Moving to Japan
Japan, a country of islands, extends along the eastern or Pacific coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, or the mainland Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okin
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16 published visa guides · 16 editorially reviewed in Q2 2026
Capital
Tokyo
Region
Asia (Eastern Asia)
Currency
JPY
Cost of Living Index
47.5
Net Monthly Salary
6861
Healthcare
Universal/Insurance
Safety Index
N/A
Rent Index
14.7
Quality Index
8.8
In-depth facts & data for Japan· Updated 2026-06-02
Japan, a country of islands, extends along the eastern or Pacific coast of Asia. The main islands, running from north to south, are Hokkaido, Honshu, or the mainland Shikoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa, which is about 380 miles southwest of Kyushu. About 3,000 smaller islands are included in the archipelago. About 71% of the…
For planning only. Always verify immigration and legal rules on official government sites.
Official immigration portal for visas, entry rules, and residency steps.
Banking: Confirm newcomer-friendly banks locally.
Fintech: Confirm available local payment apps.
Healthcare access: Full
Health waiting period: 0 day(s)
Save local emergency, police, medical, embassy, and fraud-reporting contacts after arrival. Check official government portals before relying on third-party lists.
Crime index: N/A · Safety index: N/A
Settlement funds: No formal savings requirement for HSP or Engineer/Specialist visas. Digital Nomad Visa requires proof of income (JPY 10M/year). Business Manager visa requires JPY 5M capital. Moving to Japan requires significant upfront cash for housing (4-6 months of rent for deposits, key money, and agency fees).
Japan's hidden costs catch newcomers off guard. Housing move-in costs are brutal: key money (reikin, 1-2 months non-refundable), security deposit (shikikin, 1-2 months), agency fee (1 month), guarantor company fee (0.5-1 month). Total: 4-6 months of rent upfront. National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums are based on previous year's income. Pension contributions (kosei nenkin) are mandatory at ~18.3% of salary (split with employer). Residence tax (juuminzei) is ~10% of income, billed the following year. Budget EUR 3,000-6,000 for immigration attorney and incorporation fees if using the Business Manager route.
| City | Single monthly | Family monthly | 1BR center |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | €1,250 | €2,600 | €610 |
| Osaka | €1,500 | €3,050 | €793 |
| Tokyo | €1,930 | €3,800 | €1,123 |
Best visa: Engineer/Specialist visa (for researchers) or specific medical visas
Best visa: Business Manager Visa (Keiei Kanri)
Best visa: Digital Nomad Visa (if earning JPY 10M+/year) or tourist visa for short stays
Best visa: No dedicated retiree visa — limited options
Best visa: Specified Skilled Worker visa (Tokutei Gino)
Best visa: Highly Skilled Professional Visa (HSP) — most tech workers with a degree and 3+ years of experience can reach 70+ points easily
Official: Efficient, organized immigration process
Reality: Immigration processing is actually reasonably fast by international standards (the HSP visa's 14-30 day processing is impressive). But daily bureaucracy is extraordinarily paper-based. Expect to visit your local city hall (shiyakusho/kuyakusho) multiple times with physical documents for: residence registration, NHI enrollment, pension registration, My Number card. Many forms are Japanese-only.
Official: Universal healthcare under National Health Insurance with 30% copay
Reality: Japan's healthcare is excellent and genuinely affordable. NHI covers nearly everything with a 30% copay (and caps on monthly out-of-pocket costs). Hospitals and clinics are abundant. The problem for foreigners: finding English-speaking doctors outside of major Tokyo hospitals is difficult. Medical forms, prescriptions, and instructions are in Japanese. Mental health services in English are particularly scarce.
Official: Adequate housing available for foreign residents
Reality: Housing is surprisingly affordable compared to London, Sydney, or San Francisco. But: key money (reikin, 1-2 months non-refundable), guarantor company required, and many landlords still refuse foreigners outright. The refusal is legal — Japan has no anti-discrimination housing law comparable to Western countries. UR apartments (government-managed) require none of these extras and are the most foreigner-friendly option. Large employers often provide housing assistance.
Official: Transparent, self-calculable points-based visa with 70+ point threshold
Reality: The HSP points system is genuinely one of the most generous skilled immigration pathways in the world. 80+ points = PR in 1 year, which no other major country offers. The system favors younger, higher-earning professionals with advanced degrees. It is transparent and you can calculate your score before applying. The catch: the visa itself is straightforward, but everything around it (housing, daily life, language) is where the difficulty lies.
Country data is a planning aid. Official government sources override MigrantIQ summaries for immigration, legal, tax, health, and emergency rules.
Summary profile maintained for planning. Last updated 2026-05-07.
Used for economic and country-level indicators where available.
Used for cost-of-living signals for Japan where available.
375 active diplomatic missions in our directory. Sample listings below.
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Not affiliated with any AI platform. Always verify immigration rules on official government sites.
Verify your visa pathway, legal rights and duties, expected monthly costs, and safe housing setup before travel.
Use the scam alerts section for active patterns and red flags, then confirm every paid service through official channels.
Start with visa eligibility, then create a realistic budget and shortlist temporary housing. Banking setup usually follows legal arrival steps.
Japan Visa Hub
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SafetyJapan Scam Alerts
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ChecklistJapan Arrival Checklist
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Policy UpdatesWhy Japan’s New Automated Border Infrastructure and Expanded Digital Nomad Fields Are Guiding Mid-2026 Pipelines
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BlogMigration blog
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