Why Do Consultations Increase in May, But Support Doesn't? A 4-Year Data Analysis Reveals a 'Behavioral Gap' in Disability Pensions for Depression
National Disability Pension Partners' 4-year data analysis reveals that while disability pension consultations for depression increase by up to 17.5% in May-June, the support rate decreases by approximately 28%. This discrepancy is attributed to the differing stages of consultants, prompting the firm to strengthen information provision.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: May 7, 2026 at 20:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 7, 2026 at 11:31
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 7, 2026 at 11:55 (23 min after Collected)
National Disability Pension Partners (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, Representative: Takeshi Miyazato), a social insurance labor consultant firm specializing in disability pension application support for depression, analyzed its own data spanning four years (2022-2025) and approximately 90,000 cases to investigate the relationship between 'May sickness' and the number of disability pension consultations and support cases for depression.
The results showed that while the number of consultations (free assessment requests) in May-June increased by up to 17.5% compared to April, the support rate (※) during the same period decreased by approximately 28%, from 3.15% in April to 2.27% in June.
■ Is there a correlation between the timing of May sickness and the number of consultations and support cases?
Every year, May-June is known as the period of 'May sickness,' when new employees and those returning to work often struggle to adapt to environmental changes, leading to mental health issues becoming apparent.
At our firm's consultation desk, we have the impression that inquiries increase during this period, but we had not quantified 'how much' consultations and support cases actually increase from a quantitative perspective.
Therefore, we re-analyzed our firm's four years of monthly data. The results, contrary to our expectations, revealed that 'the number of consultations increased, while the number of support cases decreased,' and we did not observe a relationship where 'the number of support cases increases during the May sickness period.'
■ Facts in detail, seen through three data points
Below, we present three data points analyzing the number of consultations and support cases for April, May, and June over the past four years.
1. The number of consultations (free assessment requests) concentrates and increases in May-June
■ Number of consultations from April to June (4-year monthly average)
April: 1,183 cases
May: 1,310 cases (10.7% increase compared to April)
June: 1,391 cases (17.5% increase compared to April)
The increase in May-June showed a similar trend throughout the four years from 2022-2025, suggesting that May-June is the 'month when people start researching the disability pension system.'
2. A tendency for the number of support cases to decrease is observed
■ Number of support cases from April to June (4-year monthly average)
April: 35.5 cases
May: 35.5 cases (±0% compared to April)
June: 31.8 cases (10.6% decrease compared to April)
While the number of consultations increased, the number of support cases did not, and the support rate (※) decreased from 3.15% in April to 2.27% in June, a relative decrease of approximately 28% compared to April.
3. The trend of 'increased consultations, decreased support' is consistent regardless of the year
Even looking at the eight years from 2018-2025, the number of years where June's support cases exceeded May's and where they fell below were both four years, and the absolute number of support cases varied by year. However, the asymmetric trend of 'consultations increasing while support decreases' has been consistent throughout this analysis.
■ Why do 'consultations increase but support does not'?
Our firm believes that the background to these analysis results lies in 'differences in the consultants' conditions.'
First, many of those who inquire in April are already in the preparation stage for a disability pension application, having already taken leave or received medical attention. On the other hand, many of the consultants who rapidly increase in May-June are in the stage where discomfort has just surfaced due to environmental changes in April, meaning they are 'in an information-gathering phase, unable to articulate their own condition.' Our firm's view is that these individuals account for a large portion of the increase in consultations in May-June.
From this, the 'increase in consultations' in May-June does not equate to an 'increase in support cases'; rather, it is merely the starting point of a process that will take several months.
■ Comment from Takeshi Miyazato, Representative of National Disability Pension Partners, a social insurance labor consultant firm
As a result of analyzing this data, we observed an asymmetric relationship where the number of consultations increases but the actual number of support cases decreases. This also aligns with the image of consultants we see on the ground.
Many of those who inquire in May-June are not so much 'unable to act' as they are 'still in the stage of being unable to judge' whether their condition can be called 'depression,' whether they should take time off, or whether they are eligible for a disability pension.
A further problem is that a certain number of people continue to endure without knowing the system. The Japan Pension Service also advises that 'delayed claims will delay the start of benefit receipt,' and delays in accessing information lead to practical disadvantages.
Disability pension is a system for those unable to work to recuperate with peace of mind. Rather than waiting until one is completely unable to move before starting to act, knowing about the system at the stage of uncertainty will certainly broaden one's options.
Based on the results of this analysis, our company positions May-June not as 'a month when support increases' but as 'a month when pre-judgment consultations become apparent,' and we will strengthen free assessments and information provision for those who continue to endure without knowing the system.
■ Survey Overview
Survey Subject: National Disability Pension Partners, a social insurance labor consultant firm
Target Period: January 2022 - December 2025
Target Data: Number of consultation requests (free assessment requests), support cases
The results showed that while the number of consultations (free assessment requests) in May-June increased by up to 17.5% compared to April, the support rate (※) during the same period decreased by approximately 28%, from 3.15% in April to 2.27% in June.
■ Is there a correlation between the timing of May sickness and the number of consultations and support cases?
Every year, May-June is known as the period of 'May sickness,' when new employees and those returning to work often struggle to adapt to environmental changes, leading to mental health issues becoming apparent.
At our firm's consultation desk, we have the impression that inquiries increase during this period, but we had not quantified 'how much' consultations and support cases actually increase from a quantitative perspective.
Therefore, we re-analyzed our firm's four years of monthly data. The results, contrary to our expectations, revealed that 'the number of consultations increased, while the number of support cases decreased,' and we did not observe a relationship where 'the number of support cases increases during the May sickness period.'
■ Facts in detail, seen through three data points
Below, we present three data points analyzing the number of consultations and support cases for April, May, and June over the past four years.
1. The number of consultations (free assessment requests) concentrates and increases in May-June
■ Number of consultations from April to June (4-year monthly average)
April: 1,183 cases
May: 1,310 cases (10.7% increase compared to April)
June: 1,391 cases (17.5% increase compared to April)
The increase in May-June showed a similar trend throughout the four years from 2022-2025, suggesting that May-June is the 'month when people start researching the disability pension system.'
2. A tendency for the number of support cases to decrease is observed
■ Number of support cases from April to June (4-year monthly average)
April: 35.5 cases
May: 35.5 cases (±0% compared to April)
June: 31.8 cases (10.6% decrease compared to April)
While the number of consultations increased, the number of support cases did not, and the support rate (※) decreased from 3.15% in April to 2.27% in June, a relative decrease of approximately 28% compared to April.
3. The trend of 'increased consultations, decreased support' is consistent regardless of the year
Even looking at the eight years from 2018-2025, the number of years where June's support cases exceeded May's and where they fell below were both four years, and the absolute number of support cases varied by year. However, the asymmetric trend of 'consultations increasing while support decreases' has been consistent throughout this analysis.
■ Why do 'consultations increase but support does not'?
Our firm believes that the background to these analysis results lies in 'differences in the consultants' conditions.'
First, many of those who inquire in April are already in the preparation stage for a disability pension application, having already taken leave or received medical attention. On the other hand, many of the consultants who rapidly increase in May-June are in the stage where discomfort has just surfaced due to environmental changes in April, meaning they are 'in an information-gathering phase, unable to articulate their own condition.' Our firm's view is that these individuals account for a large portion of the increase in consultations in May-June.
From this, the 'increase in consultations' in May-June does not equate to an 'increase in support cases'; rather, it is merely the starting point of a process that will take several months.
■ Comment from Takeshi Miyazato, Representative of National Disability Pension Partners, a social insurance labor consultant firm
As a result of analyzing this data, we observed an asymmetric relationship where the number of consultations increases but the actual number of support cases decreases. This also aligns with the image of consultants we see on the ground.
Many of those who inquire in May-June are not so much 'unable to act' as they are 'still in the stage of being unable to judge' whether their condition can be called 'depression,' whether they should take time off, or whether they are eligible for a disability pension.
A further problem is that a certain number of people continue to endure without knowing the system. The Japan Pension Service also advises that 'delayed claims will delay the start of benefit receipt,' and delays in accessing information lead to practical disadvantages.
Disability pension is a system for those unable to work to recuperate with peace of mind. Rather than waiting until one is completely unable to move before starting to act, knowing about the system at the stage of uncertainty will certainly broaden one's options.
Based on the results of this analysis, our company positions May-June not as 'a month when support increases' but as 'a month when pre-judgment consultations become apparent,' and we will strengthen free assessments and information provision for those who continue to endure without knowing the system.
■ Survey Overview
Survey Subject: National Disability Pension Partners, a social insurance labor consultant firm
Target Period: January 2022 - December 2025
Target Data: Number of consultation requests (free assessment requests), support cases