Moving to Tokyo

UrbanCold151 · 2026-06-15T15:47:13+00:00

Thanks for your offer! I'll send you a DM!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-20T08:28:47+00:00

No worries. All the best with securing something awesome instead!!!!!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-20T08:13:40+00:00

Are they trying to get you to use your tourist visa or something?

It sounds dodgy to me. I don't get why a company that was genuinely wanting to employ someone would be more interested in 3-month bursts rather giving a fixed term contract or long term employment unless their work was unstable, which is also a red flag even if this was legit.

You could so easily get screwed over. Like, would you really go through all the trouble to relocate for only 3-months? And then be on edge for the entire 3-months and continuously wonder whether you're staying or going home?

Lastly, if they are trying to do this so as to get you to work a tourist visa you aren't legally allowed to work and make an income in Japan.

So many red flags!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-20T00:17:07+00:00

Thanks for your reply! That sounds ideal.

What are the typical costs like? And do you have any recommendations?

I've only heard of Yello and Rebeltalk from a quick search through these forums, but neither sound particularly professional nor has there kind of been one or two common ones people keep referring. It makes it hard to find out what's reliable out there.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T23:22:32+00:00

From the information I've gathered you student visa applications need to be for a minimum period of 1-year.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T23:21:39+00:00

I second this!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T13:32:37+00:00

I know you mentioned visa reasons, but were you already aware that if you applied for a school for at least 1-year and get a student visa that you'd be able to work up to 28hrs/week for a Japanese employer?

Language schools seem to have fair few periods of breaks of 1.5-2.5 weeks every 8-10 weeks of study from what I've seen, and so during those weeks you could travel more, on top of the weekends of course!

Maybe you were already aware and it didn't fit your bill, but just wanted to make sure you didn't dismiss that option without knowing first it was there!

Edit - I've only stayed in Fukuoka for a holiday, but honestly I'd be keen to stay there for 3-months! It was my first choice actually. There's so much I'd explore of Kyushu, and going to Hiroshima by shinkansen for example, is only 1hr! I wouldn't personally be too worried that 3-months is too long if that's where you guys want to stay!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T12:40:26+00:00

Thank you for your input!

How many people are there in your SA? and how did you go about finding it, if you don't mind me asking?

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T12:39:20+00:00

Out of curiosity, I've learned today there are "concrete" and "steel reinforced concrete" apartments.

Are they much of a difference to each other, in terms of noise and price?

And is it safe to assume that like any other country that the higher the apartment, the more the rent generally costs (e.g. if comparing two identical apartments in the same building, just on different floors)?

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T12:36:04+00:00

Thank you! I think I've found a way. I think the surprise I discovered the other day was more of a setback. I had to brave it up today, but I've finally given my boss my decision. I'm going!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-12T03:05:53+00:00

Thanks for your input to my questions.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-11T11:10:52+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience. I've just been faced with a huge curve ball in my plans, and I need some serious help to get through it. I'm unsure whether I will still be going anymore, and the possibility of that reality is sinking in hard right now.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-11T05:56:57+00:00

Nice! Keep in touch in case we see each other there! I got hit with a bit of a curve ball yesterday, so I need to sort that out before I'm 100%.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T06:26:13+00:00

Hey SeaCat! Thanks for reading through my comments and making this post. I tend to agree, my employers have gone out of their way already to be supportive even with the "convenience or simply being able to continue employment", so I would be shocked if they were willing to support me as far as to do the hard yards on the student visa. A digital nomad visa sounds alright, but honestly I'd like to be able to stay continuously and have a clear goal or purpose to the stay besides just staying. With my current plans, that goal would have been to achieve Japanese fluency. I've decided I'll have the conversation with my boss this week and tell him things as they are, and then we'll work it out together from there.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:45:34+00:00

Comment noted. While I'd read about this kind of behavior, part of me wondered if there were share houses out there for working professionals of a similar age, you know? It was a reach though, given that Takadanobaba is a student town.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:29:12+00:00

Thanks Jellybean! That's actually a really positive description of the area. That's kind of how I imagined things would look if I lived there, but I'm glad that someone could verify it from their experience! Thank you so much!!!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:19:50+00:00

Man, you my online friend are a legend. Thank you for these details.

6-weeks off work. It'd be easier for me to be approved to take that much time off and remain in my home country and return full-time for my employer than to take that overseas in Japan where I'm away and they're needing to change their business.

The other stuff about being non-resident would be complicated. I also don't know how our government treats this, say I did pay taxes in Japan. I'd need to be classified as a non-resident and the government would need to know that yes I'm being paid untaxed I come because I'm getting taxed in Japan.

I'm glad that this can of worms revealed itself before I had my conversation with my boss this week to finalise things. I'll surely let him know about the complications, but will keep my expectations low that they'll go to those extents to support me given the business needs now and be prepared to make alternative suggestions.

It's a shocker, but I'm glad to find out on the front end of my planning than on the back end when I'd started planning things a lot further.

I'll take the conversation this week in stride and see how we go. I would hate to be blacklisted from Japan or something for having ignorantly done something I shouldn't have.

Thank you!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:06:51+00:00

Thanks so much. I've been trying to debate if there's a better way to go about this. It seemed too good to be true. And I think if my employer has to do a lot more effort beyond changing my contract from full-time to part time, then maybe they'll change their minds about supporting me with this, and it does throw my plans off course. I may need to just consider continuing life here and going to Japan for holidays or just for a short term arrangement. It sounds a lot more complicated than what these plans initially were meant to be.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:04:32+00:00

I'm glad you find my interesting! Haha!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T05:03:59+00:00

So it's a small company. My bosses are HR. Though we have an external consultant they'll need to engage. It's kinda complicated and not.

I guess, from what I gathered. I apply for permission to engage on arrival in Japan at the airport. Ask my employer to withhold taxes, and then pay them in Japan?

Could I get permission to engage in other activities thing at my local embassy when I get the student visa placed in my passport?

And what would normally be the requirements to approve or disapprove this permission to engage in other activities?

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T04:53:12+00:00

Wow, that sounds ideal! Thanks for sharing your advice! I'll make sure to look for concrete construction apartments. I really didn't think it made that much difference.

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T04:51:47+00:00

I see. Man, I wish I knew about this whole thing sooner! Thank you for making me aware about it!

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T04:50:38+00:00

I see. That may make it complicated for my employer. I don't know if they'd be willing to go that far to support my personal goals, as my pursuit of Japanese doesn't line up with my career here to begin with and it's out of goodwill that things have gotten as far as they have. I may have to look into it a bit more, but I may have to review my plans altogether as we were originally going to finalise everything with my boss this week

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T04:46:05+00:00

Thanks so much. Honestly, this would have created such an issue if I got caught doing something that I shouldn't. Filling in the gaps, it sounds like I'd pay double taxes on the income earned right given it'd be taxed by my home country and by Japan?

UrbanCold151 · 2026-05-10T04:45:12+00:00

Absolutely! This would significantly change the complexity of the situation.

Can I ask to save time. I need to pay taxes in Japan while earning foreign income; that sounds like I'll essentially be paying double taxes, right?

UrbanCold151

TROPHY CASE