Japan Launches Digital Nomad Visa With Six-Month Stay Option

Japan finally opened to remote workers, but the income threshold and duration limit the appeal to higher earners with specific Japan plans.

Japan introduced its digital nomad visa in spring 2024, and after a year of implementation, the program has settled into its practical reality. The visa allows remote workers earning income from outside Japan to stay for up to six months without work authorization. It's a meaningful change for a country that previously offered no middle ground between tourist status and proper work visas.

What the visa provides

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs outlines the core parameters:

Duration: Maximum six months. Single entry. Not renewable or extendable within Japan. You must leave after six months and cannot immediately re-enter on another digital nomad visa.

Income requirement: JPY 10 million annual income (roughly $66,000 at current rates). This must be from foreign sources, specifically from work for non-Japanese clients or employers.

Work permission: Remote work for foreign companies explicitly permitted. Local employment in Japan remains prohibited. Freelance work for Japanese clients falls into a gray area that immigration hasn't clearly addressed.

Tax status: Stays under six months typically don't trigger Japanese tax residency. You should remain taxable only in your country of residence, not Japan. Confirm with a tax professional for your specific situation.

The JPY 10 million threshold

The income requirement is notably high compared to other digital nomad visas. Thailand's DTV requires roughly $13,800 annually. Portugal asks for about EUR 3,500 monthly (EUR 42,000 annually). Japan wants almost twice the Portuguese threshold.

The requirement serves as a filter. Japan isn't trying to attract the widest possible remote worker population. They want higher earners who will spend in the local economy without straining public services. The policy makes sense from a government perspective, even if it limits accessibility.

Proof comes through tax returns, employment contracts, or bank statements showing the income pattern. Freelancers with variable income should document carefully.

Practical considerations

Six months is simultaneously generous and limiting. It's longer than the 90-day tourist visa, allowing genuine extended stays in Japan. But it's short compared to programs in Thailand (5 years validity, 180-day stays) or Portugal (1-2 years initial, renewable).

For someone wanting to experience Japan for an extended period while working remotely, six months is substantial. For someone wanting Japan as a long-term base, it's a stopgap, not a solution.

The single-entry, non-renewable structure means planning around the endpoint. You can't chain consecutive digital nomad visas. After six months, you'd need to return on tourist status (90 days), pursue a different visa category, or wait before reapplying.

Living costs reality

Japan remains expensive by Asian standards, though not uniformly so. Tokyo remote workers should budget JPY 300,000-500,000 monthly ($2,000-3,300) for a comfortable lifestyle including a decent apartment, coworking or cafe working, dining out, and transportation.

Outside Tokyo, costs drop. Osaka, Fukuoka, Sapporo, and smaller cities offer significantly lower rents. JPY 200,000-350,000 monthly is realistic in secondary cities.

Healthcare is out-of-pocket for digital nomad visa holders. Japan's universal healthcare system covers residents, not visitors. Budget for international health insurance or be prepared to pay directly for any medical needs.

Who this actually works for

The Japan digital nomad visa suits a specific profile: remote workers earning $66,000+ who want an extended Japan experience without committing to formal immigration. Software developers working for US companies, senior freelancers with established client bases, startup founders with location flexibility.

It doesn't work for: budget nomads, those wanting long-term Japan residence, anyone earning below the threshold, or people hoping to transition to local employment.

Apply through Japanese embassies or consulates in your country of residence. In-Japan applications are not permitted. Processing takes approximately 2-4 weeks for complete applications.