Re-entry permit without alien card

I'm on a work visa (good for 3 years) but I have only been here a month, and don't really have an address - so I haven't registered for my alien card yet. I'm no longer with the company that sponsored my work visa but I do know that my visa is still good. However, I need to leave the country soon and want to keep my visa open if possible, so I want to know if I can still get a re-entry permit without my alien card (it's still been less than 90 days).

I am fairly certain that you will not be able to apply for a re-entry permit without an ARC. I recommend applying for the card with the address of wherever you are staying right now, and then updating it when you have a permanent place to live. I believe you also have to write your ARC number on the departure/arrival card when you leave Japan. so you would need it them as well.

Are you working now? You will have to name an employer and give the address and phone number of your workplace when you apply for the ARC, and sometimes they do phone and check that you are actually employed there, which may cause problems if you are not currently working.

Also be aware that if you are planning to leave Japan for more than a week or two so soon after starting your working visa here you may attract the attention of Immigration when you arrive back- if you have been away for over a month for example they may want to know about your current job, which could be problematic if you are not actually working.

I don't think you can either. I was supposed to go to a conference in Germany when I first moved to Japan, but I couldn't go because it took too long to get the damn gaijin card and then the re-entry permit. And I think I had to show my work contract and visa to get the gaijin card.

I am 99% positive I had to show the card as ID to get the re-entry permit. I had to show that card everywhere

But you don't need to have received your ARC, just have applied for it. When you apply they stamp your passport, which is good enough for the Immigration office to issue a re-entry permit. Until you receive your proper ARC, you can also get a temporary certificate from city hall. They do slightly different versions for Immigration, banks, etc so no need to wait - just ask them to print you what you need; they are about ��200 each.