Changing WHV to Tourist Visa

I have been in Japan for a year, and soon my WHV will expire.
But as i would like to stay in the country for an extra month or two as a a tourist, i understand that i must change my visa.

I have all the papers ready to go to Immigration, but my question is :

How far ahead should i go to immigration to get my visa change?

The thing is that i am still working until my WHV expires on February 25th...and i want my Tourist visa to start from then.
Should i go now to do my demand, or can i go a few days before my WHV expires?

I'm afraid that if i go now, they will cancel my current WHV before it's expiry date....but I am also afraid to be without a Visa if i wait too long.

I know the proceedure to change to a tourist Visa is simple...but how long ahead should i do this?

Since you're "changing" the type of status, not "extending" one, note that you are unlikely to get full three months starting from the day after your current WHV expires. Meaning, if you apply on Feb. 1., and they accept on Feb. 2, you will get a Temporary Visitor Status that's valid until May 2 (not starting from Feb. 26).

When can you quit working? If it's OK you don't have to be able to work until the last day of your WHV, you can apply like ten days or two weeks or so before it expires. You should get the postcard (informing you to come pick up your visa) in several days or so.

actually i am working until the end of my visa which coincide with the end of my visa (last day of work 24 and visa 25)

so its not a problem to wait until a week or two before it expires?
because i am working until the 24...i dont want to loose my working befor then.

It might just be better to call up Immigration to ask - the official website says standard processing time for *any* change in status of residence is 1 - 3 months, so I cannot guarantee that two weeks or so is definitely OK, though once you apply and get "application underway" stamp in your passport you can stay in Japan.

Another thing is that even if you applied two weeks before it expires, provided everything goes smoothly, you will get the postcard telling you to come and pick up your new visa, then when you go pick it up a few days later, the validity of the Temporary Visitor status will start the day when they approved your application and sent out the postcard to you, meaning, in any case it will be before 24th, meaning, stricly speaking you will be working on a Temporary Visitor Status for the last week or so, which is not legal.

thats why i wanted to know if it was possible to ask them to have my temporary visa start on the 26 when i go to immigration...because i know its illegal to work on a temp.visa and i also dont want to be deported.

alright, i guess ill call immigration, which is trouble with my limited japanese and their lack of english (living in a small country side city, the closest immigration center doesnt speak a word english or any other languages for that matter).

Thanks for the insight though, it was useful!