What changed in Japan

Business liaison, meetings and contract signing for a foreign employer are permitted

Right to work

Whether crypto counts toward the exit tax is genuinely unresolved

Crypto tax and legal status

A 20.315 percent flat crypto rate is coming, but not until 2028 and only for a narrow slice

Crypto tax and legal status

Active traders get no loss carryforward under current law

Crypto tax and legal status

Once taxed, crypto gains are miscellaneous income at up to 55.945 percent

Crypto tax and legal status

The non-permanent resident window is Japan's best crypto position

Crypto tax and legal status

Non-residents and nomads pay zero Japanese tax on crypto gains

Crypto tax and legal status

Japan is a hard no for offshore holding company structures

Moving your company

Running your company from Japan needs Business Manager status

Moving your company

Moving yourself to Japan does not automatically drag your company's tax residence with you

Moving your company

Permanent Residency also switches on worldwide inheritance tax

Residency routes

Taking Permanent Residency switches on a JPY 100,000,000 exit tax

Leaving home: exit tax and ties

Naturalizing in Japan means giving up your existing citizenship

Permanent residency and citizenship

Standard permanent residency needs 10 years, 5 of them on a work status

Permanent residency and citizenship

J-Skip offers permanent residency after just 1 year for high earners

Residency routes

The Business Manager route got six times harder in October 2025

Residency routes

The Highly Skilled Professional points system fast-tracks permanent residency

Residency routes

Japan has no passive-income, retirement or golden visa route

Residency routes

Digital nomads cannot join Japan's public health insurance

Healthcare coverage

No social security agreement means genuine double contributions are possible

Social security

A totalization agreement can keep you fully on your home social security

Social security

Physically working from Japan makes that slice of pay Japan-source, regardless of who pays it

Personal income tax

A tax treaty can zero out Japanese tax on a short stay

Personal income tax

Remitting money to Japan can pull untaxed foreign income into charge

Personal income tax

Non-permanent resident status gives you 5 years on a remittance basis, automatically

Tax residency

Short stays without ties keep you a non-resident

Tax residency

A continuous year of residence also triggers tax residency

Tax residency

A long-term contract can make you resident from day one. The family-ties limb is Japanese-nationals only

Tax residency

Working for a Japan-based employer or entity without a permit is prohibited

Right to work

Remote work on a plain visitor stay is legally grey but widely tolerated

Right to work

Invoicing a Japanese client puts you outside the nomad visa

Right to work

Past 180 days, no ordinary visitor or nomad route covers you

Immigration and visa

The Digital Nomad visa gives 6 non-renewable months, no residence card

Immigration and visa

Indonesian nationals get only 15 days, and only with a pre-registered e-passport

Immigration and visa

Visa-free entry to Japan for up to 90 days

Immigration and visa