Hi all, I will be moving to Japan in a few under the Working Holiday Visa (just got approved) for a 1-year stay, and wanted to make sure I got most of the things prepped and not missing anything important. I am planning to stay in Nagoya or somewhere around it (Toyota-City, Okazaki-City).
I will continue working with my current company remotely and could be helping them out with a few events that they will be attending in Japan; as well as a few freelance gigs online.
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**Resident Card**
On the Immigration Services Agency Webpage, they mentioned that the Resident Card will be issued at the airport (either KIX or Chibu) when I arrive. Do I need to prep for any additional things for that? ie photo etc. Also Usually how long will that take at the airport?
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**Housing**
Currently, I am emailing Leopalace and Atinn for places, vacancies & options. I am hoping to sign and get this done overseas before I arrive, so I have one less problem in Nagoya. How willing are they to sign an overseas contract for the place? And what kind of info do I need to show them usually? I have used the contact function on the website and since I did not have a JP phone number yet, I just type a bunch of zeros and submitted the form, would that cause them to ignore my messages?
Also, are there any alternatives for a 1-year rent and is not a sharehouse?
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**Bank & Tax**
My Currently Company did mention that they will be sending my salary to my local bank and not to Japan. My plan is open a JP Post Bank and only put my Freelance Earnings into the Japanese Bank, and use my Foreign Credit card for purchases & ATM (700yen fee per withdrawal). Since none of my company and income is in Japan, tax should be a non-issue, right?
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**Car Purchase**
As mentioned, I will be helping out at a few events in Suzuka, Okayama, Motegi e.t.c around 1 once a month; and one of the reasons I wanted to come to Japan is for the car culture. Would it be feasible (and perhaps not wisely) to buy a car with a IDL and attempt to sell it after a year? Should i walk into a 2nd car dealer, talk with them and see if they can sell me a car and perhaps buy it back in a year?
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Sorry for the longish post with a lot of questions, but thank you in advance for your help and advice. I am looking forward to hearing from you all!
3 comments
>Resident Card
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>Do I need to prep for any additional things for that?
No, they’ll take your picture there.
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>Housing
There is a pretty good write up in the housing wiki – [https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/wiki/housing/](https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/wiki/housing/)
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>Bank & Tax
>
> Since none of my company and income is in Japan, tax should be a non-issue, right?
If you are physically present in Japan doing work that you’re being paid for, then the income from that work is domestically sourced and you owe Japan taxes for it. Keep a log book of your pay, including the yen equivalent value and reference the specific exchange rate used and where you got that rate from. Make sure you use the same source each time so that the fluctuations are consistent. You’ll be treated as a non-resident for tax purposes and so you’ll owe Japan 20.42%. https://www.nta.go.jp/english/taxes/individual/12020.htm
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>Car Purchase
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>Would it be feasible (and perhaps not wisely) to buy a car with a IDL and attempt to sell it after a year?
Technically once you become a resident in Japan you’re meant to apply to transfer your license to a Japanese one. You’re not supposed to use an international permit as a resident. People do, and you’ll probably be fine. But you’re not supposed to.
> My Currently Company did mention that they will be sending my salary to my local bank and not to Japan. My plan is open a JP Post Bank and only put my Freelance Earnings into the Japanese Bank, and use my Foreign Credit card for purchases & ATM (700yen fee per withdrawal).
This is a ripoff! You’d be better off transferring large sums of money once a month to your Japanese bank account via Wise or something similar.
> Since none of my company and income is in Japan, tax should be a non-issue, right?
​NO. Money earned in Japan is taxable in Japan, full stop.
>I am planning to stay in Nagoya or somewhere around it (Toyota-City, Okazaki-City)
Well, you’ve picked 3 of the most notoriously boring cities in Japan for your stay, so… Have fun?
In all seriousness, Nagoya isn’t ***bad***. It’s just… Not exciting. We [talked about living in Nagoya](https://www.reddit.com/r/movingtojapan/comments/1170yqx/living_in_nagoya/) a few days ago.
Depending on your desire for nightlife/shopping/etc, Toyota ***is*** boring. But it’s quiet, clean, and has an *amazing* amount of nature easily accessible. If you do end up in Toyota, make sure to hit up Asuke and the Korenkei autumn festival.
Okazaki is terrible. Don’t go there. Well, maybe visit. But don’t live there.
>Currently, I am emailing Leopalace and Atinn for places,
Leopalace is convenient, but you pay a premium for that convenience. But for a one-year WHV it’s not bad.
>Since none of my company and income is in Japan, tax should be a non-issue, right?
Nope. It’s definitely an issue. Japan defines working while physically present in Japan as “working in Japan”. So you’ll be liable for taxes on all your income, regardless of its source.
Even if it wasn’t “working in Japan”, remitting the money to Japan opens that income stream up to taxation as well.
It’s probably worth consulting with an accountant (A Japanese accountant) before you go.
>and use my Foreign Credit card for purchases & ATM (700yen fee per withdrawal).
Be aware that if you end up in Toyota or <SHUDDER> Okazaki you will need to lean heavily on the ATM part of that equation.
>Would it be feasible (and perhaps not wisely) to buy a car with a IDL and attempt to sell it after a year?
It’s maybe not *wise* to buy a car and then sell it again after a year, but in the area you’re talking about living in a car is ***absolutely essential***. Getting around Nagoya by train is easy. But if you’re in the Toyota/Okazaki a car is not optional. In that area the train is for getting to Nagoya, not moving around town.