In 2021, I wrote about what it feels like to work in Japan for a year. Two years have passed since then, and recently, there's been an increase in people moving to Japan, with readers expressing interest in hearing more about my experiences in Japan. So, I'll write again, focusing on how to move to Japan, reasons that might make you reconsider moving to Japan, and some tips for daily life including opening bank accounts, handling phone services, utilities, renting a place, etc. For topics not covered here, feel free to join my Telegram channel to discuss.

How to Move to Japan

Japan is not an immigration country, meaning the barrier to immigration is not particularly high. There are many ways to move and stay in Japan for several years, such as starting a business, working, studying, etc. You can see a list of visa statuses for foreigners staying in Japan and how long they can stay on this webpage.

Common methods of moving to Japan that I know people have used include: "Business/Manager," "Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services," "Student," "Family Stay," and "Highly Skilled Professional." I'll introduce their differences and selection methods.

Disclaimer: I am not a professional and do not provide immigration consulting services. I can make introductions but cannot endorse any service. Immigration is a significant decision; please consider it carefully.

Business/Manager

As the name suggests, this visa status is for starting a business in Japan. It's suitable for those who can genuinely operate a business in Japan, not just a shell company—because the immigration office will review the business's operation to decide on visa renewal. Many Japanese immigration agencies recommend this path, such as starting a company to run a guesthouse in Japan.

However, if you lack the ability to profitably run a company, it's best not to choose this path. This visa is genuinely for starting a business, and success is required to stay; failure might lead to additional costs to achieve immigration effects.

Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services

IT professionals working in Japanese companies are likely to obtain this residency status, equivalent to a work visa. Thus, if you lose your job, the visa will expire after a certain period.

Maintaining employment in Japan is a good choice.

Highly Skilled Professional

This is a special work visa requiring two conditions: the company must meet certain qualifications, and the employee must score sufficiently high on an evaluation system, which can be referred to here. Points are awarded based on several factors, including educational background, work experience, income level, age, and Japanese language proficiency.

For example, a programmer with an annual income of 8 million yen, a master's degree, self-taught N2 level Japanese, 9 years of programming experience, and aged 35 could score about 75 points, meeting the conditions for this status.

Changing to "Permanent Resident" Status

Permanent residency in Japan, similar to a green card in other countries, requires foreigners to have lived in Japan legally and continuously for at least 10 years. This shows that Japan is not an immigration country, as the requirements for permanent residency are quite strict.

However, exceptions exist for Highly Skilled Professionals.

Specifically, for those scoring over 70 points, the waiting period for applying for permanent residency is reduced to 3 years; for those over 80 points, it's reduced to 1 year. This is currently the fastest way to obtain permanent residency in Japan.

I believe working or starting a business are feasible options for staying in Japan low-cost—of course, each has its conditions and limitations. If you aim for permanent residency as quickly as possible, being a Highly Skilled Professional is excellent, but it requires meeting specific conditions and gaining recognition from a Japanese company. This depends on individual circumstances.

Reasons to Reconsider Moving to Japan

Having covered how to move to Japan, don't rush to contact an agency. Immigration comes with a cost, differing by country. Japan is no exception. Next, I'll discuss the most significant factors that might deter you from choosing to immigrate to Japan.