two English-friendly online brokers dominant in 2026: Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities. The process takes about 2 weeks:
- Prep documents: valid My Number card OR notification (通知カード) + zairyū card (residence card), a Japanese phone number, and a Japanese bank account (Shinsei, Sony Bank, or Japan Post all accept foreigners).
- Open the taxable brokerage account first — SBI/Rakuten will not let you open NISA without the parent account.
- Add the NISA sub-account — the broker files with the FSA and you cannot open a NISA at another broker in the same calendar year.
- Pick a low-fee all-country index fund — eMAXIS Slim All Country is the market-share leader. Check its current expense ratio on the fund's latest fact sheet before you buy — these fees are cut periodically, so any figure quoted elsewhere may be stale.
- Set the auto-debit — ¥30,000 to ¥100,000/month from your linked bank. First contribution processes ~14 business days after account approval.
Non-permanent residents: check the tax residency box carefully. Leaving Japan permanently triggers mandatory NISA account closure — plan your investment horizon accordingly.
Sources
- Financial Services Agency (FSA / 金融庁) — Official NISA site, New NISA overview (limits, indefinite holding period, quota restoration, age): fsa.go.jp/policy/nisa2/about/index.html
- Financial Services Agency (FSA / 金融庁) — NISA portal (eligible funds, program details): fsa.go.jp/policy/nisa2/
Regulated figures on this page were verified against the FSA sources above on 2026-07-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can foreigners use NISA in Japan?
Yes. Any resident of Japan with a My Number (マイナンバー) can open a NISA account, regardless of nationality. You must have a Japanese brokerage account — Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities both offer English-friendly onboarding. If you leave Japan, you typically have to close the NISA account, so it is best suited for long-term residents.
What is the monthly Tsumitate cap?
The Tsumitate frame allows ¥1.2 million per year, which works out to ¥100,000 per month if you contribute every month. You can contribute less, or make lump contributions, as long as the annual total stays at or below ¥1.2M. This simulator caps the monthly input at ¥100,000 to match the legal limit.
What is the ¥18 million lifetime cap?
Under the New NISA system, the total principal you can ever hold tax-free across both Tsumitate and Growth frames combined is ¥18 million. The ¥18M refers to the principal contributed, not the current value — if your portfolio grows to ¥30M, all of it remains tax-free. If you sell principal, the limit frees up the following calendar year for new contributions.
Is 5% a realistic return assumption?
Most financial planners in Japan use 3–5% as a conservative long-term assumption for a globally diversified equity fund like eMAXIS Slim All Country. The MSCI ACWI has averaged around 8% nominal historically in yen terms, but future returns are not guaranteed. Run this simulator with 3%, 5%, and 7% to see the range of plausible outcomes.
Is this simulator a substitute for financial advice?
No. This tool provides mathematical projections only and is not financial, tax, or investment advice. Actual returns will vary, fees and currency movements matter, and tax treatment depends on your residency status. Consult the FSA website (fsa.go.jp), your brokerage, or a licensed Japanese financial planner before opening a NISA account.
How is a NISA calculator different from a generic compound interest tool?
A generic compound interest calculator just projects future value from a rate and term. A NISA calculator additionally enforces Japan-specific rules — the ¥100,000/month Tsumitate cap, the ¥1.2M annual limit, the ¥18M lifetime principal cap, and the tax-free treatment of dividends and capital gains. This means the projected balance reflects what you can legally hold tax-free under the 2024 New NISA system, not just raw compound math.
What inputs does this NISA calculator need?
Three inputs: your monthly yen contribution (¥1,000–¥100,000), an expected annual return percentage (most planners use 3–5% conservatively), and the number of years you plan to invest (1–50). The tool returns final value, total contributed principal, tax-free gains, a year-by-year compound chart, and a Growth-frame comparison. All calculations run in your browser — no account creation, no data sent to any server.
Which broker is best for a foreigner to open a Tsumitate NISA in 2026?
Rakuten Securities and SBI Securities dominate the 2026 English-friendly broker market for foreign residents. Both accept the zairyū card + My Number combination, both offer eMAXIS Slim All Country as the flagship low-fee fund (check its current expense ratio on the fund fact sheet, as these fees are cut periodically), and both support monthly auto-debit from major Japanese banks (Shinsei, Sony Bank, Japan Post). SBI has slightly better US-stock coverage; Rakuten has cleaner English UI. You can only open one NISA per calendar year — choose carefully.
What happens to my NISA account if I leave Japan permanently?
Leaving Japan permanently triggers mandatory NISA account closure. Under FSA rules, only Japanese tax residents can hold a NISA — once you file your final tax return and hand back your zairyū card, the broker converts the NISA to a taxable brokerage account and Japanese capital-gains tax (~20.315%) applies to future dividends and gains. Sell OR transfer to a taxable account is the choice at exit. Non-permanent residents should factor this into the investment horizon.