Moving from UK

Hi all,

I currently live in the UK and am looking to move out to Japan, but could do with some advice around my plans.

I am fortunate enough to have saved enough to move out and not need to work, but also plan to start a UK based company that will be used for consulting for UK based clients, whilst I work remotely from Japan a couple of days a week.

My main queries are around gaining a visa for this approach and any tax challenges that people think may arise?

Appreciate any insights that people can offer.

Well, yes, as you identified. Getting a residence status will be complicated. From the viewpoint of the Japanese government what is your NEED to be in Japan if you work for a UK company based in the UK.

I get it that you WANT to be in Japan but thatfs not what residence status is based on.

I guess if you can open a Japanese company then you can get a business owner visa. But thatfs obviously complicated

Visas are issued for people who need to be in Japan - be it working for a Japanese company who want you for your skills & experience, working for a Japan branch of a non-Japanese company, establishing & running a business in Japan, studying at a Japanese college/language school, or living with a spouse who lives in Japan (either Japanese national or non-Japanese in Japan for long-term assignments), for example. Soc under which visa category would your situation fall? None, I guess, at this point in time.

gIfh you find some visa/resident status to live in Japan, after some time youfll be liable to report the portion of your UK-based income that you bring into Japan (for your living expenses) and pay income taxes & resident taxes on it. Eventually, all global income will be subject to Japanese income tax (after some years, that is). So if you pay UK taxes on it, you need to resolve the double taxation through tax treaty (if there is one between UK and Japan).