Living and Working in Japan
Quick links: Accommodation / Bank Accounts / ATM's / Healthcare / Pay & Bens / Tax / Visas / Travel
Accommodation
Most properties are rented or leased through a real estate agency. If you don’t speak Japanese there are several estate agents in the major cities that provide services in English and specialize in relocation.
Bank Accounts
To open a bank account in Japan you will need an Alien Registration Card. Non citizens who stay in Japan for 90 days or more must register for one at their local city or ward office. Once you have been issued with a card, bring your passport and visit any national, regional, or local bank to set up an account. If you do not speak Japanese, Citibank and Shinsei offer banking services in English.
ATM's
Most Japanese banks do not accept international cards in their ATM machines. However, 7/11 Convenience Stores and the Japanese Post Office, which form a very wide national network, will accept most major credit and debit cards.
Healthcare
Japan’s healthcare system was ranked tenth best by the World Health Organization. A Social Insurance Card entitles the holder and their dependents to pay only 30% of their medical fees. The National Health Insurance System provides for those not covered by Social Insurance, but if you’re working, you will have a Social Insurance Card.
English speaking doctors are widely available in Tokyo and most other major cities.
Pay & Benefits
In Japan there are two main systems by which salaries are paid – one modern, the other traditional.
The modern system, by the far the most popular system with foreign companies, is to pay your salary in twelve monthly payments throughout the year. The amount of any bonus depends largely on the industry, company and position.
The traditional system, still common amongst Japanese employers, advocates twelve payments of your monthly salary, plus two fixed bonuses each year, referred to as your winter and summer bonus.
In addition to your salary many Japanese companies will pay your travel expenses. Other incentives are rare, with most businesses preferring to offer a straightforward but competitive package.
Tax
Taxes in Japan are paid on income, property and consumption on a national, prefectural and municipal level.
Tax for an individual who meets the criteria of a "permanent resident" in Japan will be calculated on his income in Japan and abroad. A foreign resident who is employed in Japan pays tax only on income earned in Japan.
Prefectural tax applies to the self-employed and is based on net income and the type of business. Municipal tax is paid by individuals who own land, housing and other types of depreciable assets.
Visas
Non-citizens may only work in Japan if they are in possession of an appropriate visa. You will need to find a Japanese company willing to employ you and sponsor your visa. Once your sponsorship is secured you can apply for your visa and have it issued without leaving the country.
Valid for either one or three years, you must apply for a new visa before the current one expires. Moreover, visas are rendered invalid if you leave the country, even if only for a brief holiday. The way round this is to apply for a multiple-entry permit. Contact the Tokyo Immigration Bureau for more information.
Travel
Japan has a comprehensive system of train and subway lines and is the most railway using nation per capita in the world. In Tokyo most commuters will use the Tokyo Metro or Japan Railways to get to work. Overcrowding can verge on the comical, but the services are so punctual that delays of more than a few minutes are considered newsworthy.
The Japanese, particularly in Tokyo, find public transportation more than adequate. If you do want to drive, you must obtain an international driving permit from your home country, qualifying you to drive in Japan for up to one year. If you plan on staying longer you must obtain a Japanese Driver’s Licence - fortunately Japan has treaty agreements with many countries which will allow you to obtain a Japanese license without taking a written or practical examination.
