Immigration to Japan is a difficult process, which, however, can be completed by any motivated person. This article details all the legal immigration methods and the pitfalls you should be aware of.

Pros of immigrating to Japan

Despite possible difficulties with adaptation associated with language and cultural characteristics, there are obvious advantages of immigrating to Japan:

  • Japan is an island country, strongly elongated from north to south. The climate varies significantly between the islands. In Hokkaido you can experience a snowy winter, while in Okinawa there will be eternal summer.
  • Economic stability and standard of living. This country has one of the highest GDP and HDI indicators.
  • One of the lowest crime rates in the world. The police carefully monitor the safety of citizens and tourists.
  • Good prospects for qualified workers. Large international companies always have vacancies with high salaries and good career prospects.

Popularity of Japan as an immigration destination

For emigrants from Russia and the CIS countries, Japan is not the most popular destination for immigration. This is due to the complexity of the Japanese language, significant differences in mentality, and the difficulty of obtaining the official right to move. Japan has gained the greatest popularity as a country for immigration in China, Taiwan, Korea, and the Philippines. According to official data from the Bureau of Statistics of Japan, the total annual flow of emigrants per year is approximately 31 thousand people as of 2019.

However, only those who were able to officially find employment or marry a citizen of the country can successfully move to live in Japan. Refugees in Japan have virtually no chance of gaining a foothold in the country. In 2016, only 27 refugees out of 7 thousand received the right to reside.

From the end of the second half of the 20th century to the beginning of the 21st century, the number of migrants gradually increased, this was indirectly due to the “Japanese Economic Miracle” - one of the well-known phenomena in which a record level of growth in Japan’s economic development was recorded.

The economic crisis of 2008 can be considered the beginning of the decline in the number of migrants. Economic instability affected the entire territory of Japan, which caused a rather large, by the standards of this country, outflow of specialists from the country. After Prime Minister Shinzo Abe came to power, the problem with foreigners began to improve, and since 2012, annual migration statistics began to gradually increase positively.

Ways to immigrate to Japan

One of the Japanese bills bans the use of unskilled labor that comes from other countries. Although some companies and enterprises do not adhere to this ban, it is better to immediately abandon the idea of ​​working illegally. If an immigrant is deported, he will be prohibited from further entry into the country for a period of 10 years.

Moving to Japan for permanent residence is possible under one of the existing immigration programs. The main ones:

  1. Marriage. This path should be considered only in the case of a real relationship with a Japanese citizen. Firstly, finding a partner for a fictitious marriage in this country is almost impossible, and secondly, social services will carefully and constantly check the conditions of your cohabitation with your partner. If a fictitious marriage is discovered, you will lose all civil rights and will be deported from the country. The good news is that Japanese people are willing to marry Russian men and women. Moreover, the most common marriages of Russian men with Japanese women. You can meet Japanese people on dating sites, in cafes and in public transport.
  2. Employment. First of all, you need to secure a formal employment contract with the employer. Without this, the government will not issue a long-term visa to a foreigner. The industries with the greatest employment opportunities are high technology, engineering, teaching and IT. The easiest way for foreigners to find employment is in international companies and their branches, especially in American and European ones. Work for the Japanese is one of the most important areas in life. With an official 8-hour working day, the average Japanese can stay at work for several hours at his own request. At the same time, salaries in Japan are quite high, the average being about $2,500. For entry-level positions, the salary will be 1000-1500 dollars.
  3. Studies. A foreign student who plans to study in Japan for more than 90 days will have to apply for a general visa. This visa can be obtained through the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country. Some universities help with visa applications for foreign students. In addition to the possibility of obtaining higher education, in Japan you can study at a language school for from 1 month to a year. The minimum age for training is 15 years. Tuition fees at a language school range from $400 to $1,000 per month. Most language schools offer their own dormitories for accommodation, the cost of which is included in the tuition fee.
  4. Japanese JET training program. This program invites foreigners from all over the world to teach their national languages ​​in Japanese schools and universities. Since the program was created, 62 thousand people from 65 different countries have participated in it. To participate in the program, you must contact the Japanese consulate. If applicants are currently being recruited, and there are still available places, the consulate will issue the necessary forms, after filling out which, it will be necessary to undergo an interview and prepare for further relocation to Japan.
  5. Open your own business in Japan. The State Foreign Trade Agency is engaged in supporting foreign businessmen and their business projects, which they plan to implement in Japan. This agency has representative offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg and can provide support to entrepreneurs on a wide range of issues. Also, the agency may offer to rent offices and warehouses in Japan with special discounts. You can read more about all the stages of creating a business in Japan on the official JETRO website, where you can also familiarize yourself with all the necessary documents.

If you are planning a temporary stay in Japan for more than 90 days, you will have to choose one of the above listed relocation methods. For temporary residence of up to 90 days, you can get by with a short-term visa, which is obtained in a simpler manner.

Visas to Japan

  1. Visa for short stay. It can be issued for up to 90 days.
  2. Work Visa. Issued for a period of 3-6 months and up to 3 years.
  3. General visa. Issued for the same period as a work permit, but can only be used for studying in Japan.
  4. Special visa. Issued to foreign citizens who are spouses or children of a Japanese man or woman who officially resides in Japan. The validity period of a special visa is 3 years.
  5. Transit visa. Usually issued to tourists for a short period of time - a few days or weeks, if Japan is not the final destination.
  6. Diplomatic visa. Issued exclusively to representatives of diplomatic groups and members of their families for the duration of their diplomatic mission in the country.

Immigration to Japan of artists and other representatives of creative professions is carried out on a work visa.

To apply for a visa, you must contact the embassy, ​​after which the applicant will be required to collect a certain package of documents:

  • the applicant's international passport;
  • a copy of the international passport, which must be attached to the international passport itself;
  • a copy of your own passport, consisting of basic information about your identity and information about your place of registration;
  • two photographs measuring 4.5x4.5 cm. A mandatory factor is that both photographs are identical and taken no later than six months before submitting the documents;
  • A completed application form. The application form itself is issued to the applicant at the embassy; it must be filled out in English;
  • if the applicant is employed, he is also required to present a certificate of income and his position;
  • if the applicant is a pensioner, he must provide a copy of his pension certificate.

A Japanese visa is issued free of charge; the embassy does not charge any money for its processing. A small cost of 10-20 dollars will have to be incurred for sending documents to Japan. If you want to apply for a visa to Japan with the help of travel agencies, you will have to pay them up to $100 for their services.

After receiving a visa, all that remains is to move to Japan, continue to learn Japanese, make connections and follow the laws. Remember, if an immigrant engages in activities that do not comply with the conditions of stay in the country, or, for example, activities related to prostitution, drug trafficking, or facilitating the illegal entry of other people into Japan, then he will be deported from the country.

Immigration from Belarus, Ukraine, Kazakhstan to Japan is processed in exactly the same way as from Russia. The same conditions and programs apply to all these countries.

Best Cities in Japan for Immigration

The most popular city among immigrants is the capital of Japan - Tokyo. Tokyo is one of the largest Asian cities. It is here that the largest number of higher educational institutions are located where foreigners can study.

Next comes Osaka, one of the cities located south of Tokyo. Osaka is divided into three sectors, where one sector is dedicated to agriculture, the second to large enterprises, and the third to trading and service companies. It is one of the most important industrial centers in Japan.

One of the central cities of Japan, Nagasaki is one of the major port cities, which is known to many foreigners for its terrible history. It was this city, along with Hiroshima, that had to survive the atomic bombing in 1945. Despite severe destruction in the past, today this city has become a large administrative center with developed infrastructure and a high standard of living.

Where is it easier to find a job in Japan?

The question is not the easiest, and depends on many factors. These factors include: profession, knowledge of languages ​​and much more. Obviously, the most suitable cities for employment in Japan will be large cities. In them, life is more suitable for foreigners, but in the provinces this is much more difficult. In provincial towns, only a small part of the population knows English at a sufficient level, and not everyone will risk hiring immigrants without excellent knowledge of the Japanese language.

List of cities where it is easiest for immigrants to find work:

  • Tokyo;
  • Nagoya;
  • Osaka;
  • Nagasaki;
  • Niigata;
  • Yokohama;
  • Kyoto.

Japanese cities with low living costs

Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify cities where accommodation is cheaper. Prices for public transport and food throughout the country are almost the same and vary depending on the season. If we take housing prices, it is obvious that in large cities they will be high.

Specifically, we can highlight such settlements as Aomori, Kadoma, Akishima, Matsbura, Saitama, Misato and Kawanishi. They are not very large in population, but, by Japanese standards, they are located quite close to large cities. So, the option of getting a job in a metropolis and living outside it is quite feasible.

Russian-speaking diaspora in Japan

Returning to the history of Japan, we can recall several dates associated with the Russians and Japan. One of them is the first visit to the Russians in 1739, it was then that Russian sailors arrived in Kamogawa, a city south of Tokyo. And in 1804, the ambassador of the Russian Empire, Nikolai Rezanov, arrived in Japan for the first time, but his attempts to establish diplomatic and trade relations were unsuccessful. The first immigrants from Russia were Orthodox missionaries who arrived in Japan in 1860.

Emigration to Japan became most numerous during the period from the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Great Depression, that is, from 1918 to 1929. Those who are familiar with school history courses probably know about the civil war that lasted in Russia from 1918 to 1922. It was then that a large flow of White Guard refugees overtook many European and Asian countries. Japan was no exception and sheltered more than 7 thousand Russians in 1920. However, the Japanese authorities were not particularly hospitable, so the number of Russian immigrants gradually decreased, and by 1929 it amounted to just over 1,500 people.

The largest diasporas of Russians live in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Hokkaido, Toyama, and Osaka. In total there are approximately 8 thousand people, but this figure concerns directly the Russians. In addition to them, approximately 1,700 Ukrainians and about 300 Belarusians officially live in Japan.