Short stay as a visitor
Most visitors need a visa from a Japanese diplomatic mission unless they are citizens of a visa-exempt country or transit within 72 hours. Citizens of many countries and territories may enter without a visa for short periods; some exemptions carry conditions, such as registering the passport for visa waiver online or at a Japanese diplomatic mission (valid three years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first), holding a biometric or machine-readable passport, or holding a Taiwan passport that includes a personal identification number.
The status of residence "短期滞在" (Temporary Visitor) covers sightseeing, rest, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, lectures or meetings, and business contact. The period of stay is 90, 30 or 15 days, or a period the Minister of Justice designates per person within 90 days.
Citizens of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland and the United Kingdom may apply for an extension of stay, up to a maximum of 6 months, at the Ministry of Justice.
Working in Japan
If you are thinking about working here rather than just visiting, most employment rests on a status of residence granted by the Ministry of Justice. The main work categories include Highly Skilled Professional, Business Manager, Legal/Accounting Services, Medical Services, Researcher, Instructor, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-company Transferee, Nursing Care, Entertainer, Skilled Labour, Specified Skilled Worker and Technical Intern Training.
Each status defines the activities you may perform. Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, for example, covers work requiring science, engineering or other natural-science knowledge, law, economics, sociology or other humanities knowledge, or thinking and sensitivity based on a foreign culture. Intra-company Transferee covers employees of an overseas office of an organisation with a head office, branch or other office here who transfer to a Japanese office for a fixed period.
Periods of stay vary by status: Highly Skilled Professional (1) is five years, while many categories allow five, three, one or three months.
Remote work from Japan
If you plan to keep working remotely for an overseas employer while in Japan, the status of residence of "Designated Activities (for Digital Nomad)" covers international remote work for a stay of up to six months. It applies to work under an employment contract with a corporation or other foreign organisation, or to providing services or selling goods to people located outside Japan using information and communication technology. Activities that cannot be provided or sold without entering Japan are excluded, and working under a contract with a Japanese public or private organisation is not permitted.
The period of stay is six months, with no extension. After exceeding six months you must wait six months to reapply for the same status, and no residence card is issued.
Applicants must be nationals or citizens of countries or regions covered by Japan's visa exemption arrangements (Temporary Visitor) and subject to Japan's Tax Conventions, and must have an annual income of at least 10 million yen at the time of application. Private medical travel insurance covering death, injury and illness during the stay is required, with compensation for treatment of injury and illness of 10 million yen or more.
A spouse or child accompanying the digital nomad may hold "Designated Activities (for spouse or child of Digital Nomad)" for the same six months, with no extension. They must be nationals or citizens of countries or regions under the visa exemption arrangements (Temporary Visitor) and hold the same private medical travel insurance, with compensation of 10 million yen or more.
Permanent residence
Permanent residence in Japan is granted under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, through a change to the "Permanent Resident" status of residence. Applicants normally need good conduct, sufficient assets or skills for an independent livelihood, and a permanent residence that benefits Japan — in principle ten years of continuous residence, including five years under a work or residence status (excluding "Technical Intern Training" and "Specified Skilled Worker (i)".
Shorter paths exist. Spouses of Japanese nationals, permanent residents or special permanent residents need three years of substantive married life and one year of continuous residence; their biological children need one year. "Long-Term Resident" status holders need five years. Recognised refugees and complementary protection beneficiaries need five years after recognition. High-skilled professionals need three years at 70 points or one year at 80 points; "Special Highly Skilled Professionals" need one year.
The fee is ¥200,000, though applications accepted by 30 September 2026 pay ¥10,000, and some applicants pay ¥20,000. Standard processing takes four to six months.
Before you decide
A visit is the time to look at neighbourhoods, prices, healthcare and daily life in Japan for yourself. Immigration rules change often and depend on your nationality. This page is general information drawn from the official pages listed under its sources, not legal advice: confirm your own case with the authority named above, or with the country's embassy or consulate, before you decide.