Living in Japan
Practical guides for foreigners living in Japan: paperwork, costs, telecom and everyday life.
- Technology, Mobile & Internet
No Wi-Fi Yet in Japan? How to Get Temporary Internet
For a wait of only a few days, start with phone tethering or a data eSIM. If installation may take weeks and you need a laptop or several devices, compare a high-data SIM, Pocket Wi-Fi, and Home Wi-Fi before signing up.
- Procedures & Documents
Getting Japanese Tax Certificates After Moving to Another City
After moving within Japan, tax certificates normally come from the municipality where you were registered on January 1 of the relevant fiscal year. Identify the certificate, fiscal year, and application method before applying.
- Technology, Mobile & Internet
What’s the Difference Between Voice SIMs, Data SIMs, and eSIMs?
Voice SIM and data SIM describe what the service includes; physical SIM and eSIM describe where your subscriber details live on the device. The two choices are independent, so an eSIM can be a voice line and a physical SIM can be data-only. This guide compares all four, covers what to check before you switch phones, and explains dual SIM for keeping your home-country number alongside a Japanese one.
- Technology, Mobile & Internet
Should You Choose a 5GB, 30GB, 50GB, or 100GB SIM in Japan?
Do not pick a plan by instinct. Open your phone's data usage screen, take the heaviest of your last three months, then add what changes in Japan: maps, translation, video calls home, and tethering a laptop. That number tells you whether you sit in the 5GB, 30GB, 50GB, or 100GB group, long before you start comparing carriers.
- Housing & Daily Life
Can You Rent an Apartment in Japan Without a Guarantor?
No Japanese guarantor does not mean no apartment. Most contracts now use a rent guarantee company instead — here is how guarantor companies, joint guarantors and emergency contacts differ, and what each one costs you.
- Housing & Daily Life
New job in Japan: how to rent without enough payslips
Not having enough payslips does not guarantee rejection. An employment contract, 労働条件通知書, offer letter, employment certificate, projected-income certificate, and bank balance may support the application.
- Housing & Daily Life
How Much Money Do You Need Upfront to Rent an Apartment in Japan?
Moving into a Japanese apartment costs far more than the first month's rent. This guide breaks down shikikin, reikin, agency fees, guarantor fees, insurance and the charges that are easy to miss before you sign.
- Housing & Daily Life
Documents Needed to Rent an Apartment in Japan: A Checklist for Foreign Residents
A document checklist for foreign residents renting in Japan: residence card, passport, proof of employment, proof of income, emergency contact and paperwork for everyone living with you.
- Housing & Daily Life
Before Signing a Rental Contract in Japan: 15 Things You Must Check
A 15-point checklist to read before you sign a Japanese lease: contract type, rent, renewal fees, early termination, co-residents, pets and move-out costs.
- Housing & Daily Life
Why Was Your Rental Application in Japan Rejected? 10 Common Reasons
A rental application in Japan can be turned down without any reason given. This guide walks foreign residents through 10 points that commonly cause trouble, and how to rebuild the application in the right direction.
- Housing & Daily Life
Why Did the Rent Guarantor Company Reject My Application?
A Japanese rent guarantor company may decline an application when payment capacity cannot be verified, information conflicts, documents are missing, or verification calls fail. The exact reason is usually not disclosed, but applicants can still review the facts and prepare a stronger next application.
- Procedures & Documents
Renewing Your Period of Stay in Japan: When Should You Prepare?
If your current period of stay is six months or longer, you can usually apply for an extension from three months before it expires. Start checking your documents around four months ahead and aim to submit at least 45 days before expiry to leave time for corrections and processing.