without an address in Japan

Hi, I'm an American living in Japan with PR status. I'll be traveling back to the States and elsewhere for a year or maybe longer. During this time, I'll be coming back to Japan occasionally, so I plan to use a special re-entry permit to maintain my PR status.

However, I'm moving out of my current apartment and will not have an address in Japan while I'm traveling. So, I'm not sure what to do with my Juminhyo (住民票） - do I cancel it and just not give a new address? Is it legal to have PR status without an address in Japan? How long can I be without an address?

Thanks for any help!

You only need to notify the city office that you are moving out of your current address, no notification to immigration is necessary.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/newimmiact_1/en/q-and-a_page2.html#q101-a

I am in same boat as you
When you notify at ward office, they ask for your new address, just mention the address in US

Also I would suggest you buy a re entry permit, it costs 8000 yen but gives you 5 years of time you can be out of Japan, With special re entry permit if you are, for any unforeseen reason, not able to return to Japan within one year, you will lose your PR

Sorry for hijack this post.

Let say I am PR holder opt to move out to overseas, with special multiple re-entry permit.

How should I go about with taxes, health insurance and pension?

Will it be possible to claim lumpsum withdrawal on the pension?

PR also, PR comes with additional responsibilities

Your global income will be taxed in Japan irrespective of where you are living, So you keep paying taxes in Japan and the country you live
Also you cannot claim lumsum pension.
Health insurance is no problem.

Thanks for the info! The re-entry permit seems like the best choice.

So, I just tell the city office that I'm moving out and provide my US address - seems easy enough. The link (Q101) provided by Firas seems to answer this question too, but "For mid- to long term residents, if you don’t notify the new address within 90 days of departure from the address, it constitutes the ground of cancellation of the resident status." Does this mean the new US address? This part is unclear and worries me. I don't want to lose my PR!

Q101：In the purpose of long-term stay, I moved out from my Japanese address to live in a foreign country. In this case, I can’t give notification of my new address. What should I do? And also, will non-notification of new address result in cancellation of my status of residence?
A.The address is a place of the principal residence in Japan. If you have a principal residence in Japan, the address will appear on residence card. If you have no longer have the address to stay oversea for a long time, no notification is necessary to the Minister of Justice. But please give the notification of moving out under the Act of the Basic Resident Registers at the municipal office. For mid- to long term residents, if you don’t notify the new address within 90 days of departure from the address, it constitutes the ground of cancellation of the resident status. But if you have a legitimate reason not to give notification, it will not be cancelled."

My understanding reading this is, if there is no address in Japan due to long stay in overseas then no notification is required to immigration

Of course you can only report your address if you have one in the first place, and for immigration purposes an address means an address in Japan.

Nathan, we will miss you!
I live in Kuamoto city.
By the way, what is the PR status?
Sorry, I have never heard about this.