Japan’s “Digital Nomad” 6-Month Visa Announced

Digital nomads are increasing, workers who can work anywhere, many wanted to choose Japan but 3 months is too short to set up for a while. With those NEW visa, nomads can stay 6 months and bring family too! It’s set to launch before the end of March. #japan #digitalnomad

[@MikeCatrone]

Man, just chilling in Japan doing remote software dev work would be the sweet life

[@valendis]

Sadly in France that 68k$ condition is pretty steep for people not working in the capital, I'm a lead developper and I don't make that kind of money...

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

chilling in Japan doing just about anything is sweet! been doing it for over 33yrs!

[@sketchydustin8372]

and they then kick you out... Japan doesn't really want "foreigners"... even Korea is trying this nomad visa garbage... They want your tax and money but not you :)

[@saberkite]

I appreciate your honestly John, about the reality of living in Japan. I've seen other vloggers talk about it as well, where it's pretty different to stay there as a visitor versus living there and dealing with the government and other things. If my company will send me there for work and they'll handle things for me, why not. But I think I'm happy to be a tourist.

[@iitvoii]

Funny how American liberals want more gun control like Japan has. Thought you were really onto some thing, huh? Nice try through.

[@Ground53]

What i really enjoy most about your streaming; is your enthusiasm and love of Japan. You make people think "yes I can do this let's get on-line and book a flight" . April 24 can't come quick enough 👍

[@feliciasuharja4466]

Enjoy the trip there..! I went to Japan 15 March 2023 and the sakura is more beautiful in Kyoto ❤

[@jeynalim]

10 million yen annual income is pretty high. It's over 300k annual income in my country, which will put you in the top 10% of income earners. The 90 days visa in-and-out would probably be much more doable for the general public.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I think it is quite high for many neighboring countries but it's based on the income INSIDE Japan. Some countries will have an easier time and others won't. The costs while in Japan are the factor.

[@ruchan242]

I agree that 10 million yen is high. Also curious if this should be before, or after tax. In Eastern Europe, where I live, a salary of 10 million yen (before tax) probably places you in the 5% bracket 😅 10 million _after_ tax, on the other hand, is what an executive from a major corporation might earn in my country. Definitely inaccessible for people like me. 😅

[@coolrottie2565]

Yep that put me and my wife out. I’m retired and my wife works from home 4 days a week but if it was 5 days it’s still way short. 😢

[@LisaSamaritan]

Same here. 10M Yen is almost 1M salary in my countries currency. If you take an average of every citizens salary, that would be roughly 1/3 of what they demand. But in reality there is of course much more people that earn less than that. A very few people is raising the average for everyone else.

[@lineage13]

Gross 10 million or net 10 million?

[@jay_sooning]

I work as a nurse care mental health counselor and make about north of 6 figures. Been learning nihongo for about 4 months now. I would love to work virtually and work the graveyard shift since USA is opposite time as nippon.

[@orthodoxcaveman5819]

I've been researching the visa stuff for almost 8 years, since I've studied Japanese for 2 years in my home country I've always wanted to go there for a language school student visa. The problem is that I'm a remote worker, and they limit the work time for student visa to 28h a week. This was originally intended to stop people from working full time in Japan before remote work became commonplace, but remote workers fall in a grey zone with the student visa. So I ended up never going, which is a shame. Now with the digital nomad visa, I make less than the amount they require, so that's not an option either. I could easily find a job in Japan due to my cv, but I love my work and my company's flexibility so to quit it would be extreme to say the least. It's quite a mess to be honest. Anyway thank you for covering this!

[@orthodoxcaveman5819]

Edit for anyone interested. The Japanese embassy in my country answered my question, stating that if you're a remote worker with a student visa in Japan, there are no work time restrictions, as long as you have the minimum attendance needed in the classes in order to keep the visa!

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

@@orthodoxcaveman5819 I was just about to reply to you. yeah, seems to've been a misunderstanding on your part. it happens. anyway, it's 28hrs of work in Japan - not in other countries. and no limit on the amount of income. so, no more excuses, eh - when're you coming over???

[@thecamillarose9806]

​@@orthodoxcaveman5819sucks you have misunderstood for years

[@hannahsummer22]

I appreciate you talking about this. I had just come across an article earlier today talking about the new visa and was excited to see the notification that you were live and discussing it. I’m fortunate enough to meet the criteria and am considering applying for this around the beginning of next year if it’s still going. To me 6 months is a sufficient amount of time to immerse yourself and adequately experience a new culture. As a digital nomad I’ve been going back and forth between the U.S. and Canada, primarily to visit my sister who moved there, and have managed to make friends, start new traditions, create amazing memories, and learn so much more about the country than I ever knew. With so many countries embracing digital nomads, including South Korea recently, it’s exciting to know that there are so many opportunities to gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for another culture.

[@adamc.7795]

How have you liked Canada? I'm in upstate NY and find Montreal and Toronto very appealing, even with the cold air. They seem to get less snow than us and actually have things to do! haha.

[@hannahsummer22]

@@adamc.7795 I’ve really enjoyed my visits to Canada. My sister lives in Edmonton Alberta which isn’t the city most people think of when they decide to visit Canada but I like it. It does get extremely cold and snows like crazy in the winter but we still find things to do like visiting our favorite little restaurant, going to winter events, hockey games, and we don’t mind driving to Calgary or Banff for a bit either. Toronto and Montreal are on my lists of places and so far I have only passed through via connecting flights.

[@DavidTheCastle]

So do you just have to create content online to meet the requirements?

[@adamc.7795]

Well check out the Hyatt Centric in Montreal, right near the old French area. It's brand new, booked a weekend there and it's really cheap during the winter!@@hannahsummer22

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

yes! that's the spirit. If you need any assistance at all don't hesitate to contact me. licenced travel agent, 33yrs in Japan, based in osaka. currently working on & related to nomad projects throughout the western Japan area. check out Unbeaten Japan. cheers!

[@hachi701]

I think one year would have been great because right now you can extend your 3 month tourist visa to 6 months so the new visa is not that different unfortunately. Other countries like South Korea have way more advanced digital nomad visas where you can stay 1-2 years. Still a nice step into the right direction to even consider it for a country like Japan that’s very cautious and “slow”.

[@dustonsmith1077]

@@CheapSushi technically yes, but that has been a thing for a while now so sometimes they will notice you're hoping back and forth and can deny your tourist visa so it's risky but possible.

[@thecamillarose9806]

Right. Maybe they expect people to do the 6 month travellers then jump on a nomad

[@vongodric]

Brilliant! I definitely plan to make use of this. I do hope in the future they will expand Nomad Visa to 1 year, as is the case with many other countries that have Nomad visas.

[@mumu32]

Great time to be a programmer! So this digital nomad visa is basically just an extended tourist visa then that you can legally work on it seems. I guess if you’re on a digital nomad visa it won’t help with getting PR then? In that case I think I would prefer being on a work visa and work at a Japanese company and being an actual resident of Japan personally, but I’m surprised that the nomad visa is coming so soon for Japan! Seems that lots of countries are implementing the digital nomad visa now!

[@Ground53]

Exactly great time to be a contractor in IT; and getting European rates of pay and work in Japan (which is relatively cheap). I agree working for a Japanese based company is probably the best option overall if you aren't looking to be moving around all of the time. The thing you have to think about is the actual living in Japan and this visa gives you 6 months to see if you like it or not.

[@kageyamareijikun]

You won't even get a Zairyuu card or Juminhyo (resident certificate) on this glorified tourist visa. You cannot anything without those 2 credentials in Japan. No bank account, no phone line, no renting, nothing.

[@FightRayTV]

@@kageyamareijikun This digital nomad visa is really xenophobic imo. It's like come give us your money but buzz off out of here after that we don't want you staying here.

[@IVI0E]

This is exciting news, thanks for this. Currently in Japan for 3 months (Jan. 11th to April 7th), working remotely from a US business. Loving every minute of this and travelling between Kagoshima and Wakkanai. I wonder if I can take advantage of this and return for 6 months in the same year. I’d return right away if it’s allowed. I meet the requirements you discussed.

[@miongoogle1035]

Thank you for expl. Japan the way you do, you are clear & comprehensive. We are going back to Japan this May to visit, would love to consider the Nomad Visa, and will be checking a few places out. Thanks for all your updates, from earthquake to Digital Nomad. Happy Birthday !

[@onlyinjapanGO]

They plan to make it available before April 1st after collecting more feedback from Japanese, probably tourism and housing sectors. I’m curious about all the details and will update when the final info is announced. Exciting changes to the old system.

[@TravelAddictTez]

GR8 VLOG! I've been working & living abroad since 1985. Cheers!

[@Whatmobiledeal]

Would be cheaper/easier for most people to take a trip to Korea and back after 90 days. The salary minimum for digital nomad is way too high

[@JoseGonzTravels]

You can do that for sure. You get 180 days after your initial entry. After that, it up to the immigration to let you in or not. I’ve heard people staying over 200 days on visitor visas.. 😊

[@YangSunWoo]

I'll probably do this for a bit since I've always wanted to live in Japan. Helps that I speak Japanese pretty well

[@Dbarabar]

South Korea had announced similar visa last month. If I'm not mistaken you can renew the Japanese Nomad visa after leaving the country for 6 months. So in Theory, somebody liking Japan would probably have a bit of interest in South Korea or vise versa. The idea is probably do 6 months Japan, 6 months S. Korea then if you want to go back you can renew and do that for a couple of years. I completely agree about the 6 month blues though. that's about the time I kinda got tired of Japan, but then after leaving for a few months, I want to return. So I think 6 months is the perfect length for that and can rent a couple 3 month airbnb's. but that will have bad effects on tourist rising prices for accomodation.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

well, you're not required to stay 6 months, right. just max. = 6 months…

[@Dbarabar]

yeah, but most people would want to stay full 6 months to maximize the visa situation. @@lawrence_of_osaka

[@Gazumi-inOZ]

Being on my 9th, 10th and 11th trips to Japan this year I get a lot of people in Australia asking me "When are you going to move to Japan ?" My answer is "I wouldn't". The obvious culture adjustment to living in Japan would be HUGE not to mention the difficulty of everything from renting as a gaijin, owning a car, driver's licence, hassle of making a living, language, etc. My ideal would be; 3 months in Japan, 3 months in Australia, on an ever-revolving cycle. There's a stack of advantages in being a tourist in another country, including Japan. For one, you're welcomed as a tourist and people are interested in you. You're excused from mistakes and strict cultural norms expected of residents. People accept that you're not fluent in the language of the country. Generally, being a tourist is a positive experience for your entire time in any country. A 3-month tourist-visa is really quite a long stay and from my experience of doing so in certain other countries you can fall into a 'Groundhog Day' daily pattern if you're not self-motivating yourself and keeping your exploration planning ahead of you. My wife and I went to great lengths of government requirements to get ourselves a residential acceptance to a small South Pacific nation some decades ago during a three-month tourist stay. As soon as we received the acceptance and started telling people what we were planning to do business wise, everything changed. The welcoming as a tourist died instantly and the remaining few weeks of our stay revealed to us that this migration situation wasn't going to be all roses as we had planned. We pulled the plug on the whole thing, and in hindsight it was such the right thing to do. For me 2 regular 90-day visits as a tourist per year anywhere, is, as good as living there 👍 ... and perhaps even better !

[@Gazumi-inOZ]

Doesn't matter where in the world your company is located, as long as the 10-million-yen annual income requirement can be met, you're able to work remotely in Japan for the 6 months. Japan wants you spending your money in Japan to booster the economy. Working remotely offers the opportunity to live anywhere in Japan and see the country. If you were to stay in a city only, for the entire 6 months a car wouldn't be a necessity, but in remote rural areas your means of transport would need consideration.

[@Quintaxos]

I'm curious, where do you stay during your 3 month visits to Japan? I imagine staying at a hotel can be quite expensive in the long run. Have you found any other cheaper options?

[@Gazumi-inOZ]

Accommodation for long stays certainly need cost consideration 🤔 Surprisingly, quite reasonable longer-term hotel prices can be most reasonable, particularly negotiating $'s at the front desk of independent hotels. In rural areas approaching real estate offices who handle rentals can be quite a cost-effective option. In my experience Airbnb accommodation is more of a short-term option, but asking the host for a long term rate can be worthwhile. Airbnb accommodation offers more privacy and freedom, not having to deal with hotel front-desk staff, with inclusions such as washing machine are a big plus with longer stays 👍 Venturing just outside of the "city limits" can reward you with cheaper rents and still have you close to the action. A very convenient and cheap accommodation area in the north of the Tokyo Yamanote line, are areas such as Otsuka, Sugamo, Komagome & Tabata, offer the best cheaper/negotiable chances 😃

[@Quintaxos]

@@Gazumi-inOZ Thank you for your tips! I'll look in to these!

[@adamc.7795]

I've been trustworthy for the past 10 years working remote and hybrid but sadly sometimes you join a new company and they think the first time you travel with your work laptop, you'll lose it or it will get stolen haha! I even worked from Aruba for my last company, they never worried.@@Gazumi-inOZ

[@despahotaru]

Might be handy for me. I work already remote in IT as a contractor, so might as well visit Japan

[@RedKanuck]

I don’t know if they still do, but Japan offered citizens of a few countries (UK, Germany, Ireland among others) extendable tourist visas up to 6 months without the need to leave the country & re-enter again. This is what I did for my first long term stay in Japan. I was mostly an “analog nomad” back then. Good times.

[@Korey-rb6bk]

I have thought about spending time there as i am able to do my work online. I think it is a great way to get cultural experiences and a way to grow. It is like a short-term "Snowbirds" experience for the working people. All the benefits of a taste of living in Japan with no obligation to stay.

[@BoeBoeCooks]

Hey John, Thank you for another informative stream. The Digital Nomad Visa may be an option for me in the near future. My wife and son are both dual Japanese/American citizens from Nagoya along with her side of the family and we currently live in Hawaii where I am from. As someone who is a (Japanese) American Citizen, perhaps this visa could show our potential to transition to Japan as a possible future resident given our unique situation. As always, we appreciate your updates! Aloha

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It could be a transitional visa. For Japan, they offer this to hope for revenue, make it easier for people who want to stay in Japan with the benefits of a longer visa (long term accommodation upgrade) so I also wonder about the path. For a resident / work visa, the process give you residency but also the criteria is much different. The challenge for Japan is social services which are strained. I’m very curious how this plays out! Def try it out, let me know how it goes :)

[@TandokuOsaki]

A small correction: You didn't have to make a trip to Korea before, you could go to where you usually go fo visa stuff and apply for a renewal of your tourist visa (if you where from a country where you could stays in Japan with a tourist visa for 180 days a year). It wasn't guaranteed but I don't know anyone who got declined.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Many were declined for this extension. It’s definitely not a given and required paper work. It might be easier to just go to Korea 😅 and it’s fun! Depends on the traveler.

[@jaugustussmith5816]

This visa doesn't include a residence card, so locks you out of most services like getting a proper phone and internet plan. It's practically the same as a 90 day tourist visa that you can renew. It's just so they can say they are doing something, without actually doing anything

[@druegnor1703]

~meaning, no insurance, difficult for getting bank account and getting rental accommodation

[@themightyflog]

I got internet. Had 100mps. Paid for it monthly.

[@druegnor1703]

@@themightyflog but still no discount on health, perks such as cash handout during emergencies, and free vaccine shots i presume since no residence card = not subscribe to Japan National Health Insurance

[@Katatonya]

@@themightyflogso can you actually live as long as you want by simply booking a plane trip every 3 months and getting a new stamp on entry each time? No rules against doing this? Isn't there a rule prohibiting you from being inside Japan for more than 6 months a year?

[@themightyflog]

@@Katatonya yes. There is a rule. 6 months per year. They are strict about it. But 3 months plus one visa run and it is good. Anything more than that and you are out. That is what I’m saying. Don’t we get 6 months anyways? So you can’t keep,going back and forth. Just once is about all I’d risk and all that is legal.

[@rowdyduterte8476]

They should have special towns/zones for digital nomads. Specifically the ones with massively declining populations. Done the right way, we can really benefit the economy, e.g. some areas of Bali, Thailand where Nomads have created a community. Nomads can help revitalise abandoned towns.

[@ilikevines]

This is extremely appealing to me. I have a corporate software engineer job in Australia and I would love to work remotely from Japan from six months with my wife and children. The time zone is only an hour apart too.

[@rizielv9040]

yes 35mil are digi nomads but very few earns 10mil yen.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Japan will take the 3% that do who will help the economy - or so they hope. The tourist visa is still just as good for backpacking and digital nomads on smaller incomes.

[@brendanfarthing]

@@onlyinjapanGO Can you legally work remotely in Japan (paid in another country) on a tourist visa?

[@Katatonya]

@@brendanfarthingI'm interested as well, and can you stay the whole year by renewing it from traveling to other asian countries or is there a limit.

[@jakub7244]

The Visa looks kind of like "low effort" solution compared to other countries with same Visas. But its better than nothing, just expensive for some countries. I'm from Czech and 10m puts you in top 1% here. Sadly I make just around 7-8..so time to get better rates I guess :D .

[@onlyinjapanGO]

10M yen is certainly a fighter most Japanese do not make either. The income ceiling may go down (or up!) I know it’s based on professionals who make a good living doing this, have disposable income which Japan hopes they spend in Japan traveling.

[@seltox6320]

You did touch on it in reaction to a comment - but one topic a lot of people are not talking about enough is that it's not just getting the visa that's required, your employer also needs to allow you to work from overseas (assuming you're not self employed). That's going to be a tough sell for a lot of western countries because of time zones. There's a high chance that people will still need to be joining meetings and working during/around their home countries business hours, so getting that employer approval might be the hard part, not the visa. My employer is the biggest reason why I haven't just gone to Japan for 90 days and worked from hotels while traveling - if my laptop just showed up in Japan one day it would instantly be locked assuming it's been stolen. If I took it overseas without permission I'd be out of luck. I had a ~6 weeks of holiday to Japan planned near end of this year and start of next, using up all of my leave on top of purchased leave (unpaid leave).. But now I'll be talking to my employer about this visa. I'm lucky in that I'm in Australia so the timezones are very close. My employer also has official policies around working from another country with a bunch of criteria to fill - and I'll be able to meet all of those for the "up to 6 months relocation" policy.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

well, having said all you wrote, digital 'nomad' kinda implies they're already living the nomad life. but yes, there're remote workers here already with working visas of various types, and in my experience alot them are translators (who benefit from wide gaps in the timezone).

[@ezshottah3732]

This is music to my ears as I have been trying to go to japan for 15 years

[@KantoCafe715]

Thanks for uploading this , appreciated

[@nefertemur8951]

Greetings John Daub, digital nomad visa qualification policy too costly for most digital nomads. On another note, just purchased the MacBook 💻 Pro Max and the performance is out of this world while using high performance apps. John, aren’t all your endeavors a vacation What are your thoughts? Thanks for sharing.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

No, when I film, it is NOT a vacation. I’m thinking of the story and the shot, scenes not how to relax. There is a love for chasing a story, but it is definitely a job.

[@DerekDavis213]

Macbook Pro Max, that was a good choice. Macs are very popular these days: Mac - 9 percent market share Windows - 90 percent market share

[@drewcorcoran544]

@@DerekDavis213?

[@DerekDavis213]

@@drewcorcoran544 How is Barbara doing? I heard she was forced off the show.

[@cristysilva5488]

For foreigners who desire to live for a long period of time, your opinion is very honest, a must hear and a reality check to many. I lived in Japan and love many things about it but it is not for all. Check the water before you dive into it.

[@FramesByDan]

Its interesting as i know they've based the salary on yen which is why it can translate to quite alot of money even in western countries. Would be like £55,000 GDP per year roughly i think for UK citizens. Like you said its roughly targeted towards people who are in a managerial role or earn a bit more. This is probably annoying for some, but completely understandable. Other countries like korea have a similar starting salary. Its probably likely that the salary will decrease if the digital nomad visa becomes popular and takes off, but probably not a massive amount

[@Charles-ew9hs]

yes please, more options is great.

[@holiday07]

10:00 that means you can stay in Japan for 6 months for as long as your income is coming from outside of Japan or a company overseas is paying for your salary. KZbinrs can be considered as freelancers, basically they can work from anywhere in the world. They can avail of the digital nomad visa but they are not allowed to work or earn income from a Japanese company based in Japan. Digital nomads should be paying their taxes in the country where they are citizens of or permanent resident of. This is how I understand it.

[@adamc.7795]

you are correct and Japan and USA have tax treaty to prevent double taxation. If you ever did work/stay in Japan 183 days or more, on some other type of work visa, you'd file something with Japan but probably not owe them tax, just the US. Until you get full citizenship of Japan I think.

[@KenshoQuest]

Exciting! I wish it was for 12 months, but 6 months is better than nothing.

[@brendanfarthing]

I think Japan is being cautious with that salary. Most young people (under 30) who want to be digital nomads wont be earning that much money. And most people who are established in their life and careers (mid 30's and up) don't want to be a digital nomad. Seems they are keeping the numbers low by setting that salary. The European Schengen region allows you to stay 90 days every 180 days (basically 6 months of the year) without needing to do anything (no visa) from most countries, which is so much easier and cheaper e.g. Portugal, Spain etc

[@helenfong6921]

Oh wow. Thank you for sharing this info!!!

[@onlyinjapanGO]

More to come, they plan to launch next month.

[@wizirbyman]

i'm actually super excited to stay in japan as a digital nomad - especially because with american dollars the cost of living in japan is SO low

[@infn]

How would the rent situation work though. It's already hard for foreigners to get rentals but short term 6 month rentals? I don't think anyone wants to pay Airbnb/homestay rates...

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

the idea is that if you stay the full 6 months, you won't choose the expensive downtown places with higher rates, right. stay a bit out of the city & commute - like us locals. live the life! bring family members. it's a convenient safe clean country.

[@davidtaylar8870]

It's crazy that its triple the English Teacher salary for a visa that is half of the time of a teacher's. I got dependent visas for my kid and wife on a slightly higher than average English teacher salary. 10 million yen seems absurd for half a year when you can get 2-3 people in on an ALT salary.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I believe - NOMAD visas can be reapplied for and extended ;) Teachers are actually paying taxes and a part of a Japanese corporation so that’s why they get more “time and benefits” but it is crazy in a way. To Japan, IMO an ALTs value is more than a digital nomad.

[@XVa-uj8m]

What about a Student Visa?

[@TheBurrowingOwle]

I think this is wonderful news. Thank you for sharing so much information. 🎏

[@WylieWestie]

Another option is the long term sightseeing visa which gives you 6 months with a possible 6 month extension if you still qualify at the end of 6 months. Instead of income you need savings in the bank. Excellent option that’s not so well known

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

but, like this new visa status, not widely available to many.

[@valorzinski7423]

Even though the Yen is weak now, I feel like the living costs are still too high for your average digital nomad unless they move to a smaller city

[@Miya-ub5qn]

I am Japanese. Welcome to Japan!

[@louisel.sinniger2057]

John, it seems like this is geared for people in successful businesses that operate in many parts of the world. I think this is a good opportunity for many. Building housing for digital workers is smart. “If you build it, they will come” kind of thought. If I was a digital worker I would definitely try to immerse my self into the culture. Balance my experience. Yeah, I would secure a health insurance plan or have the insurance my company provides. Thank for the info

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s a start, not a finish. It makes sense to start high and move the requirements. I think their target for this visa at first won’t be so high, but in 2025, I’d expect the threshold to be less than 10M yen. It’s better to start high and lower it than the other way round 😂

[@bgyw]

The specs of this visa aren't great of course but I think this is a trial. It makes sense considering the current economic situation but in a more "stable" economy, 10M Yen is a high barrier entry. I doubt that the economic return by having a higher entry barrier would be significantly better. My thinking is that it might also be also be a way to stop people from going to Korea for 1 days and re-enter Japan to extend their period of stay. At the end of the day, you might be better off with the working holiday visa if you are 30 years old or less and eligible to it. US citizen are not so the digital nomad is their option but Canada, Australia, France, UK and many others are. The working holiday visa doesn't require you to have an actual job and you only need something like 5000$.

[@adamc.7795]

Those doing the visa-runs are so obvious now, the US immigration website has a statement about it being so obvious now. If people really want to do a visa-run, just wait 1-3 months before coming back to Japan ya know? They'll get caught leaving Japan for just 1 week and coming back. But people who have done it just once aren't as much of a red-flag. Must be the ones doing it twice or more getting in trouble.

[@RenzoTravelsTheEarth]

By the way UK citizens already have visa free travel to Japan for 180 days (6months). Not sure what the benefits of this visa for us would be. Maybe you’re not officially supposed to work as a nomad with tourist visa but they’d never find out.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

in that case, one visa & family members can join as well. you're right they'd (most likely never find out - nor care) so the tax implications're main thing - for now.

[@James-yl3kk]

Do they expect you to pay tax? Can you use public services? Kids? Schooling? Do you still need travel insurance?

[@jxudan]

keep us posted!

[@fin9672]

I think its a step in the right direction and im happy to see this visa. I think amount you need to earn is slightly out of line with the type of person you would expect to be willing to do this type of experience. Most are going to be mid 20s - early 40s so I expect most would'nt earn this amount yet. And maybe a bit longer visa would be lovely. Really give folks the chance to learn from japan/practice the language etc. And finally possibly a way to convert the visa into a type resident visa if you have leant the language and are willing start paying taxes in japan? But as i say, very promising direction and Japan stands to really make this work if they are smart about it. Bring young enthusiatic people into an aging nation and if delt with properly, be a win/win for all parties.

[@Ghostofcushite]

3 month Tourist visa is more reasonable and less complicated , now if it was a 2 year digital nomad visa, It would be more enticing.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

surely this is just a test. if it goes well, expect the requirements to ease up, and the benefits to get better.

[@LadyStock]

Allowing families to come is exciting and would make this an option for us but at only 6 months, what would we do for school? At least 12 months would provide an opportunity for children to become immersed in a way that they would benefit as well from cultural exchange and friendship. I’m surprised they are allowing families but not considering family support. What are your thoughts?

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

the idea is that at that income level, the nomad could support the family financially. obviously school would be an issue. so for example, the nomad can stay up to 6 months - maybe the kids come for 2 months during summer vacation?

[@fernandoscrenci4874]

Good Solid Honest Information About Japan !!!

[@Elfyja]

This has me excited, thanks for sharing!

[@robmac3103]

Accomodation costs will be a serious barrier for most, because a standard 12-month lease won’t be possible. Airbnb isn’t cheap in Tokyo, especially the popular areas. I stayed in Ebisu for 3 months in 2023 and it cost me a fortune.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

the idea is that if you stay the full 6 months, you won't choose the expensive downtown places with higher rates, right. stay a bit out of the city & commute - like us locals. live the life! bring family members. it's a convenient safe clean country.

[@adamc.7795]

Airbnb or share houses. Cheap.

[@pavelpekun5424]

Sounds like to apply for a 3 month tourist visa, go back for a week and apply again will be cheaper, less paperwork and no difference in a status.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Depends, if you have ¥10M maybe you can’t be bothered to leave and come back at the 11 week mark. But basically, seems like a hassle with paperwork so very interested to see how this launches next month. We don’t know all the details yet.

[@jeffreyjapnjew6889]

Hey I finally made it (had this visa from pre Covid times) and have been in the Waseda area for a lil' while. I know I have almost no social media history (i'm like the Shazam young lad) but I come equipped as an idea person. Wanted to pitch to you: if you r ever looking for some new ideas for vids I'd be happy to collaborate with you, I have some interesting ideas for vids that would be fun and new (and different than the youtubes avail) about "Here in Japan"

[@troyverdialez596]

I’m a plumber in the states. Can I get a work visa ? Thanks

[@TheAkagai]

Japan NEEDS a "Retiree" visa. Retirees are perfect for a country. 1. Takes no local jobs 2. Spends Yen on housing, food, utilities, etc. 3. Good citizens; much less likely to cause trouble than younger people

[@onlyinjapanGO]

4. Require visits to the hospital for services that are overburdened. 5. Japan has more people over 65 as part of their population than anywhere else. I don’t see that happening because of these two points. Everyone is different but in the whole, I know this is what is on the minds for such a visa. Im sure they’ll have one but it won’t be in the next 10 years.

[@traveler7249]

@@onlyinjapanGO -- 4. Your initial reaction is what most assume. However, with a bit of research we find. Numerous countries have retiree visas. Virtually all require adequate medical insurance. -- There is no burden placed on the medical system. In fact, it helps the local medical system by injecting capital instead of using public funds (tax coffers). --I agree Japan is a bit xenophobic and seemingly short-sighted. Having lived in Japan since the 1970s, I find this more than a common opinion. 5. Japan's societal structure is such that elderly citizens are much less of a burden on the govt (tax ) resources than in Western countries.

[@wizirbyman]

i think the new digital nomad visa is perfect for me. The requirement is about 68k which is very much like the medianish american salary. moreover as a tech worker it's very easy to work remote. The only difficulty is work hours but I think i've worked it out to just working early mornings to about lunch time in japan. My hope is to work in the mornings then take japanese school classes in the afternoon. also the price of everything even housing in japan is SO much cheaper than where i'm from (los angeles, CA) I could literally live in a business hotel all month and eat out everyday and still save more money than I do living in an apartment in CA. The thing I like about this is that 6 months is a long time but also not that long, so If I don't like it, it wont be too bad. I also think the worst parts of japan is mostly work culture and beurocracy but since all of our banking and work etc is not with japanese corporations, I'm totally okay with that! Maybe social things would be an issue but I already have a bunch of friends who live in japan full time so it shouldn't be too bad.

[@jennybento]

love this, would definitely take advantage. would love if there was a bridge to the entrepreneurial visa there too

[@anonymoustravelvidz]

Surely they should tap into the Akiya market to tackle the issue of housing

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It’s not as simple as we would hope it to be, the Akiya market. The owners don’t often want to sell despite it being abandoned. Usually relatives. But cities are TAXING Akiya so maybe there is hope soon for this.

[@cmcdougall808]

As a small time vlogger for friends and family, I'm intrigued. I wonder if there's a business model for hotels to cater to folks that may want to stay in a large city for a few weeks, use the hotel to visit nearby small towns as day trips, then move on to another city to visit even more small towns? By using the same chain of hotel the visitor could get a discount. Just a thought.

[@rinowx5]

Thanks for keeping it real. So many good points

[@BrOoKLyNx]

How did you manage to stay in Japan for such a long time? Just keep renewing your work visa?

[@neubro1448]

Other option is through SOFA. Working for the US military whether you're an active member or civilian employed. To live in Japan without residency status.

[@Rod-bp8ow]

Visa less entries in countries such as Japan is also recommendable, since businesses knows their established businesses, and so as employers and employees, where it is associated, affiliated, incorporated, it also encourages tourism, since the businesses already exists, and so as its respective Chamber of Commerce and Industries. Bansai Japan!

[@198Fun]

My fiancé and I are getting married in 2026 and we are hoping/planning to take our honeymoon in Japan! We want to come in early January for New Japan Pro Wrestling’s biggest show of the year.

[@randaldavis8976]

The income level is too high for me, I am more of a digital retiree. But like the rural areas that I can stay connected with some access to decent roads/transit

[@markmoreno7295]

So if you are “working” in Japan but not employed by a Japanese employer for sure the US wants a cut and you still need to pay income tax. But it sounds as if Japan will also want a cut. I have visited often but I found internet connections slow, few, and not totally free. (They want info)

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Not anymore, connections are everywhere, phone booths are obsolete but now are city wifi. Everything changed when the Olympics came. Outside Tokyo, it’s getting better faster than I thought.

[@markmoreno7295]

@@onlyinjapanGOthanks. The last time I went (sep 23) there were more connections but I found none at gig speeds. Various coffee shops had wifi but you had to sign in. In the states most shops just want you to click the agree box. Of course here free wifi is also slow. My wife brought a portable “hotspot” which was helpful but it too was slow. Only people frequently downloading or uploading especially video will appreciate faster speeds. Luckily I use a computer for fun and not work. I love the subtle nuances such as the combi, the hanbaiki. Best was when I brought my own bicycle. I rented one once but only for a week and we usually stay for 6 weeks visiting my mother in law. Okinawa is the best. Ishigaki is best. If you visit Yoshidasan and take a Sabani tour say hello. Also go and have breakfast at Higa’s which is a soft tofu that is fresh. And yes the wagyu is fantastic especially at an iszakaya.

[@doel_the_daring]

I am glad you mentioned the whole living in Japan is way different to travelling as a tourist. My father is Australian he lives there in Osaka and constantly tells me about things I won't like if I was to stay long term. I was there for 1month and thought it was too short but now seeing it a long term wouldn't suit me. A long term work visa yes. Migrate no. So much more to it.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

It is a real thing - visiting vs living in Japan. A lot to LOVE and a lot to DISLIKE and it depends on the kind of person you are, how you can adapt. I'm easy because the positives are high for me and I shrug off the negative most of the time. But it's can weigh down westerners to assimilate into life and a community which is normal in any country.

[@nuclearchef-san8304]

This is interesting, I have several friends/acquaintances in Korea,who could possibly take advantage of this,to be able to stay longer at one time if they choose.Although some are younger, and im not sure if they make $68000/yr ,other I know do make that or more.. So that income thing I’m not sure about,it seems to high.Then again they all frequently travel and work here as well,so they know what type visa they need, but this 6 month one could be a benefit for some of them..

[@tirosc]

This is fantastic! Very interested to apply for this once it opens up. My only worry is accommodation, probably only service apartments are suitable for us. Any ideas for accommodation?

[@eugeneshimabukuro3862]

I remember years ago, you made a melon pan episode on that street. Last week, on our way to TeamLab we stopped at Tsukishama Station and took a walk down that street! I saw the whale vending machine. I didn’t buy anything too. Ha!

[@onlyinjapanGO]

I did - the shop is still going strong!

[@base0902]

haha! I was just there a couple of hours ago! We even ate at the melon pan store 😂

[@gsfsb693]

Oh hey, your birthday trip is in exactly the opposite direction to mine (mine's the day after yours!) - I'm gonna be freezing my proverbials off in Sapporo at the Snow Festival 😅

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Have fun! I’ll be working on my tan by the pool 🏝️ 🥥 😋

[@Fromdeno]

Truck driver in Japan makes less than half of that 10million yen, yet they work 50 hours a week. Weird they’d give a visa for that yet have such a steep requirement for a 6month visa that doesn’t even allow you a bank account. And good luck with an apartment, living permanently in Japan, it’s beyond difficult to get an apartment as a foreigner… so enjoy hostels for 6 months. Not to sound cynical, but it’s not great atm and i don’t want people to get mega excited for now. Hopefully in time they will become more relaxed, definitely a big step for a really homogeneous country though.

[@onlyinjapanGO]

You are comparing apples with oranges. Japan needs truck drivers and taxi drivers. It is a WORK visa. You can live here and earn money, open a Japanese bank account etc. residence card, services, health insurance etc. It’s not THAT hard to get accommodations. It was harder 26 years ago when I came. Japan has a declining population, and there are agencies and offices to help foreign residents out with this in cities. I’m foreign and haven’t had a problem. Also, your employer helps A LOT!!

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

I agree with @onlyinjapanGO I've been here 33yrs and it's a land of lots of opportunities - but just like anywhere, it's just as much up to you, as well. your character, your attitude, your outlook. it's not a country for everyone, for sure. gotta have an open mind.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

@@onlyinjapanGO actually I and quite a few of my friends've never really had employers. I mean in the very very beginning, at some English conversation school. but for over 30yrs I've been independently employed.

[@aresef]

That’s very interesting. I’d consider it if certain things in my life weren’t centered on 9-5 eastern.

[@Floating.Swords]

This would be an awesome program if implemented! I would definitely consider applying for a DNV (Digital Nomad Visa) if Japan began issuing them. But does your employer have to be a Japanese company? I wonder if they would consider allowing foreigners who are employed overseas with non-Japanese companies to acquire this VISA if they wanted to live in Japan (paying rent and spending money in the local economy) while still working their foreign remote job.

[@OneIdeaTooMany]

Not gonna lie, im a little salty. I did a degree and while i do make more than 10,000,000 yen a year in japan, come from a visa free country with a tax treaty (Australia) i would have LOVED this.. it would have saved me a lot of money on a degree i only needed to get a working visa. Oh well, best of luck to anyone who applies! I hope you enjoy your 6 months in Japan!

[@wongjefx980]

Cool. But depending on your home or working timezone, might be rough.

[@MrGundawindy]

How can I move to Japan if I don't have a job because I'm a self funded retiree? Is there a way that doesn't need an income if you have enough assets?

[@adamc.7795]

There should be a visa for that yeah. Try their Immigration website, the visa might forbid you from working though.

[@AdriDwitomo]

My bags are packed! Let's go! And this while I'm actually on vacation in japan with my family and it just about ended!!

[@bcatbb2896]

ive actually considered doing this as well but in a tropical country like vietnam or thailand

[@shisa2834]

The Visa I've been waiting for. Now only if barrier free living gets better, along with social services for getting helpers.

[@LexusFox]

I get what you’re saying about the differences. I think my only real advantage is being from a multicultural household so experiencing that constant exposure to changes in dynamics has kinda made me more adaptable I’ve come to find.

[@nothingness.emptiness]

this is great news i will be considering this :) thank you

[@darkangel8068]

I'm a digital nomad staying right now in kita-ku japan. I'm just bouncing around asian countries every 90 days while working as a software developer. If I ran a country I would create a digital nomad zone also. We all make great money and eat out every day.

[@seltox6320]

Does your employer know/approve all of this? I'm a software engineer myself and can't imagine my employer would let me change countries every 3 months. I'm pretty certain they'll be willing to approve a potentially annual 6 month stint in Japan though, with a real visa that allows me to work there. No way would they let me work from there on a tourist visa.

[@Katatonya]

And can you stay for the whole year? I remember reading that you can only be inside Japan for up to 6 months a year, did I read wrong?

[@obstinatejack]

American citizens used to enjoy a 6months long visa to Japan and korea, so this is simply getting back to how it used to be

[@athinaios1828]

blueground is a greek startup it's great that they are operating in japan now

[@gardencity3558]

Wow! Japan's attitude has really changed towrds foreigners in the last few years. Outside of visas for teaching English gaijin weren't really encouraged to come even for tourism. Japan is a great country for this program!

[@kageyamareijikun]

except you won't get a residency status with this "extended tourist visa"

[@deyabuNeo]

I haven't gotten the advantages versus a normal tourist visa

[@onlyinjapanGO]

Your family can come, probably more housing options (eventually) more benefits since you’re sure to be here longer? Hard to see but some “digital nomads” probably want the badge of honor to be called. Digital nomads by a foreign government for their Instagram accounts? 😂 stranger things have happened.

[@0080tube]

What happens to driving lic after 3 month. As i understand international driving is only valid for Especially if we choose to live outside the major cities.

[@AmericanExpatDaily]

I've lived in Asia for a long time, mostly China. Spent a fair amount in Japan as well. Would live to stay a while, but don't think the nomad thing is the way.

[@Regalman]

The United States should have this kind of immigration policy instead of taking in the world's poor we need high level talent. Japan is smart!

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

most high level talent already wanna go to the states! including high level talent from Japan!

[@jenszier]

It will be fun watching how they will handle all the small things - the stuff you can't do without a japanese credit card. The bank account you are not allowed to keep when you leave the country. Even phone contracts with voice are difficult...

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

don't get it. tourists aren't having any problems here with nonJapanese credit cards. wifi is everywhere. 7-11 ATMs have been great for tourists for over a decade.

[@RykerFreegeld]

With 10 mil 元, you could buy multiple houses in various countries in South East Asia, and then just switch between them on ordinary (free) visa exemptions every few months. This is what happens when (old) policy makers are behind the times and out of touch with reality. The whole point of being a digital nomad is freedom and flexibility (hence "nomad"). Way too much of a hassle for any digital nomads I know.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

with JPY ¥10mil, you could buy 2 decent size houses right downtown Osaka city!

[@RykerFreegeld]

@@lawrence_of_osaka Thanks for commenting man. Wow, so even in Japan the new super-duper “remote worker” visa makes no sense. I mean if you can buy a house in Osaka, and one other house anywhere else in SE Asia (easy in many countries), then what's the point of even applying for ANY visa - just travel back and forth on the multi-month visa exemptions / visa on arrivals that most countries now offer, AND get to live in your OWN houses - problem solved!🤝🏻

[@jacksan1]

I wonder how they decided on the income requirement. A 10-million yen per year actually places you in the top 5% of the personal income brackets in Japan. The mean HOUSEHOLD income in 2021 was only 5.457 million JPY, with the median at 4.23 million JPY (MHLW study released in 2022).

[@onlyinjapanGO]

They don’t want a lot of people applying at first so I’m sure it’ll go down as they test it out. This is usual here. Start high, lower the threshold as the system matures. For 2024, it’ll be 10M and I’d expect it to decrease as the services for digital nomads also increase like special housing and incentives. It’s a step in a good direction! Can’t expect it to be tailored to everyone at first. That’s not how Japan works - which is one of those things people living here get frustrated about 😂

[@jacksan1]

@@onlyinjapanGO I tend to agree that this initial income threshold is a feeler and will eventually step down to make it more palatable to the greater proportion of the world's digital talents who wish to try out Japan.

[@socks_cat356]

This is a reasonable amount to start with. First of all, I would like to attract people who can afford it and see how it goes.

[@sirmione905]

There are many things that increase cost of living without residency. For example, you can’t use health insurance, lease contracts are usually 2 years so you have to pay extra for hotels, serviced apartments or air bnb etc. The government might think 10 million yen could afford the extra cost but average income of Japanese, about half that amount, may not be enough.

[@jacksan1]

@@sirmione905Right, I was surprised to learn that, despite the six-month term, the holders of this visa will not receive the residence card nor will they be eligible for the National Health Insurance. I wonder why they have carved it out that way when many other visas that allow 91+ days' stay come with the residence card and health insurance.

[@Ars_Fabula_TTRPG]

So only wealthy digital nomads... I make about 60k USD. I'm comfortable here in the states but visiting Japan for a while would be SO COOL.

[@lawrence_of_osaka]

it's new. maybe you should try. do you have some savings in the US? maybe savings + your income could work. don't give up.

[@karlavazquez9028]

Thanks 🎉