[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 40, Number 47 (Monday, November 22, 2004)]
[Page 2834]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Transmitting the Japan-United States Social 
Security Agreement

November 17, 2004

To the Congress of the United States:

    Pursuant to section 233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, as amended 
by the Social Security Amendments of 1977 (Public Law 95-216, 42 U.S.C. 
433(e)(1)), I transmit herewith the Agreement between the United States 
of America and Japan on Social Security, which consists of two separate 
instruments: a principal agreement and an administrative arrangement. 
The Agreement was signed at Washington on February 19, 2004.
    The United States-Japan Agreement is similar in objective to the 
social security agreements already in force with Australia, Austria, 
Belgium, Canada, Chile, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, 
Italy, Korea, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, 
Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. Such bilateral agreements 
provide for limited coordination between the United States and foreign 
social security systems to eliminate dual social security coverage and 
taxation, and to help prevent the lost benefit protection that can occur 
when workers divide their careers between two countries. The United 
States-Japan Agreement contains all provisions mandated by section 233 
and other provisions which I deem appropriate to carry out the purposes 
of section 233, pursuant to section 233(c)(4).
    I also transmit for the information of the Congress a report 
prepared by the Social Security Administration explaining the key points 
of the Agreement, along with a paragraph-by-paragraph explanation of the 
provisions of the principal agreement and the related administrative 
arrangement. Annexed to this report is the report required by section 
233(e)(1) of the Social Security Act, a report on the effect of the 
Agreement on income and expenditures of the United States Social 
Security program and the number of individuals affected by the 
Agreement.
    The Department of State and the Social Security Administration have 
recommended the Agreement and related documents to me.
    I commend to the Congress the United States-Japan Social Security 
Agreement and related documents.
                                                George W. Bush
 The White House,
 November 17, 2004.