A dream of moving to Japan

Hello,

Since I was a child of around 10 years old, I have dreamt of moving to Japan the culture, beauty, and history have always been like a fantasy to me! There is only one major issue. I want to move there but I reside in the USA I have a job that allows me to work remotely 100% of the time I make a decent amount of money and I would like to continue to work for the company I am working for. My question is simply this. Can I move to Japan and still work for my current company? If not what must I do to make the move possible?

Thank You,
Opideousneo

No "remote job visa" on Japanese MOFA webiste. It simply doesn't exist (it also doesn't in your own country BTW...)

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

Basically you need some good excuse to have the need to reside in Japan. Those excuses usually are a job in Japan, studying in Japan, being married to a Japanese national... etc
Excuses that don't apply: i love japan and just want to move there

find a good reason that requires you to be here, then apply to the corresponding visa

Doesn't work without any sponsor.
Since you have a dream you should start with understanding the different visas.

Also maybe you should experience Japan by study the language in Japan or exchange program.
Maybe you will see Japan differently after that

Visa waiver is 90 days. Plenty of gdigital nomadsh in Japan. Why not take a trip?

I think OP wants to emigrate and live permanently in Japan not just visit it.

As you said in your reply, itfs not possible to do while working remotely (unless itfs for a Japanese company which is sponsoring your visa). Best option for someone working remotely is to come for three months as a tourist and live in a monthly apartment or something like that.

If not what must I do to make the move possible?

Find a Japanese company similar to the one you are working for now and get a job with them. But I think my idea of coming for three months is better, even if only as a test to see how much you really like Japan.

I know it sounds convoluted, but traveling and living in a country are very different things. Trying out Japan for 2 or so months sounds like a good idea to begin with. I don't know enough about the legality of this - but I will say I prefer traveling Japan than living in Japan. It can get monotonous very quickly and Japan is not always the best fit long term if your an introvert like myself (I lived in Japan for 3 years).

@LIZ

at a tourist visa you may not do any activity which is related to work.
If OP is freelancer or works for an company outside Japan than business visa is needed.

Why you advise someone to work in Japan on a tourist visa (3 Months)?

Hello Everyone,

Thank you so much for your replies. I have been to Japan and my wish is to move there permanently not visit. I have done a lot of research into the VISAS. I did see there is something called an investor's VISA as one of my options is I wanted to open a business when I get there. I might be able to swing that as its around $50k USD. I would like to work for a Japanese company. I do have family that is there not by blood but by marriage they are my cousins. My next question on the fact that I have family there that isn't blood-related to me but is my cousin's children is this a path at all? I am looking for possibilities. I am trying to figure this out. I know that a lot of Japanese are not okay with none Japanese living there but its something that I have studied for years. It may be a matter of just visiting. I'm not a Japanophile but the culture and history are fascinating and something I want to learn more of while I'm there.

Thank You,
Opideousneo

dreamt of moving to Japan the culture, beauty, and history have always been like a fantasy to me!
I know that a lot of Japanese are not okay with none Japanese living there but its something that I have studied for years. It may be a matter of just visiting. I'm not a Japanophile but the culture and history are fascinating and something I want to learn more of while I'm there.

Yeah...

But anywho .. this maybe of your interest,

Specified visa: Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation)
https://www.mofa.go.jp/ca/fna/page22e_000738.html
Whether you 'can/allowed' to do your remote work, that you'll have to find it out more. This will get you started, it will let you stay 6months up to a year.

Investing/Setting up business in Japan
https://www.jetro.go.jp/en/invest/qa.html
http://www.japanvisa.com/visas/japan-investor-visa

My next question on the fact that I have family there that isn't blood-related to me but is my cousin's children is this a path at all?

Let me check... "very vague related cousin children living in Japan visa" doesn't exist. That's for sure.

@justmyday

The rules are actually rather ambiguous, simply because when the rules were decided, things like "remote work" didn't really exist. So you *could* argue it's a grey area.

The reasoning is that OP would not be working for a Japanese company, or make any money in yen whatsoever. Presumably the company they work for is based outside Japan, and they'd be making USD. So in this case, it's probably not an issue at all that OP is "working", because the kind of work has no impact on Japanese residency or taxes whatsoever, and has no connection to Japan.

It's just like a travel blogger writing a blog post, a photographer taking pictures here they then might sell online, or a youtuber posting a video... technically if they make money off of it, it's "working", but the Japanese authorities absolutely wont care about it, if they even found out somehow. As long as OP has the means to support himself (/herself) for the entirety of the time they are in Japan, do not do any work for a Japanese company, or that earns them Japanese yen, and follows all other rules, it shouldn't be an issue. How would they even know?

In the end however, it's up to OP to decide. Following perhaps the *letter* of the law, no, no work whatsoever seems to be the meaning. However, I'd assume that not working *in Japan to make Japanese yen* is really what the spirit of the law means. It is up to them to interpret how they are comfortable and act accordingly. Especially since a tourist visa for 3 months seems to be their only option currently!

I think OP can perfectly create several websites/logos for clients from anywhere in the world while travelling in Japan. A laptop and wifi is all what OP needs.

OP can get paid on his/her US bank account and even withdraw that money to pay for food and hotels in Japan. All this without anyone in Japan knowing about that.
Nothing illegal about that.

at a tourist visa you may not do any activity which is related to work.
If OP is freelancer or works for an company outside Japan than business visa is needed.

Why you advise someone to work in Japan on a tourist visa (3 Months)?

Many many people, freelancers and company employees alike are undertaking business activities as tourists every day. Whether it is spending every night working in the hotel room at a laptop, or just answering a few emails on the phone every day, nobody - immigration authorities included - expects peoplefs lives to just come to a standstill when they take a holiday in Japan. If one is genuinely visiting on a temporary basis, not attempting to gain employment in Japan, then there is no issue and I would very much like to see a case which runs contrary to this if you know of one.

My own experience ties in perfectly to what Murny said. I have a friend who is a travel photographer, has never lived in Japan but frequently enters under the visa waiver scheme and stays for extended periods. He claims to have never faced any issues at the border despite being upfront about his intentions everywhere he goes (he has to be as he carries tens of thousands of dollars worth of camera gear). It certainly doesnft appear to be illegal from where I am standing.

I am not sure why some of the users here are being rude instead of helpful. I came here to ask questions and maybe make some friends along the way. If you don't have something to add to the conversation and still remain polite then I don't want your help. There are several of you that are fantastic folks and I appreciate your input. I am most interested in staying more on the legal side of the law which is why I came here. @LIZ and @Murny thank you. Some of the users that are signed as guest thank you for reaching out as well and being helpful. Those that feel the need to be rude (you know who you are) can take a hike I don't need your attitude and neither do others.

Thank You,
Opideousneo

@LIZ and @Murny have it right.

My late husband was CEO for an international company. There was an small office in Japan. He often travelled over to Japan (sometimes 5x a year for 2-3 weeks) and met with staff. He always went on a tourist visa. He wasn't selling anything himself, he wasn't getting a salary in yen, he didn't even take samples, which were dispatched by air and on landing came through the ports legally.
He was never queried at the border. He had a hotel address and a personal phone number on the immigration card. He communicated with his Head Office daily through emails and phone calls.

Now this was different to when we actually moved to Japan to open the office originally. We had to apply for a Work Visa, and dependant visa for me, and our young daughter. We lived there for several years, got the office up and working and left.

Look at the option of going on a tourist visa, have an apartment worked out, a monthly furnished apartment, not costing too much and see if Japan lives up to your dreams. Then go back home and think it all through. You will be much better informed.

You need a visa (for entry) and resident status (once you are in the country) to stay long-term in Japan. When I say long-term, I am talking about longer than 90 days (allowed on Temporary Visitor status – tourist). There is longer term visitor status, for those with large savings (no need to work in Japan) and wishing to gtravelh and gsightseeh in Japan.

And unless you are employed by a company in Japan (either a Japanese company or a foreign companyfs branch office), studying at a local school/university, set up your own company in Japan, have spouse or child(ren), or otherwise engage in activities for which you gneed to beh in Japan, there is no visa/resident status.

Having your main office elsewhere in the world and making business trips to Japan is one thing. That is certainly allowed. But when you set yourself up in Japan, that would be different. Where would you be paying income taxes? Even though you might be earning money elsewhere, once you start living long-term and start bringing over the money you make elsewhere over to Japan, you will be considered a gtax residenth in Japan. (I can provide information which comes in the annual tax filing package each year to my non-Japanese spouse). Where would you be registered as a resident and pay local resident tax to receive local municipal services, including something as every day as garbage collection, and bigger things like health insurance (mandatory if you are staying over six months) and pension contribution?

It is true that no gremote workingh was considered when those immigration rules & laws were formulated many years ago. But if you want to stay legit, you do need to take the current rules into consideration for sure.

Currently what I can think of are the following options: (1) if you are interested, enroll into a full-time Japanese language course on gstudenth visa/resident status and work part-time (up to 28 hours a week), (2) set up your own company in Japan for ginvestor/business managerh status (this requires you to pay taxes in Japan for sure – check with US side to avoid double taxation), or (3) work for an employer in Japan for employer-sponsored visa (I donft know if your activities fall under Humanities/International Services/Engineer category) to do the same thing that you do but for an employer full-time, for a few years to see how that goes.

Haven't had a chance to go through all the reply posts.

I think, if your financial situation allows you to, then enrol to a Japanese Language school, spend a year or two in Japan while you are studying their language. It will give you enough time to understand the culture and customs of the nation while you acquire a very valuable tool of survival to live in Japan.

Who knows, maybe you'll find your soul mate in Japan.
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@cari
Having a Japanese national as a spouse is not an "EXCUSE".