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Accommodation
To enjoy living and studying in Japan for a lengthy period, you need to find good-quality accommodation. For this (as with Japanese people) you will need a guarantor if you wish to rent an apartment/flat via a real estate agency. For this reason it is wise to start your search for a school in conjunction with an accommodation search. If you don't have a Japanese guarantor or the resources to furnish your accommodation, it may be best to choose a school or institute that provides good accommodation. The best accommodation is one directly owned or managed by the school, so that if there are any problems you can redress them directly.
To find accommodation after arriving in Japan, foreigners usually go to a real estate agent. If there is a suitable dwelling, you ask the agent to mediate. For this purpose, it is recommended that you consult with your guarantor.
There is a considerable difference in rents between large cities and provincial cities. In addition, even in large cities rents differ according to such factors as distance from the center or a train/subway station and the size of the accommodation. Generally the rent for a small 1K apartment (1 room with a mini kitchen, shower, perhaps 12-15 square meters of space), situated about 30 minutes by train from the city center, will cost you around 55,000 - 75,000 in a large city and around 45,000-50,000 in a provincial city. The rent for a larger apartment consisting of one room with a kitchen and toilet (about 20 sq. meters in total) would be about double these figures.
The main problems are 1) finding a guarantor (hoshounin) and 2) the upfront out-of-pocket expenses. When you rent an apartment in Japan you usually need to pay a deposit (shikikin) of around 3 months rent, a gratuity (reikin) of 1 months rent, and the first months rent - ie 5 months of rent before you can move in. If rented through a real estate agency, add an extra months rent for commission. It adds up pretty quickly, and since most rental apartments are usually unfurnished, you will need to purchase or lease your own necessary furniture. For studies of 2 years you can of course spread the total costs out and make it more affordable, but for shorter stays it may be wiser to look for a school guaranteeing good quality accommodation.
A large part of Japan's law relates to custom. For example the contracts are not necessarily as detailed as those perhaps in your own country, but there are a lot of assumed rules that you would be expected to follow.
In Japan as a general rule the only person who can live in the apartment is the person who signed the contract. In other words, if you are having friends or family stay with you for more than a few days, or wish to reduce the cost of rent by finding a roommate - then you will need to obtain the permission of the landlord first. The landlord will usually have many responsibilities concerning the local neighbourhood association (chonaikai) that looks after important issues such as garbage recycling, street cleaning, emergency preparation (earthquakes etc).
You are expected to leave the room in exactly the same condition it was in when you found it. Don't expect to get much of your shikikin back unless the apartment is spotless.
Noise is a major problem with foreign residents. Lowering the volume of your voice (tv, stereo etc) to levels much lower than usual can take some time to adjust, as with the general lack of privacy. Many Japanese apartments have thin walls, and even in neighbourhoods where the majority of dwellings are houses, the density of population is such that everyone usually knows everything. Common space - for example corridors, carparks, stairwells etc is also a problem point. If you want to have a barbeque outside, ask you landlord first for permission or suggestions.
Health Care and Japan's National Health Insurance Scheme
Any foreigner staying in Japan for longer than 90 days who has acquired an Alien Registration Card is required to subscribe to the health insurance program offered by the local government. By subscribing to the health insurance plan, you will qualify for benefits, but it will also be necessary to pay the premiums. For most students there is a discounted rate, ask the school you are applying to for full details. If you are only staying in Japan for a period of 90 days or less - for example to do a short summer course etc - then you aren't eligible for the insurance.
About the only thing to note is that meals served while hospitalized are not covered by the National Health Insurance plan. Also, given the blandness of your average hospital "cuisine", its usually best to arrange friends to bring a regular supply of "treats".
In Japan the cost of health insurance is covered jointly by government subsidy and by your insurance premiums. If you are over the age of 40, you may need to pay a little more, because the "Nursing Care Insurance Program" also requires the members of the National Health Insurance to contribute some of the costs for the nursing care system. This will usually only be about 2000 yen per year though.
One of the advantages of being a student visa holder is that you qualify for a discount - ie a reduction in the rate of the premium. This is because your previous year's income (ie, earnings in Japan) is usually zero. Ask your school how to obtain the reduced premium. There is one catch though - if you have been working in Japan and then transfer to a full time program of studies, you won't usually be eligible for the reduction (in your first year at least) due to the fact that the premium is calculated from your previous year's taxable income.
Your "Health Insurance Card" will become invalid once you move. Whenever you move to a new city or municipality, return your card to the National Health Insurance and Pension Division - at the same time they will cancel your premium charges. You then need to re-apply at the office/townhall of the next place you move to.
Visas and Work Permits
You need a visa to study in Japan. This causes some confusion amongst people from countries such as the USA.
As explained in above in the "Permission to Engage in Activities Other than Those Permitted Under the Status of Residence Previously Granted", a foreign student engage in part-time work for up four hours a day, as long as they receive permission from the regional immigration bureau in advance. In other words, it is utterly unrealistic to expect that you could cover all expenses for living and study in Japan through such part-time work. Plus, if you work for more than the permitted time (and are caught) you would normally face a deportation order.
If you wish to extend your studies, or need to extend your visa (even by a couple of days), you MUST obtain prior permission. There are time limits restricting the amount of time you can stay in Japan on a student visa, after which it cannot be further extended. Sometimes a tourist visa (properly known as "temporary visitor") can be extended once - but it will depend entirely on your nationality.
Is is sometimes possible to change your visa status - for example from tourist to student, or student to a work visa etc. Application should be made as soon as possible as the processing of such requests can take anything from 4-12 weeks.
If you wish to leave Japan during the vacation breaks to visit family or travel, and then return to continue your studies, then you must have a "Re-entry Permit" or your visa will be cancelled. Permission is necessary even if you are of Japanese descent. Once a re-entry visa has been granted, the foreigner can leave and come back into Japan without losing the original status of residency. However, the re-entry visa expires on the same day that the status of residence expires. You can apply for a single re-entry permit (3000 yen fee) - usable once, or a multiple (6000 yen fee) which can be used as many times as required until the end of the status of residence.
From outside Japan
From inside Japan
When applying for a visa, the basic rule is that the applicant must appear in person, and must present their passport, their Alien Registration Card, the application forms and any other pertinent documents. However, children under the age of 16, elderly people, or foreigners who are unable to go in person can have the following people apply in their stead: The individual's mother or father, spouse, caretaker, or someone who lives with them. The Minister of Justice sometimes allows applications to be made through the respective businesses, schools, or by a certified administrative scrivener.
To apply for a change in status of residency, you must go to the Regional Immigration Bureau, Branch or Sub-branch under whose jurisdiction your place of residence is considered. A place of residence is defined as your address. If you do not have an address, then your residence is defined as the place where you are currently living or staying.
Foreigners who stay for an extended period in Japan (not tourists who are here for only a short period) are entitled to various government services. In order to receive them, it is necessary to show official identification and proof of address. The foreign-resident registration system exists to provide foreigners with official identification.
Foreigners who will stay in Japan for more than 90 days are requested to apply for a foreign resident registration card at the local City or Town Hall. Those who are 16 years of age or older should apply in person. For those under 16 years old, a member of the same household may apply for them. The foreign registration card, known as the "Alien Registration Card" (ARC), will be available for pickup a month after registration. Foreign residents who are 16 years of age or older are requested to carry the card with them at all times. This makes it unnecessary to carry your passport with you. The following items are necessary when you apply for your foreign registration card:
When there are any changes in the information on the ARC, such as a change of address, nationality, name, qualifications or period of stay (i.e. a change in visa status), occupation, or employment, you are required to report it to the local public office within 14 days. It is not required for foreigners with Special Permanent Resident or Permanent Resident Visas to report their occupation and employment.
If your ARC is lost or stolen, please report it to your local public office within 14 days, and bring along your passport and 2 pictures. If your ARC is damaged, please bring it along with your passport and 2 pictures to your local public office within 14 days in order to apply for a replacement card.
Renewal of the registration is required within 30 days following the gNext confirmation Dayh, specified on the ARC. Those who have not reached 16 years of age should renew their registration within 30 days following their 16th birthday. To apply for a renewal, you will need your passport, two pictures and your ARC.
If a foreigner dies in Japan, a member of the same household is requested to return the ARC within 14 days of the death to the local public office. Unless you have applied for and received a re-entry visa permit from the Immigration Department, you will be required to surrender your ARC at the final departure airport/port when you leave Japan.
Banking, Credit Cards, Paying Bills etc