Tourist visa renewal by going to Korea

Hi all,

I am an Aussie on an extended holiday in Japan. I saved a ton of cash and came in December, I've been here nearly three months and would like to stay for Sakura season so I need to get another tourist visa.

In the past I've worked in ski resorts in Hokkaido (that's how I fell in love with the country), that was on a WH visa but I know from friends' experiences that ducking over to Korea for a night or two then coming back is an easy way to get a new tourist visa.

But I have one question: Does my current visa need to be expired when I return to Japan?

Current visa expires on the 16th, however flights are cheap on the 12th/13th. If I return to Japan with three days remaining on my current visa, will they issue a new 90-day visa or does my visa need to expire while I am overseas?

Thanks very much.

Immigration dude will give you the exit stamp when you leave Japan so basically your 'visa'is cancelled (dunno the right wording) and so you may be able to enter and get a new visa for 90 days.

Great, thanks for the info

Immigration does not always let people who "duck into Korea" reenter, because it's very obvious what you are doing. I have heard of people being stopped and questioned. I know one was let in but she was told she'd not be allowed to enter if she ever tried it again. They may be getting stricter, or at least they're doing more to try and discourage people from doing it.

No worries there. I'm not working, nothing dodgy, I saved $30k last year in order to finance a move to Japan... basically I've budgeted to spend six months here meeting people and making connections, hoping that someone will pick me up and offer me a legitimate job. As it happens, that's looking very likely, but I need to stay past the end date of my current visa to build my language skills and spend a bit of time with my potential employer before accepting their offer.

I also want to be here for sakura season so I'm pretty sure that alone will get me through customs.

I was specifically asking about whether my current visa needs to be expired before I return and that has been answered, thanks