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Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

asia.nikkei.com

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Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#211

Post by timr »

thridnri wrote: post #195
Shank wrote: post #81

It's exciting to see progress, but I think 180 days is too short for this to be worthwhile for people who really wanted this. They've leaned heavily into the "nomad" part, but the issue is more of practicality. This visa doesn't come with a Residency Card, which means that getting a traditional lease in Japan is going to be difficult. For 6 months, you'll be on an uphill battle with some services like housing, which…

Length is fine. I am seriously considering it. Properties in rural Japan are VERY cheap (like 20k USD). It makes sense to just buy summer house there. It is pretty good life to spend summers in Japan, and winters somewhere at south.

Please note: these houses you see online for 20k have problems. You aren't going to just be able to move in. Most of them need to be emptied of junk and repaired, if not completely renovated.

If you're lucky, the only problem will be that the house is very remote, and you need a car to get there. That alone is a substantial problem on a 6-month basis if you don't have residency. But realistically, houses that are in move-in state in an area where you'd actually want to live cost far more than $20k.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#212

Post by fb03 »

awongh wrote: post #139
somenameforme wrote: post #112

Most aren't aware of the situation Japan is in today because of the world we all grew up in, where Japan was at one point nearly the largest economy in the world. Japan has been in between a recession and stagnation for 30 years. Their GDP was higher 31 years ago than it is today. [1] Their GDP/capita is $33,950 with most wages well below that. They hit a record high for average wages in 2022 of ¥311,800 - about $2,1…

There's a lot of gloom and doom around Japan, but I think there are a few counter-points. 1) Yes, the economy is stagnant. But it's interesting to think about it from the point of view that Japan disproves the idea that a growth economy is the only way. Here is a country that increases worker efficiency and has a really high standard of living, but doesn't do it in a hyper growth kind of way. 2) Yes, Japan is super,…

The xenophobic point hits home, as I've lived there for almost 5 years, and wasn't able to attain a single long/strong friendship with any japanese national. I am glad I had other foreigners there to mingle with, or I'd just be very, very alone.

Japan for tourism? Can't recommend further. Amazing country to visit, clean, safe, good food. They will be educated towards you in big cities like Tokyo etc.

Japan for living (specially if you're from an economy which they perceive as lower/poorer)? Avoid at all costs, you'll be treated as subculture forever.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#213

Post by [deleted] »

somenameforme wrote: post #112

Most aren't aware of the situation Japan is in today because of the world we all grew up in, where Japan was at one point nearly the largest economy in the world. Japan has been in between a recession and stagnation for 30 years. Their GDP was higher 31 years ago than it is today. [1] Their GDP/capita is $33,950 with most wages well below that. They hit a record high for average wages in 2022 of ¥311,800 - about $2,1…

[deleted]

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#214

Post by standardUser »

FirmwareBurner wrote: post #203
standardUser wrote: post #174

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> basically the kind of immigrants every other country wants but doesn't dare say it out loud Many nations have high standards for immigration relating to income, wealth and professional qualifications. There is absolutely nothing hush hush about it, not even remotely.

>There is absolutely nothing hush hush about it, not even remotely. You definitely don't live in the progressive parts of Europe. You're not allowed to say here you only want certain kinds of well off immigrant at the expense of other less well off migrants, otherwise you might be called a N*zi.

There's lots of types of immigration and you seem to be focused on only one. Also, I bet you'd find it's very easy to talk openly about immigration if you don't start with a chip on your shoulder and dropping words like "nazi", which you know is inflammatory.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#215

Post by timr »

plz-remove-card wrote: post #205
Shank wrote: post #81

It's exciting to see progress, but I think 180 days is too short for this to be worthwhile for people who really wanted this. They've leaned heavily into the "nomad" part, but the issue is more of practicality. This visa doesn't come with a Residency Card, which means that getting a traditional lease in Japan is going to be difficult. For 6 months, you'll be on an uphill battle with some services like housing, which…

Length is far too short, I can stay for 3 months without filling out anything, an additional 3 for the effort of applying kinda sucks (having applied for a Japan tourist visa for my wife, expect this visa to be just as onerous) If they allow dependents (like the Korean one does) and allowed for 1 year with the option of extending up to 2, we'd be packing right now.

You can also get another 3 months on a tourist visa by leaving and coming back (at least, most visa-free tourists can; I've had many friends do this).

I suppose it's less cost to do it this way, but it sure seems like a "digital nomad" would have no problem going somewhere else for a week (Korea, Taiwan), and coming back.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#216

Post by jalapenos »

This already exists: visit twice in one year on a tourist visa, and don't loudly yell out your hotel window "hey immigration - I'm doing work in here!".

And that's better because not of those income or insurance criteria apply.

So just some empty "look at us we're doing something (not really)" fluff.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#217

Post by syspec »

alibarber wrote: post #20
oldtownroad wrote: post #16

“The most similar existing status is usually used by tourists, does not allow work and allows a maximum stay of just 90 days” I don’t think that’s correct. A tourist visa doesn’t allow you to work locally but they do not limit working remotely for an overseas company. For example, if you’re on vacation in Japan from the US and an emergency happens at work, you can join a call without risk of deportation.

No, this is the correct interpretation in a lot of countries, you are performing paid work there regardless of who and where the employer is. Emergencies are all well and good, but turning up at the immigration desk and saying you don’t plan on working when you actually do will lead to trouble in a lot of places.

How do business trips work then?

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#218

Post by plz-remove-card »

timr wrote: post #215
plz-remove-card wrote: post #205

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Length is far too short, I can stay for 3 months without filling out anything, an additional 3 for the effort of applying kinda sucks (having applied for a Japan tourist visa for my wife, expect this visa to be just as onerous) If they allow dependents (like the Korean one does) and allowed for 1 year with the option of extending up to 2, we'd be packing right now.

You can also get another 3 months on a tourist visa by leaving and coming back (at least, most visa-free tourists can; I've had many friends do this). I suppose it's less cost to do it this way, but it sure seems like a "digital nomad" would have no problem going somewhere else for a week (Korea, Taiwan), and coming back.

I know that's fine for some countries such as the Philippines (though their tourist visa can be extended so long, it's rarely necessary) but IIRC this doesn't fly in Japan, it's 90 days per year, total, and they're very strict about it.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#219

Post by msikora »

somenameforme wrote: post #112

Most aren't aware of the situation Japan is in today because of the world we all grew up in, where Japan was at one point nearly the largest economy in the world. Japan has been in between a recession and stagnation for 30 years. Their GDP was higher 31 years ago than it is today. [1] Their GDP/capita is $33,950 with most wages well below that. They hit a record high for average wages in 2022 of ¥311,800 - about $2,1…

What blows my mind is that Japan's GDP per capita (PPP) as reported by World Bank is now lower than 4 formerly comparatively "poor" former Easter Block countries: Czechia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Estonia. And just one place above Poland.

https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD?most_...

WTF happened in Japan? All the above countries have their own demographic collapse as well BTW.

Re: Japan to introduce six-month residency visa for 'digital nomads'

#220

Post by timr »

plz-remove-card wrote: post #218
timr wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can also get another 3 months on a tourist visa by leaving and coming back (at least, most visa-free tourists can; I've had many friends do this). I suppose it's less cost to do it this way, but it sure seems like a "digital nomad" would have no problem going somewhere else for a week (Korea, Taiwan), and coming back.

I know that's fine for some countries such as the Philippines (though their tourist visa can be extended so long, it's rarely necessary) but IIRC this doesn't fly in Japan, it's 90 days per year, total, and they're very strict about it.

I don't know if it differs by country, but that's incorrect for residents of the US, and various countries in western Europe. You get 90 days per stay, with 2 stays a year.

(edit: I could be wrong about the 2 stay max. It might be higher. I'm pretty sure I entered Japan more than 2 times in a single year on a visa-free waver, but I don't know if there's some window that applies.)

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