How can I stay in Japan?

Entering Japan with tourist visa, and working in exchange of free accommodation constitutes working illegally.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/12/national/crime-legal/hokka...

Thanks AK for posting the article.
The information confirmed what I said was correct.
I did double checked my posting directly with Japanese Embassy locally as I believe the OP needed solid fact rather than "fictitious opinion".

Entering Japan with tourist visa, and working in exchange of free accommodation constitutes working illegally.
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/10/12/national/crime-legal/hokka...

Thanks AK for posting the article.
The information confirmed what I said was correct.
I did double check my posting directly with Japanese Embassy locally as I believe the OP needed solid fact rather than "fictitious opinion".

Now I'm really confused about what is considered work (even though unpaid) or volunteering. How is this different from WWOOFing ? They clearly state on their website that 'Temporary Visitors Visa' can be used to participate in WWOOF in Japan (see http://www.wwoofjapan.com/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=artic... )
So I really can't see where the difference lies between cleaning hostel rooms or working in a farm.

From Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan:
" We advise you to contact the Consular Section of the Embassy or Consulate General of Japan nearest you for more information and advice"

http://www.mofa.go.jp/j_info/visit/visa/index.html

Just found this, I'd be flabbergasted if you would still consider the WWOOF.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WWOOF/comments/3f9d7x/my_mostly_bad_experienc...

I will call the Japanese embassy in Belgium on monday morning and see if they can give me a clearer understanding of what volunteering activites are legal or considered as working illegally

@Shinji: I found that reddit thread while looking for information about workaway in Japan some time ago, I don't want to use WWOOF but it did not make me change my mind about workaway at all. (which is basically the same concept)
I am aware that there will always be some people who exploit volunteers and only see them as cheap labor force but I think that this guy was very unfortunate and/or not careful enough.
Note that others wrote in the comment section about their great experiences in all the places where they volunteered in Japan, that all their hosts were very friendly and caring.

Being allowed to work for accommodation won't solve your biggest problem, though: how you can stay in Japan for a full year. Once you return again after two 90 day visas, Immigration is going to get suspicious. They'll likely ask for some evidence of savings, which you won't have since you'll be working in exchange for accommodation.

Given that people have recently been arrested for working for accommodation, I wouldn't risk it. There could well be more investigations into this, and many hostel owners may not allow it in case they get inspected.

So I really can't see where the difference lies between cleaning hostel rooms or working in a farm.

You would have to inquire with immigration, but I suspect that it is because wwoofing may be considered a volunteer exchange program where the participants are donating their labor rather than exchanging it directly for room and board. That might not seem like a very distinct difference, but small things like that make a difference from an immigration standpoint.

this is my opinion:

ＷＷＯＯＦとは、お金のやりとりなしで、「食事・宿泊場所」と「力」そして「知識・経験」を交換するしくみです。
ACCORDING to their webpage, it looks like it is illegal at least in Japan.
they misunderstand the law.
EXCHANGEing (交換) your something to other things ( money and/or non-money) is a trade. a trade of your labor is "WORK".
they should not use the word, 交換.
"volunteering" is not a work. generally no EXPECTATION of a return. (there is no 交換. it is one way.)
the webpage should be revised, if the program is "volunteering,奉仕 or experience,体験".

my advise is "do not go the places, where the organizers or owners don't know the laws clearly, like WWOOF Japan."

also, this system is too risky for participants.
WWOOF does not provide any insurance for emergencies, like getting hurt in the program.
according to their opinion, it is not a work. thus, Labor insurance is not applied. if a participant gets severe physical damage, like losing a finger by accident, only a participant is responsible for the result.
since participants are in temporary status, the national health insurance does not cover.

I contacted the consular section of the local embassy of Japan, asking if engaging in non-paid volunteering activities was legal on a temporary stay without visa and they told me that it was totally fine. I even explained that I wanted to stay in a guest house in exchange of a few hours of cleaning per day and I was told that there was no problem since there's no salary/income.
The fact that the arrest in the Hokkaido guest house happened is still an issue and makes me a bit uncomfortable. Maybe there was something fishy going on with the owners, who knows.

@/; I'm thinking about applying for a language school for 6 months (from April to September) so that I can stay on a student visa. It's a bit expensive but it seems to be the only way. So I would do workaway for less than 4 months, maybe just 1x90 days before starting the language school.

I contacted the consular section of the local embassy of Japan, asking if engaging in non-paid volunteering activities was legal on a temporary stay without visa and they told me that it was totally fine. I even explained that I wanted to stay in a guest house in exchange of a few hours of cleaning per day and I was told that there was no problem since there's no salary/income.

This is a real surprise as the advice from my
Japanese embassy was completely on the contrary.

I contacted the consular section of the local embassy of Japan, asking if engaging in non-paid volunteering activities was legal on a temporary stay without visa and they told me that it was totally fine. I even explained that I wanted to stay in a guest house in exchange of a few hours of cleaning per day and I was told that there was no problem since there's no salary/income.

Emailed the above quote to a Consulate-General of Japan locally , and here is the reply:

It is illegal. Please refer to the link below that the tourists were arrested.
http://www.asahi.com/articles/ASJBC5W6YJBCIIPE02G.html

Regards,
Visa section
在メルボルン日本国総領事館

I have a feeling that one consulate may have said OK hearing it's "volunteer work." At times the way the word (or the katakana rendition of it) is used in Japanese means for goodwill, good cause work, charitable work, such as disaster relief or helping with the seniors, etc., something charitable for the community.

But the way WWOOF works (only as far as I know, though. I've heard of slave labor) and the way the guesthouse works are simply replacing what "should be paid work" with free labor (or labor in exchange of service), done by people who are "voluntarily" doing it for the benefit they get, knowing they get something in exchange, in that sense it is "volunteer" work in the English sense, but not for "charitable cause" as implied by the way the word "volunteer" is used in Japanese. That may be the ditinction. (I actually have some doubt about some of the WWOOF programs.)

WWOOF and some "skilled labor" work system all come down to the same disrespect that the Japanese government (and some employers) have for "foreign laborers," without thinking that it is people they are dealing with, not just labor.

I know that "in kind" payment is considered part of salary/wages in general practice, so working for accommodation, I believe, still constitute paid work.

I hope you do find some good alternatives for coming to Japan, and for one thing the study option sounds good.

it seems that staffs in Australian Embassy of Japan are wiser than those in the Belgium.
Law interpretation is not steady. that "voluntary" work was OK. then some bad persons used the rule to make foreigners work with very CHEAP or NO payment.
Police arrested the head of the guesthouse company, in addition to the manager.
the border of "voluntary" and "not voluntary" is now uncertain.
in Japan, there is an argument that internship might be illegal.

A little update: I submitted the forms and documents for the application at a language school in Tokyo, currently waiting on the approval for the Certificate of Eligibility. I plan on staying for 90 days without visa before the student visa kicks in in April.
I am trying to know whether it is possible or not to change my status of residence without leaving the country. (from temporary visitor to student status).
I've read that all I have to do is to go to the local immigration office and ask for a change of status of residence, submit a few forms, get a stamp in my passport and then I'll be allowed to stay in the country and start going to classes while waiting for my status to be officially changed, even if the 90 days of "visitor" status run out during the process. However, I was told at the embassy of Japan in Belgium that it would be impossible to get a student visa without leaving the country because the student visa can only be obtained in an embassy outside of Japan. I guess that the difference is that changing the status of residence without leaving the country doesn't involve any visa ?

I agree it,20 hours per week is allowed within 28 hours of a special part-time work permit, but still a considerable amount of work.