Emigration to Japan

by | August 3, 2021

Area: 377,835 km²
Residents: 126,045,000 (2017)
Population density: 333.6 E / km²
Form of Government: Parliamentary hereditary monarchy
System of Government: Parliamentary democracy
Neighboring countries: none (island)
Capital: Tokyo National
language: Japanese
Religions:
over 80% Shinto and Buddhists at the same time,
0.17% Jehovah’s Witnesses
Currency: Yen (JPY)
1 Yen = 100 Sen
Exchange rates:
1 EUR = 127.75 JPY
100 JPY = 0.78 EUR
1 CHF = 117.59 JPY
100 JPY = 0.85 CHF
(rate from 02/22/2021)
Telephone prefix: +81
Time zone: UTC + 9 (JST)

In 2020, 464 Germans officially emigrated to Japan and 600 returned to their homeland. Within the 10 years from 2010 to 2019, 6,680 Germans officially emigrated to Japan and 6,119 moved back to Germany.

As a country starting with J defined by COUNTRYAAH, Japan is not a classic immigration country. Next to 127 million “real” Japanese, Korean-born Japanese are the largest minority. Ainu, Buraku and guest workers from India and Southeast Asia tend to be socially marginalized. Japan is one of the strongest export countries in the world. It has a very well developed high technology which, in connection with discipline, is the driving force of the economy. Fish has become an important part of Japanese cuisine and economy.

Japan is a country with a very rich culture that is definitely worth discovering. The people are very hardworking and polite. The family is the foundation and stability of Japanese society. In it lives a strong awareness of social position, duty and responsibility.

Japan’s chain of islands in the Pacific is often referred to as the “Land of the Rising Sun”. The main islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu have 98% of the land area. In total, Japan consists of more than 6,800 islands.

Since the islands extend in a narrow arc of 3,800 km in length over many degrees of latitude, the weather is very different. In Hokkaidô in the north, for example, it is freezing cold in winter. On the small subtropical islands in the south it is pleasantly warm almost all year round. There is a strong change in the four seasons. Spring (haru) begins in March when the famous cherry trees start to bloom.

Plants play a major role in the art of flower arrangement (ikebana), as well as in painting, weaving, ceramics and lacquerware. They are also used in the manufacture of medicine, paint, clothing, paper and tools.

Japan’s unique wildlife includes some species of woodpeckers, pheasants, dragonflies, salamanders, snakes, crabs, sharks and marine mammals that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The 118 species of wild land mammals include small rodents. But there are also monkeys, bears, deer, wild boars, flying squirrels, bats and a type of raccoon called “Japanese badger” (tanuki).

Emmigration to Japan

Travel and Visa, Residence and Permanent Residence

Changed travel regulations during and after the corona pandemic

There is an entry ban for third-country nationals. Non-Japanese nationals who have stayed in a risk country in the 14 days prior to their planned entry into Japan are generally not permitted to enter Japan. Foreign nationals with “residence” status in Japan and a valid re-entry permit are exempt under certain conditions. Information on this is available from the Japanese embassy in Berlin.

The visa exemption is suspended for German citizens. The possibility of applying for a visa for business trips, study visits and medium and long-term stays (with Certificate of Eligibility) and entry with such a visa has also been suspended by the Japanese government until further notice. The Japanese embassy in Berlin offers more information.

There are also strict quarantine rules to be observed. In the case of people entering from virus variant areas (including Germany), accommodation for three days in an accommodation specified by the quarantine authorities will be arranged even if a negative PCR test is presented. Another COVID-19 test is then usually carried out. If the test result is negative, it is possible to spend the remainder of the 14-day quarantine in your own apartment or in a self-organized accommodation. This also applies to Japanese nationals and holders of a permanent residence permit.

The Japanese Embassy in Berlin and the Japanese Foreign Ministry provide more information.

Source: Federal Foreign Office on July 24th, 2021

General provisions for travel and residence (until the corona pandemic)

Citizens from Germany, Austria and Switzerland do not need a visa for a short stay of up to 180 days. First you get a residence permit of 90 days, but this can be extended to 180 days. The application should be made before the end of the first 90 days. You have to register at the responsible residents’ registration office and have the residence permit in your passport extended at the local immigration office.

Entry into Japan is only possible with a valid passport, not an identity card. For longer stays, a visa should be applied for at the responsible Japanese diplomatic mission before entering the country. The following visas are available:

  • Work visa
  • Student visa
  • Internship Visa
  • Spouse visa
  • Working Holiday

There are no visa fees for German citizens. For citizens from Switzerland, general visa fees of 23.00 euros are charged. The issuance of a visa takes up to 5 working days. In some cases, however, it can take several weeks.

According to the new entry regulations, when foreign nationals wish to enter, they will be fingerprinted and photographed, after which an immigration officer will carry out a verification of the person’s entry.

If you are flying from Germany directly to Japan, you do not need to be vaccinated. As a foreigner, it is compulsory to always have your passport with you in Japan.

If you have any questions about permanent residence, it is best to contact the Japanese embassy in Germany. emb-japan.go.jp

What must be considered when traveling or emigrating to Japan with a petInformation HERE