A few questions...

Just a little background info:

Me and my partner plan to move to Japan and stay for about a year in a few years time (just before we turn 30), I've been teaching myself a little Japanese over the last few months and I'm starting a class in September.

My questions are this:

My partner works from home for an internet company so would this be an acceptable job for him to continue in Japan?

I don't have any formal qualifications so would I be able to get any kind of shop/waitressing job?

I had read that you have to have a degree to live and work in Japan which my partner does, so would we have any other problems if I don't?

Are there any other things that are necessary to live there?

Thanks

In order to get a work visa for Japan, you will need to provide the country with certain assets that Japanese citizens cannot provide. In addition, you need a university degree and/or 3-10 years of professional experience (depending on the field).

Are you from a country where there is Working Holiday Visa agreement with Japanese government exists, for example, UK, Australia, or New Zealand? Then you should be able to stay in Japan for up to six months or one year doing casual work, but I think there is age limitation of ... was it 30?

Practical implication of Uji's statement follows, assuming that you are not eligible for Working Holiday Visa.

My partner works from home for an internet company so would this be an acceptable job for him to continue in Japan?

For him to *stay* in Japan longer than his temporary visitor (tourist) status allows him, he needs some kind of work-permitting visa, which he cannot obtain without an employer in Japan. You cannot simply "stay" in Japan without a visa.

I don't have any formal qualifications so would I be able to get any kind of shop/waitressing job?

Not without a proper visa. If your husband (I assume you are married) finds an employer in Japan and obtains a work-permitting visa for Japan, you will be eligible for a dependent visa - allowing you to stay in Japan as long as he does - on which you can work only part-time with permission from Immigration.

I had read that you have to have a degree to live and work in Japan which my partner does, so would we have any other problems if I don't?

A bachelor's degree (or several or more years of relevant experiences, depending on the field) is a requirement for non-Japanese to be eligible for work-permitting visa, in addition to an employer who is willing to sponsor you for a visa. So (1) if your husband finds an employer in Japan, as stated above, you can stay here on dependent visa, but (2) if he only stays as long as his temporary visitor status allows him, so will you.