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https://www.watabe-visa-tokyo.com/, https://www.lsg-beyond.com/

Immigration Lawyer, Beyond Watabe office, 1-33-15 Takadanobaba Shinjuku-ku, Shinjuku-ku (2026)

30/05/2026

Sunday Post on May 31st, 2026

Last Thursday, the House of Councilors passed the amendment bill of new visa fee. Now the government starts to discuss details of new fee including exact fee and the guide line for the exemptions. It is said the new visa fee is going to be within this fiscal year by the end of March, But we are not sure exactly when it will start.

Today, I will explain one of PR requirements. Residence tax, Juminzei, Residence tac is collected by the city hall where you registered your address on January 1st and it is calculated according to your income in the last year. For example, Reiwa 8(2026) residence tax is calculated your income and family situation in Reiwa7(2025). Each city hall sends a notice about how much tax you are going to be collected in the end of May. There are 2 ways for the collection. The one is Normal collection, Futsu choushu 普通徴収, the other one is special collection, Tokubetsuchoushu or Tokucho, 特別徴収.

For the first one, Futsuchoushu, you need t pay residence tax by yourself and receive tax payment packet in the end of May at your home from city hall. For the second one, Tokuchou, a notice is sent to your company and they distribute it to each employee. The notice I received at my office is like attached picture. This slip is very important for your PR application. I will explain why later.

As many of you already know, for PR application, you need to pay residence tax properly before due date. Paying all is not enough. If you paid it late only once or only one day, it would be the reason of disapproval for your PR application. And moreover, you need to prove that you paid everything without delay. The burden of proof lies with applicants. Unfortunately, most city halls don’t release information about your payment date.

With Futsuchoushu, you need to show the receipts or bank records for the tax payment. If you pay it by installment at conbini, a small slip with a date stamp is the proof. You have to keep all of them for your future PR application.

If you paid the residential tax by Tokubetsucgoushu, the money for the tax is deducted from your monthly salary and late payment with your responsibility would not happen. There is a pitfall.

Tax forms from each city hall are various. What is written on the form is not same. I will attach some samples for you. As you see, some forms indicate Tokuchou, 特別徴収 but some not. The word 特別徴収can be somewhere on the tax document depends on each city hall ways. If the form from your city hall is the one without the word of 特別徴収, it would be you who shows the proof of 特別徴収. With such a situation, the notice slip from the city hall that is distributed by your company would support your situation. If you don’t have it, you need to prove it with your monthly salary slips or the wage record from your company. Working visa and long-term visa holders need to submit tax record for 5 years. Many of you might change companies. The company you worked might not exist anymore or you have difficulties to contact them. Therefore, keeping the notice from city hall in the end of May would be very important for your PR application in the future.

By the way, I need to apology about my misunderstanding. It is about the visa period that is allowed to apply PR. From next April, you need 5-year visa to apply PR and there is one exemption. I misread Immigration’s site and shared the wrong information about it. I am very sorry. I shared that you can apply PR with 3-year visa till the end of March 31st 2027. But the truth is you can apply with 3-year visa that was issued by the end of Match 31st 2027 even after April 2027. You can try only once with this 3-year visa, So if you already applied once, you cannot try. But if you have not applied yet, you could apply PR with 3-year visa after April 2027.

So, when you apply is very important key for your PR application. If you have any issues for the past and if it would not affect with your later PR application, you had better wait. But, if you wait after April 2027, you need to pay 200,000yen to get PR. And after April 2027, there might be other new requirements for PR including stricter income minimum limit, Japanese language and so on.

Apply for PR or not. Apply for PR now or wait. You need to make up your mind with considering various matters.

That’s it for today.

Happy Sunday to all and Happy June. No wars! No violence!!

24/05/2026

Sunday Post on May 24th, 2026

Miscellaneous thoughts in the last week

(1) Minister Onoda corrected a journalist’s wording at the press conference.

She said that the Permanent Residency is just a permit not the right. Yes, it is a frequent mistake. I think Japanese makes this mistake more often than foreign residents. A word, Eiju-ken, the right of PR is used by mistake here and there. But in Japan, Eiju-ken doesn’t exist. PR is one of visa status that is permitted by Japanese government. Therefore, it can be revoked if you are applied to the reason of revocation. If it is the right, nobody cannot deprive someone’s right. The reasons of revocation for PR are: severe crime, false application, expiry of re-entry permit and so on.

(2) From June 14th, a child over 1 year old needs a photo for visa application.

One year old. I guess taking an application photo of 1 year old is very tough for parents. Having him/her sit in the photo box alone is impossible. You need to take a photo with your mobile and print it out at conbini. But can he/she stay still for a while? Anyway, please try your best. Even if you already applied for your child, if you receive the new residence card after June 14th, you would request his application photo. I have just received one post card for one of my client. Please see the attached picture. Since I could pick up her new card in this week, her father doesn’t need to prepare her photo luckily.

(3) Kika update at Tokyo Houmukyoku

One of my clients who made the first Kika interview at Tokyo Houmukyoku in July received a call from the Houmukyoku. His stay in Japan is only for 8 years so far now. He was told:
If you apply Kika now, it would be disapproved because you have not stayed in Japan more than 10 years. Everything is up to you but I advise you to cancel the interview and make an appointment again after 10 year stay past. He followed the advice and cancelled his appointment. Accordingly, my office cancelled the contract with him. I hope after 2 years, we could make a contract again and I would support his Kika application.

(4) In the last week, I received 2 calls from ex business manager visa holders who got 30 day visa.

They are not my client and tried to seek the solution for staying in Japan. But once you get 30 day visa, generally you cannot apply anything and need to leave Japan. Business manager visa holders, your situation is worse than you think. Frankly speaking, many of you cannot continue your business in Japan after 2 years and half. If you want to do business at least 2 more years, you had better hire an Immigration lawyer for your visa extension application. But with a lawyer, it would be a tough application. You need to follow all obligations as a company owner and you need to clear all taxes and social insurance. It might cost you a lot. My office fee for business manager visa extension is 150,000yen now. It is quite expensive than others. But you need to submit various documents and explanations. Giving up business in Japan earlier might be your option. Please think well. The reasons of disapproval of extension are various like: not paying tax, not keeping the record properly, not paying national health insurance, not having social insurance and so on.

(5) Update for PR application at Yokohama Immigration

One of my clients submitted PR application at Yokohama Immigration. When it was submitted, an officer said it takes about 1 year. A months ago, the other client who applied PR at Yokohama Immigration 6 months ago got a post card from there. But now, Yokohama takes 1 year for PR application. Of course, it is better than Tokyo Immigration who takes 1 year and 8 months.

(6) New policy for ‘0 illegal stayers package” was announced on May 22nd

In this new policy, the government is going to strengthen the watching YARDs as a breeding ground of illegal working. Some of my clients are owners of yard. Even if you don’t do anything illegal, police might visit your yad and try to find anything wrong. Please follow all necessary rules and laws to run yard always. Do you keep records for all buying and selling used car and car parts? You should keep all records according to Kobutsu rules.

That’s it for today.

Happy Sunday to all! No wars!! No violence!!!

17/05/2026

Sunday Post on May 17th, 2026

Ａ few days ago, I happened to visit Tokyo Houmukyoku (Legal Affairs Bureau) site and found they released the new guide line for naturalization application, Kika on April 1st, 2026. It seems the requirements of Kika are now almost same as Permanent Residence application.
It is not indicated that 10 year stay is necessary for general naturalization in this guideline but as many of you already know 10 year stay has become one of requirements already.

If you are interested in Naturalization, please check the site. It is only by Japanese but you can get Japanese Furigana or audio explanation if you tap the ikon at top right.

https://houmukyoku.moj.go.jp/tokyo/page000001_00891.html

This is from Tokyo Houmukyoku but I guess other rural Houmukyoku requires same more or less.

The new requirements are:
Residence tax documents for the past 5 years instead 1 year before
Evidence you didn’t have any late tax payment for the past 5 years which was not required before.
Health insurance and pension payment certificate for 2 years in stead of 1 year before
Evidence you didn’t have any late payment for health insurance and pension.

On the new guideline, there is no indication about minimum income. So, it remains unsure. For PR application, I heard that the financial requirements might become stricter. How about naturalization, Kika?

On the new guideline, there is no indication how many year visa is required for Kika. A few years ago, 1 year visa holder was able to apply Kika. But recently 3 year visa is required. And how about next year? For PR application, 5 year visa will be required after April 2027.

Many politicians and law makers say requirements for Kika, Japanese citizenship should be harder than PR application because citizenship is more important than visa. So, near future, requirements for income, language and etc. might become stricter. It is just guessing.

The difficult part for Kika is inspections are done with various discretion without any formal guide line. Moreover, inspections and requirements might be different up to local Bureau and they might change without any announcement in public.

Before when I did consultation and was asked:
‘Which is better for me, PR or Kika?’
My answer was like:
‘Well, Kika and PR application are totally different. Kika is for getting Japanese citizenship while PR application is getting PR status as a foreigner. So, I cannot say which is better for you but considering your financial situation, Kika might be more possible for you to get’

But in the near future, I cannot provide advice like above any more. Both applications might be difficult for anybody equally. So, maybe you need to choose one of them more simply just because you want to be Japanese citizen or not.

In the last week, there is one more news from Immigration. From June 14th, minor child over 1 year old needs photo for visa application. Currently, under 16 year old, an application photo is necessary. So, if you apply visa extension for your child after June 1st, please prepare photo for your child. Well, taking a photo of 1 year old might be hard, I guess.

I think there will be lots of new update in the Immigration matters in this fiscal year till the March 2027. I will try to share them promptly with you. Please keep following our FB page.

That’s it for today.

Happy Sunday to all! No wars! No violence!!!

14/05/2026

New rule for visa application.

After June 1st, 2026, your child over 1 year old needs a photo for visa application.

Please see the attached information from Nagoya Immigration.

10/05/2026

Sunday Post on May 10th, 2026

Happy Mother‘s Day to all mothers and daughters/sons of mothers!!!

How was your Golden Week? Did you have lots of fun? In Japan, there is a word Gogatsubyou, sickness of May. There are many students and workers who get sick physically and mentally after Golden Week. It is very hard for anyone to restart after taking offs for a while. Everyone, please make a soft start.

On Thursday May 7th, the first day after long holidays, my office received 6 post cards. It seems Immigration officers at Tokyo Immigration did their best to send post cards before starting long holidays on May 1st.

Among 7 post cards, 3 are for extension and the other 4 are for changing visa status.

For your reference, let me share some information from those 7 applications.

1. Business manager visa extension with 3 dependents
This application was submitted on April 23rd. So, it takes only a week for Tokyo Immigration to send a post card. It is his 2nd extension. Super fast, isn’t it? it is not because his business goes well. Actually, his start up business doesn’t go well. So, we asked our partner tax lawyer to create the explanation statement for his business. And since his company pays all taxes and social insurance properly, we were able to prepare necessary documents for visa extension. It seems that W counter (working visa inspection department) at Tokyo Immigration divides applications into 2 groups at the first screening. The one is for applications with good preparation and the other one is without good preparation or with some issues. If your application is put into the second group, Immigration would take long time for stricter inspections. I assume that my client’s application was allocated into the first group and it took only a week for Immigration to send a post card.

2. Cook visa extension
He changed the restaurant after the last extension. The restaurant owner who has PR is my constant client. His application was submitted on the same day as 1 above. I think his application was allocated to the fast group.

3. Long Term visa extension for 2 teen aged sisters
Their applications were submitted on February 20th. Their visas expired on March 29th. They are already in the grace period. 2 minors who go to school in Japan. There is no issue at all. But as I explained before, P counter (spouse visa and long-term visa inspection department) takes long term visa for any applications. Almost all applications at P counter enter grace period.

4&5 Changing visa status application from student visa to working visa
One application was submitted on April 2nd. The company is IT related and category 2. Her job there is going to be IT engineer. The other one was submitted on March 23rd. Her company is category 1. Both applications took about 1 month. It is quite fast for changing visa status application, I think. I suppose their application were allocated to the fast group.

6. Changing visa status from missionary visa to working visa
Missionary visa is not a common status but my office has significant experiences. (Recently I got COE for 3-year missionary visa.) Her application was submitted on April 2nd together with 4 above. Since her company is category 1, I suppose her application was allocated to the fast group.

7. Changing visa status from designated activity visa (refugee applicant) to long term visa
He got married with long term visa holder and applied changing visa status to long term visa as her spouse. This application was submitted on November 20th, 2025. His 6-month visa was expired on March 21st and he is in the grace period till May 21st. He received a notice letter for additional documents for twice. It took about 5 months but I think it is kind of normal for P counter. Spouse visa (including long term as a spouse) application for refugee applicants takes long time.

My office has a lot more applicants who are waiting the notice from Immigration. I hope I would receive their post card as soon as possible.

By the way, you are going to receive one document from your company if your company deducts your residence tax from your salary and pay it to City Hall. It is a notice about Tokubetsu choushu, special collection. If you plan to apply PR in the near future, please keep this document. If you pay residence tax by yourself, Futsu choushu, you are going to receive tax payment packet from city hall. Please check the income amount in 2025. If is id different from the amount you earned in 2025. You had better consult city hall or tax office to collect it. The new residence tax document for Reiwa 8(2026) will be issued in the end of May or early June. If you don’t receive any tax document from city hall in spite you earned more than 1,000,000yen in 2025 and you don7t have any dependent, you had better consult city hall, too. Reiwa 8 tax documents are required for your visa extension in the rest of 2026 and early 2027.

That’s all for today.

Happy Mother’s Day again!

Happy Sundays to all. No wars! No violence!!

03/05/2026

Sunday Post on May 3rd, 2026

Do you enjoy Golden Week? Long holidays will last till may 6th. Most public services including Immigration will close till May 6th.

Golden Week has already started from 29th April. Some companies set offs on April 30th and May 1st and you can enjoy longer holidays.

My office opens just like a calendar. But I was not planning to visit Immigration during Golden Weeks and was going to skip the weekly visit for Immigration. However, there were some clients whose grace period is about to end. So, I needed to go to Immigration on last Friday, May 1st in the heavy rain.

As I repeatedly mention, Tokyo Immigration is terribly slow now. Many lawyers or applicants visit there to ask the application status. Nowadays, immigration officers often use the following expression:
“Your case has already someone in charge but it is still under the inspection.”
“No one has been appointed for your case yet. Please wait for your turn”
“Most cases take more than 3 moths now. Your grace period has just started and you can wait till the grace period ends.”
“Your have more than 1 month to visa expiry date and nothing has started yet.”

Generally, you can submit visa extension application 3 months before the visa expiry date till the date of expiry date. Since everyone knows Immigration takes longer time than before, many people try to submit the application earlier like 3 months before. But unfortunately, such efforts don’t work at Tokyo immigration. Even if you submitted earlier, your documents are just left on the pile till the grace period almost starts. If you submit visa application on the date of visa expiry date, Immigration would start inspecting your applications because they need to make a decision by the grace period ends. It is very ironical situation.

By the way, in Japanese, the grace period is “Tokurei kikan”. You can hear the words “Tokurei kikan” so often at Immigration.

As I support visa applications at Tokyo Immigration regularly, I notice that there are some specific tendencies up to different sections.
At working visa section (W counter), it seems that applications are sorted out at the first screening into 2 groups. The one is for applications that have any issues. The other one is for applications that might have some issues. For the first group, you could get a post card very soon within 3 weeks or a month. If your application is allocated to the second group, Immigration takes very long using the almost all grace period.

At PR/spouse/long term visa section (P counter), it seems all applications need to wait their turn in the piles no matter it has an issue or not. Well, it is my impression.

Once visa expires, even if there is a grace period, many people get into trouble like:
Bank account block, stop working, and so on. Of course, immigration knows it but they cannot make any effective solution so far now. I just hope the situations would not become worse any more.

By the way, one news was released in the last week. The act for the new visa fee passed the House of Representatives. Now the discussion will start at House of Councilors. Once it passes there, the government will set the exact rate for visa fees. We are not sure when it starts but at least it will start in this fiscal year. It is said that new fees would be:
200,000yen for PR, 70,000yen for 5 year visa, 10,000yen for 3 or 4 months visa. If you have family in Japan, you had better save some money for the next visa extension.

That’s all today.

Happy Sunday! Happy Golden week! No wars! No violence!

26/04/2026

Sunday Post on April 26th, 2026

“Golden Week” is coming. Since we have several national holidays in the end of April and the beginning of May in Japa, we call this long holidays “Golden Week”. Some companies like factories take offs longer, I suppose some of you already started holidays.

Immigration is close like attached picture. I am afraid on 30th, May 1st, May 7th and 8th, Immigration will be terribly crowded. I want to refrain from visiting there on such awful days but since some clients’ grace period will be over soon, I have to be there to pick up their new residence cards. Please not that if your visa expiry date is holiday, you can submit your application on the next day after holidays. But there is no such treatment for grace period. If your grace period is over during holidays, you need to pick up your new residence card before holiday otherwise you will overstay.

Today, let me explain about business manager visa extension.

What I am surprised is there are still many business manager visa holders who think the new rules for business manager visa is only for new comers and it would not affect own visa extension. Well, you have 3 year grace period and you don’t need to satisfy all new requirements right away but the requirements for extension have totally changed. If you apply extension without being aware of those new requirements perfectly, your application would be likely disapproved. Then you need to leave Japan with your family. If you get 31 day visa, generally you can reapply and if you solve the issues, you might be get your visa back. But for business manager visa, once you need to get 31 day visa, you cannot reapply business manager visa without satisfying all requirements. Raising the capital to 30,000,000yen and hiring new staffs within 31 days are just impossible.

Business manager holders, if you want to survive for another 3 years or luckily more, what you need to now is taking extra cares for visa extension. Well, new requirements are nothing new basically. Immigration just made your obligations clear and request you to prove that you commit all obligations clearly.

For example, the company tax. Before it is ok for visa extension to submit only Kessan, annual audit and declare how much company tax you paid. I was wondering why Immigration didn’t require tax payment certificate while for individual visa extension, tax documents are compulsory.
Now you need to submit:
proof you enrolled labor insurance and paid it properly
proof you enrolled social insurance and paid it properly
tax payment certificate including consumption tax
residential tax payment certificate

If you employ some one,
# the document to prove you pay salaries properly and his juminhyou

# The proof for your Japanese language proficiency
If you don’t have Japanese language skill, you need to explain how you would solve this issue.
# Explanation statement for your business after the last visa extension
If you change your business, you need to explain why the changes happen

Besides those documents and explanations,
you stayed out side of Japan for long, you need to explain why.
your business is minus, you might be requested to submit strong business plan with the professional’s confirmation.

The old days when you could get visa extension only with submitting Kessan are gone.

However, in other words, if you submit those requirements properly, you would get extension even if you don’t meet all new requirements. I heard many business managers visa extension applications are disapproved because they don’t prepare application documents well.

Since Immigration lawyers need more time and efforts to support business manager visa extension application. Most of them doesn’t know how to get company tax documents and other certificates. They don’t know the location. They cannot fill the request forms there. We need to guide them from the beginning till end.

Consequently, our fee for business manager visa extension is higher than before. Actually, my office fee for the new come is over 150,000yen. For our old clients, over 100,000yen now. You might think it is expensive but I think it is quite reasonable considering our services.

But it is true that even if your next visa extension is approved, there is no guarantee for you to survive after 3 years. So, business manager visa holders, please think your future well. Which option is better for you and your family. You don’t have many options though.

My words might be too harsh for you. You don’t want to hear it. But you cannot cover your eyes to the reality.

That’s it for today.

Happy Sunday to all! Happy Golden Week!! No wars! No violence!

24/04/2026

Immigration’s schedule during the Golden Week.

19/04/2026

Sunday Post on April 19th, 2026

Various news and several new rules about Immigration matters have been released recently and continuously.

The most frequent inquiries I received last week are about new requirements of JLPT N2 for working visa holders. Uncertain rumors are going around and everybody seem to be confused. Actually, the explanation and instruction on Immigration about this new rule are very hard to understand. Let me explain more about this issue on this today’s post.

Please see the statement below. It is from Immigration’s site with their English translation
I will add underlines and 【A】to 【D】for the following explanations.

https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/gijinkoku.html

【notice】
From April 15, 2026 (Wed) onwards, if your application falls under Category 3 or 4【A】, you will be required to submit the following additional documents.
- Declaration form regarding the representative of the affiliated organization (Reference form)
- (For those primarily engaged in interpersonal work using language skills) Documents demonstrating language proficiency equivalent to CEFR B2 in the language used in the job.
【B】

Note 1: The following individuals will be considered to have Japanese language proficiency equivalent to CEFR B2.
- Must have obtained JLPT N2 or higher.
- Must have achieved a score of 400 or higher on the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test.
- Having resided in Japan for 20 years or more as a medium- to long-term resident.
- Having graduated from a university in Japan, or having completed a specialized course or advanced course at a technical college or vocational school in Japan.【C】
- Having completed compulsory education in Japan and graduated from high school.

Note 2: In applications for Certificate of Eligibility, applications for Change of Status of Residence, 【D】and applications for Acquisition of Status of Residence, the applied occupation is "translation/interpretation" or "customer service" such as hotel front desk work.
If your job primarily involves using language skills, such as Japanese language proficiency, you will need to submit this document.
Furthermore, even if you are already residing in Japan, if your job duties change or you change jobs【D】 and your work primarily involves using language skills such as Japanese language proficiency, you may need to extend your period of stay.
This must be submitted when applying for a new permit.
Please note that even if you do not submit the required documents in any other reason, we may request their submission based on the content of your application.【D】

Note 3: If you have been continuously engaged in the same type of work as before when applying for an extension of your period of stay, you are not required to submit this document. However, you may be asked to submit it if necessary during the review process.
Sometimes this happens.【D】

【A】 Category 3 and 4 is for your company. Immigration classifies companies into 4 categories. Category 1 is big enterprise that is listed on the stock. Category 2 is also big company that pays income tax more than 10,000,000yen yearly. Category 3 is companies not applied 1and 2. Category 4 is start up company or solo proprietor business owner. So, if your company is Category 1 or 2, language certificate is not required generally. But see 【D】part. If Immigration think necessary, you might be requested to show the certificate for your language skill.
【B】 That part is the one many people overlooked. This ne requirement for language skill is not for Japanese. If you use English or other language for your job, and if you are not native speaker, you need to submit the evidence you have CEFR B2 level of those languages. CEFR B2 level is upper middle. It is said that For TOEIC, over 785. For IELTS, 6~6.5.
【C】 If you graduated from college or vocational school in Japan, generally you are not required to submit N2. But if you use English for your job, you might be required evidence for your English skill. And as I mentioned above, if Immigration think it is necessary, you might be required to prove your Japanese skill.
【D】 Language certificate is required only for COE application and visa status change application. So, when you extend your working visa, generally you are not required language certificate. But as you see the lined 【D】part, if you change your job and your new job need some language skill, you might be requested language certificate. Moreover, as you nee Note 3 above, even if your new job is same type job before, you might be requested the language certificate If Immigration wants to check.

If you are dealing with international job that is required language skill, you had better get certificate just in case. For Japanese, JLPT N2. For English, TOEIC or IELTS in advance.

Do not misunderstand, if your job is trading manager who deal with exporting and all clients are English speaker, you don’t need Japanese language skill at all. Instead, you need to prove you have high English skill. But if your job is hotel front or sales clerk, you need both Japanese and English. If you are not native English speaker, you had better take TOEIC or IELTS to prove your English skill as well as JLPT N2.

If you graduate from Japanese Senmon gakko and you work for the Category 2 company, generally you are not required N2 but we are not sure if/when Immigration feel necessary to check your language skill, please try to get it in advance just in case.

Many of you might think why Immigration shifts their policies/rules to stricter a lot. But if you do international job with working visa, it is just obvious you need such language skills. So, for someone’s point of view, the situation that evidence for language skill was not required was wrong. Immigration just tries to make clear what you are required to get working visa with skillful job.

That’s it for today.

Happy Sunday to all! No wars! No violence!

Immigration Lawyer, Beyond Watabe office

30/05/2026

24/05/2026

17/05/2026

14/05/2026

10/05/2026

03/05/2026

26/04/2026

24/04/2026

19/04/2026

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