Interviewing company asking for lease contract

I lost my job earlier this year and I am looking for a new one. I applied to a job through an agent. I was surprised that the interview was for a different role and in Osaka. I’m living in Tokyo. The company has a branch in Tokyo, so I thought I can work from here or remote. I told the agent that I can go for training to Osaka but can’t move because I just renewed my contract.
And now they are asking for my lease contract and if I have a reason for not moving.

I had a dozen of interviews and this seems unusual. They don’t want to move to the final interview before this matter is settled. I feel like I’m pressured to move to Osaka either I want it or not.
I lived in Osaka before and I moved back to Tokyo for work. I don’t feel ready to move again, be derooted, lose my friends. Not to mention the cost to move and rent a new apartment. The company hasn’t mentioned anything about supporting the fees for moving.

I was considering a career change, maybe move later. but I am demotivated by the whole situation and I am thinking of cancelling my application.

Advice please

2 comments
  1. It won’t do you any good, but I would probably complain to the agent about the bait and switch. As long as the agent wasn’t also in on it you might save the next person from a similar situation.

    I’ve been on completely useless interviews before as well and know how annoying it can be, so you have my sympathy, but if you don’t want to move just turn it down. You never know, once you put your foot down there may be a slim chance of being offered the Tokyo role. It could just be they’re having trouble filling the Osaka job and trying their luck. Whether you’d want to work for such a company is another question of course.

  2. Tell the company that the job you applied for was in Tokyo not Osaka and you aren’t willing to move to Osaka. Explain that you would not have applied or interviewed if you’d known their expectation was for you to move and you’re not happy with the agent for waisting all your time.

    The reason they want to see the contract is so they know how much they need to compensate you for you breaking the contract to move.

    Since you don’t want to move though the above will solve any problem.

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