Living in Japan: Expat Guides
Visas, residency, insurance, and the bureaucracy nobody explains clearly — written from years of actually navigating it, not just researching it.
Visas & Immigration
Moving to Japan: Everything You Need to Know
The complete guide to moving to Japan as a foreigner — visas, the Certificate of Eligibility, what to do before you fly, and the first 30 days after you land.
Specified Skilled Worker Visa Explained
How Japan's two-tier Specified Skilled Worker (tokutei ginou) visa actually works — sectors covered, family rules, and the path to permanent residency.
Permanent Residency in Japan: 2026 Changes
What permanent residency in Japan actually requires, and the February 2026 guideline revision that tightened payment and residence-period rules.
Intra-Company Transferee Visa Explained
How Japan's Intra-Company Transferee visa actually works — qualifying transfers, the relaxed education requirement, and where it differs from 技人国.
Highly Skilled Professional Visa Explained
How Japan's points-based Highly Skilled Professional visa works, and how 70 or 80 points can fast-track permanent residency to 3 or 1 years.
Spouse Visa & Family Stay in Japan
How Japan's Spouse of Japanese National and Family Stay visas actually differ — work rights, sham-marriage risk, and the PR fast-track for spouses.
Student Visa Work Rules: The 28-Hour Limit
How Japan's student visa work permission actually works — the 28-hour rolling limit, off-limits jobs, and what happens if you go over.
Bureaucracy & Insurance
My Number Card & Residence Card Renewal Trap
Renewing your residence card doesn't automatically extend your My Number Card. Here's the sequencing trap that catches foreign residents off guard.
The Hoken Trap: Insurance Gaps & Visa Risk
Falling behind on Japan's mandatory hoken insurance can put years of clean residency at risk come renewal. What's required and where the risk really sits.
Which Hoken Applies to You? Checker
Japan's insurance enrollment rules branch by employment type, hours, company size, and income. Answer a few questions to see which hoken you must pay into.
Japan NHI Health Insurance Explained
Every foreign resident in Japan must have health insurance. Here's how National Health Insurance (NHI) works, what it costs, and how to enroll.
Work & Living
Finding Work in Japan as a Foreigner
How residence status actually constrains the jobs you can take in Japan, the 2026 visa changes to know about, and where to actually look for work.
How to Write a Japanese Resume (Rirekisho)
A practical walkthrough of the rirekisho and shokumu keirekisho — the exact format, what each section expects, and example phrases you can adapt.
Renting an Apartment in Japan as a Foreigner
How to find and secure an apartment in Japan as a foreign resident — the guarantor system, key money, property management companies, and what actually works.
More Guides
Are Japanese Schools Safe? Bullying, Pressure & What Parents Need to Know
An honest look at safety in Japanese schools for foreign children — physical safety, bullying data, conformity pressure, and what the research actually shows.
Changing from Dependent Visa to Gijinkoku in Japan: Complete 2026 Guide
The full process for changing from a Dependent visa to Gijinkoku in Japan — documents by company category, the 2026 N2 rule, and common denial reasons.
COE Expiring Before Your Visa Is Issued: What to Do
What to do if your Certificate of Eligibility expires before your Japan visa is issued — the sponsor's letter mechanism, immediate steps, and what happens next.
Convert Foreign Driving Licence Japan: 2026 Rules
Convert foreign driving licence Japan: check the 2025 reform, 50-question test, exemption countries, three-month rule and documents for 2026.
Cost of Living in Japan: Monthly Budget Guide
A city-by-city, tier-by-tier breakdown of monthly living costs in Japan for 2026 — rent, food, transport, utilities, and the move-in costs most guides skip.
Daycare & Preschool in Japan: Hoikuen vs Youchien Guide
Hoikuen vs youchien explained — eligibility, costs, the waiting-list problem, and how foreign families actually apply for daycare and preschool in Japan.
Education in Japan for Expat Families: A Complete Guide
A complete overview of educating children in Japan as a foreign family — the school system, local vs international schools, and how to decide what's right.
Furusato Nozei for Foreigners: Limits and 2026 Steps
Furusato nozei for foreigners depends on tax, not passport. Estimate your 2026 limit, choose One-Stop or a return, and plan for leaving Japan.
Hoikuen Application 2027 Tokyo Deadlines: All 23 Wards
Hoikuen application 2027 Tokyo deadlines for all 23 wards, with official ward links, submission-method differences and unpublished dates clearly marked.
Homeschooling & Unschooling in Japan: A Guide for Foreign Families
The legal reality of homeschooling and unschooling in Japan — what foreign-national children aren't bound by, and what dual nationals need to know.
How Long Does a COE for Japanese Language School Take?
How long does a COE for Japanese language school take? See ISA's one-to-three-month standard, school filing dates, visa steps and delays.
How to Check If a Japanese Language School Is Certified
How to check if a Japanese language school is certified: use MEXT's live register, the March 2029 transition rule, and the course record.
How to Go from Japanese Language School to University: Tests and Visa Steps
How to go from Japanese language school to university: plan EJU and JLPT, compare actual admission rules, and handle Student status after acceptance.
How to Open a Bank Account in Japan as a Foreigner
How to open a bank account in Japan as a foreigner: compare the six-month rule, Japan Post, MUFG and online banks, plus ID and phone requirements.
How to Send Money from Japan Overseas: Fees and Rules
How to send money from Japan overseas: compare bank, Wise and Japan Post fees, My Number checks, the ¥1 million reporting rule and tax receipts.
International Schools in Japan: Fees, Curricula & Admissions
What international schools in Japan actually cost, how IB, A-Levels, AP and bilingual curricula differ, and the legal details families miss.
Japan Defence Income Tax 2027: Why the Surcharge Stays 2.1%
Japan defence income tax 2027 adds a 1% levy but cuts reconstruction tax to 1.1%. See the unchanged combined surcharge and payslip example.
Japan Ikusei Shuro 2027: Who Switches From Technical Intern Training?
Japan ikusei shuro 2027 begins on 1 April. See who stays under technical intern rules, the June transition limit, transfers and the skills pathway.
Japan Pension Refund for Foreigners: Lump-Sum Guide
Japan pension refund for foreigners: check the 60-month cap, 2026 payout tables, 20.42% tax, two-year deadline and lost pension rights.
Japan Pension System for Foreigners: Must You Join?
Japan pension system for foreigners: see who must enrol, which scheme covers workers and students, how exemptions work and why unpaid months affect PR.
Japan Permanent Residency Changes April 2027: Two Rules
Japan permanent residency changes April 2027: see the three-year permit transition, new revocation grounds, safeguards and what to check now.
Japan Social Insurance Rates 2026: Decode Your Payslip
Japan social insurance rates 2026: check health, pension, employment and nursing-care deductions plus the new child-support levy in a worked payslip.
Japan Visa Fees Set to Rise Sharply From October 2026: What You Need to Know
The Immigration Services Agency's June 2026 proposal would raise visa renewal fees and increase the PR application fee 200-fold from October 2026.
Japanese Language School April 2027 Intake Deadline: 27 Schools
Japanese language school April 2027 intake deadlines: compare 27 MEXT-certified schools, dated sources, and the application-to-visa timeline.
Japanese Language School Cost per Year: 2027 Fees and Real Budgets
Japanese language school cost per year: compare published 2027 school fees, living costs and sponsor proof, with worked one- and two-year budgets.
Japanese Language School Requirements for Foreigners: 2026 A1 Rule
Japanese language school requirements for foreigners: check the October 2026 A1 evidence rule, schooling, sponsor documents and school-specific gates.
JASSO Scholarship for International Students: Language School and EJU Rules
JASSO scholarship for international students: ¥30,000 for eligible language-school students, ¥48,000 for degree students, plus EJU dates and fees.
Kakutei Shinkoku: Japan's Tax Return Guide for Foreign Residents
Who actually needs to file Japan's annual tax return, the non-permanent resident tax category most foreigners are in, and the overseas income rules.
Local Japanese Public Schools for Foreign Children: A Practical Guide
A practical guide to enrolling foreign children in Japanese public schools — process, language support, daily life, and integration by age.
MEXT Scholarship Eligibility and Application: 2027 Category Rules
MEXT scholarship eligibility and application for 2027: compare category age, schooling, stipends, embassy timing and fields on the official form.
Nenmatsu Chosei Year End Adjustment: 2026 Forms
Nenmatsu chosei year end adjustment in 2026: identify each form, claim overseas dependants correctly, and check the tax change and later notice.
Religious & Specialized Schools in Japan for Foreign Families
A guide to Islamic, Christian, and ethnic schools in Japan, plus how local public schools accommodate Muslim children — prayer, halal food, and dietary needs.
Residence Tax in Japan: What Foreign Residents Need to Know
How residence tax (juuminzei) works in Japan, why the billing cycle confuses newcomers, and why your declared income now matters for visa renewals.
Scholarships for International Students in Japan: 36 Sourced Awards
Scholarships for international students in Japan: compare 36 awards by amount, eligibility, deadline window and application route, with dated source links.
School Costs in Japan: Public, Private & International Compared
A side-by-side cost comparison of public, private, and international schooling in Japan — annual fees, move-in costs, juku, and the support most families miss.
Sole Proprietor & Freelance in Japan as a Foreigner: The Complete Guide
The visa rules, tax registration mechanics, and blue form advantage foreign sole proprietors and freelancers in Japan need to know before they start.