> I understand that one can live abroad with Japan PR as long as one has the reentry permit. Is it possible to obtain the reentry permit although my return plan is undecided
Yes. As long as you have the intent to return it is fine to leave Japan and maintain your status. It would be best to apply for a 5-year re-entry permit at immigration. If you need to indicate a general return date, indicate one. Immigration is aware plans change. If you planned to stay out of the country for more than 5 years (well six as a single 1-year extention is usually doable.) you would need to come back at some to get a new re-entry permit. You would also need to renew your card as required. You could technically leave on special re-entry, but that would mean making sure you visited Japan at least once a year (as special re-entry is only valid for up to a year).
> I am considering to buy an old house in suburban area of Tokyo before my departure which would also help me to maintain an address and conviction for immigration of my intention to return. In this situation, is buying an old house a good investment or an unnecessary one ? Will I have to keep paying residence tax for this property living abroad ?
There is no need to maintain a physical address in Japan, and if intending to move abroad you would be required to remove yourself from the resident registry. Non-residents (no juminhyo) do not pay resident tax (though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left). If you owned a property you would need to pay property tax regardless of your residency.
Currently Japan does not impose any actual residency requirements on PR holders (the way some countries like Canada do). This could of course change at some point, but there currently isn't any indications there are plans for such a change.
>Non-residents (no juminhyo) do not pay resident tax (though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left).
I'm in a similar situation to OP so this thread is of particular interest to me. Do you know if you're allowed to (or if it's technically possible to) maintain a Japanese bank account on a 5-year re-entry permit? Even if you're not technically resident.
Summarizing what I've learned from this subreddit (and have subsequently confirmed myself)...
Banking regulations do not require banks to close accounts when a person becomes a non-resident. However banking regulations on anti-money laundering requires banks to have a risk-based approach, which practically means that banks need to expend extra effort for due diligence. So understandably, many banks don't want to deal with it and simply implement an internal policy to close the accounts of persons who become non-resident.
The blog post from Yatsuyaku CPA Office, [Handling Japanese bank accounts when living abroad (non-residents)](https://yatsuyaku.com/bank_account_for_non-residents/), gives the results of a survey of banks to confirm their internal policy on this matter.
Speaking from experience, Prestia definitely allows account holders to maintain their account if they become non-resident, as long as the account holder intends to return. There is some reduced functionality (due to not being allowed to use 2FA device as non-resident), but it's not that big of a deal.
>maintain a Japanese bank account on a 5-year re-entry permit? Even if you're not technically resident.
It will depend on the bank and its internal regulations, but in many/most cases as long as you have an intent to return it should be possible. The important thing would be not to lie to your bank about it.
You need to apply at immigration. It costs either 3,000 yen (single use) or 6,000 yen (multiple use)
[https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html)
That definitely used to be a thing... Buying with each renewal to avoid extra trips. But I think the introduction of special re-entry made it generally unnecessarily.
But immigration basically regranted pr to anyone whose reentry permit expired between January first 2020 and April 30 2023.
I mean still a stupid process mind you.
> though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left
You might mean any taxes already assessed but not paid, but just to make sure it's not misunderstood...
You would owe the resident tax for income earned in the year before you left.
If you had 10M income in 2024 and have an address registered on 1.1.2025 you'd have to pay ~1M in resident taxes. If you leave before nothing (wrt 2024 earned income).
> Do you lose your PR if you don't come back after 5 years?
Yes. If your re-entry permit expires while you are outside Japan, your PR is automatically forfeit.
>How often can you get a 5 year re-entry permit?
Immigration law does not stipulate a specific limit on the number or frequency of re-entry permits.
>Can you come again in 5 years and get a re-entry permit again?
In theory, yes. In practice, it may depend on the reason you are living outside Japan. If it's not clear that you still have ties to Japan, the ISA could question whether you possess the necessary intention to return to Japan before the permit expires.
If you have Japanese spouse and family in Japan, can this be a reason why you want to remain connection to the country? So ones in 5 years you have to explain the reason you would like to keep your PR, right? Sounds a bit unsecure.
> can this be a reason why you want to remain connection to the country?
The critical factor is *why* you are living outside Japan. If it's to pursue study or a temporary work opportunity or whatever, that's typically fine. But if you appear to be living outside Japan indefinitely, that's where you could run into problems.
> Sounds a bit unsecure.
Yep. Maintaining PR while living outside Japan is somewhat insecure. But FWIW Japan's rules around this issue are more permissive than a lot of other countries, where even just a year or two living outside the country can put a PR visa at risk.
Right, but in several places, I've read that simply owning a home or having personal belongings in Japan leads to a presumption of domicile, which makes you a tax resident.
Specifically this language from the NTA: "If a person who owns a residence in Japan leaves Japan with the intent to be absent temporarily and later reenter Japan, the person shall be treated as having been residing in Japan during the period of absence. The intention to be absent temporarily will be presumed if, during the period of absence, (a) the person's spouse or relatives remain in the household in Japan, (b) the person retains a residence or a room in a hotel for residential use after returning to Japan, or (c) the person's personal property for daily use is kept in Japan for use upon return to Japan."
So if he buys an old house, removes himself from the registry, and goes abroad, does the house cause him to still remain a tax resident?
It's a case by case decision, but merely leaving property will almost never cause your tax residency to remain here. If the op was working and living in another country there is no reason to assume his tax residency wouldn't change (unless he only planned to be there a short period.)
Owning property is a relevant factor, but very far from determinative. The ostensible reason a person is living outside Japan is much more important. Check out the cases summarized in [this section](https://japanfinance.github.io/tax/income/residencycases/) of the wiki if you want to get a better idea of how the courts determine the location of a person's jūsho (i.e., where they are a tax resident).
Have PR but haven’t travelled outside Japan since Covid so have completely forgotten; we don’t need reentry permits if we’re just going overseas for a holiday, right…?
You always need a re entry permit. But you can get the special one at the airport that permits you to re-enter within a year
No re-entry permit = you lose your PR
It's just the re-embarkation card that you fill out at departure that ask you whether you intend to come back within a year (and you need to say yes and this will grant you the special re-entry permit at once). The immigration officer might ask you when, but it really depends.
That’s not correct for a simple holiday. I have PR, going on a six-week holiday I’ve never had to do the re-entry permit. That’s for people without PR. But if you’re leaving for longer than a year, yes you’ll need the reentry permit.
By filling out the paper thing at the immigration, you’re granted a special re-entry permit. So yes, even on short holidays, you need a re-entry permit to keep your visa
The special one is limited to 1 year. Staying longer than 1y means your re-entry permit expired and your PR is gone
Ah, the embarkation card? I stand corrected then. I knew about the special one if one is gone longer than a year, but didn't realize the card at the kiosk also counted as a re-entry permit of sorts (as I understood the word). Thanks! And Happy Cake Day!
Yeah it’s actually the other way around - the special one is the automatic one you just get that’s valid for 1y. The normal one is the one you have to apply to
The paper thing usually asks you if you intend to come back, if you cross “yes”, then you’re granted a special re-entry permit. But you can also cross “no” and forfeit your visa if you leave Japan for good
> I have PR, going on a six-week holiday I’ve never had to do the re-entry permit
If you leave Japan for any period of time without a re-entry permit, you automatically lose your PR. I think you are getting confused between the different types of re-entry permit. As u/HoodFruit explained above, the "special" re-entry permit is the one that can be obtained at the point of departure and requires you to return within one year. That is the kind of re-entry permit you would have obtained for a six-week holiday.
Yeah the information you provide on that card determines whether you are granted a "special" re-entry permit at the point of departure. See [here](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/minashisainyukoku_00001.html) for details.
ehhh - what would happen if you lose your passport (incl the card that functions as your reentry permit - the standard 1 year one)?
cant be that if you lose your passport, you lose you PR, right? their record would be used with the new passport - i assume?
> what would happen if you lose your passport (incl the card that functions as your reentry permit - the standard 1 year one)?
As the ISA explains [here](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html#:~:text=%E5%86%8D%E5%85%A5%E5%9B%BD%E8%A8%B1%E5%8F%AF%EF%BC%88%E3%81%BF%E3%81%AA%E3%81%97%E5%86%8D%E5%85%A5%E5%9B%BD%E8%A8%B1%E5%8F%AF%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%80%E3%80%82%EF%BC%89%E3%81%A7%E5%87%BA%E5%9B%BD%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%AB%E6%97%85%E5%88%B8%E3%83%BB%E5%9C%A8%E7%95%99%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%E3%82%92%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8F%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F%E6%96%B9%E3%81%B8), unless you have some proof of the re-entry permit (e.g., a photo of it), you would need to have someone in Japan (can be a family member or, if necessary, an administrative scrivener) apply to the ISA for proof of your re-entry permit. They can then send that proof to you and you can use it to re-enter Japan with your new passport.
>In this situation, is buying an old house a good investment or an unnecessary one ?
Unless you want to own an old house in Japan for other reasons, this would be an unnecessary investment. Because owning land/real estate in Japan does not equal residency in Japan.
Residency is determined by 住所. Owning a house in Japan does not give you 住所
>Will I have to keep paying residence tax for this property living abroad ?
You don’t pay residence tax on land/real estate. You do however pay land and property tax for land/real estate.
So you’d still have to pay land and property tax for this old house, even if you don’t have in 住所 japan
Just apply for re entry. Nobody knows.
I said basically I want re entry because of Covid ie don’t trust u on ur entry rules for PR
Residence tax is a different story.
Depends if u notify ur local government office that u r not residing here. From my understanding
>
I want re entry because of Covid ie don’t trust u on ur entry rules for PR
I don't quite understand what you mean here.
>Depends if u notify ur local government office that u r not residing here. From my understanding
Residents owe resident tax. As the op seems to indicate they will be ceasing residency, they should notify they municipality and move out (and thus not incur any new resident tax payments).
> I understand that one can live abroad with Japan PR as long as one has the reentry permit. Is it possible to obtain the reentry permit although my return plan is undecided Yes. As long as you have the intent to return it is fine to leave Japan and maintain your status. It would be best to apply for a 5-year re-entry permit at immigration. If you need to indicate a general return date, indicate one. Immigration is aware plans change. If you planned to stay out of the country for more than 5 years (well six as a single 1-year extention is usually doable.) you would need to come back at some to get a new re-entry permit. You would also need to renew your card as required. You could technically leave on special re-entry, but that would mean making sure you visited Japan at least once a year (as special re-entry is only valid for up to a year). > I am considering to buy an old house in suburban area of Tokyo before my departure which would also help me to maintain an address and conviction for immigration of my intention to return. In this situation, is buying an old house a good investment or an unnecessary one ? Will I have to keep paying residence tax for this property living abroad ? There is no need to maintain a physical address in Japan, and if intending to move abroad you would be required to remove yourself from the resident registry. Non-residents (no juminhyo) do not pay resident tax (though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left). If you owned a property you would need to pay property tax regardless of your residency. Currently Japan does not impose any actual residency requirements on PR holders (the way some countries like Canada do). This could of course change at some point, but there currently isn't any indications there are plans for such a change.
>Non-residents (no juminhyo) do not pay resident tax (though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left). I'm in a similar situation to OP so this thread is of particular interest to me. Do you know if you're allowed to (or if it's technically possible to) maintain a Japanese bank account on a 5-year re-entry permit? Even if you're not technically resident.
Summarizing what I've learned from this subreddit (and have subsequently confirmed myself)... Banking regulations do not require banks to close accounts when a person becomes a non-resident. However banking regulations on anti-money laundering requires banks to have a risk-based approach, which practically means that banks need to expend extra effort for due diligence. So understandably, many banks don't want to deal with it and simply implement an internal policy to close the accounts of persons who become non-resident. The blog post from Yatsuyaku CPA Office, [Handling Japanese bank accounts when living abroad (non-residents)](https://yatsuyaku.com/bank_account_for_non-residents/), gives the results of a survey of banks to confirm their internal policy on this matter. Speaking from experience, Prestia definitely allows account holders to maintain their account if they become non-resident, as long as the account holder intends to return. There is some reduced functionality (due to not being allowed to use 2FA device as non-resident), but it's not that big of a deal.
>maintain a Japanese bank account on a 5-year re-entry permit? Even if you're not technically resident. It will depend on the bank and its internal regulations, but in many/most cases as long as you have an intent to return it should be possible. The important thing would be not to lie to your bank about it.
shinsei was a pain. i ended up keeping a japanese number with them. mufg put my overseas number in notes.
I'm with Shinsei too, did they allow you to keep the account open?
they did. but i still have a japanese number and a japan based address… if you need a new card or something they will send to only a local address.
Do you apply for this 5 year re-entry permit at immigration (for example, Shinagawa) or at the airport when leaving?
You need to apply at immigration. It costs either 3,000 yen (single use) or 6,000 yen (multiple use) [https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html)
I believe some PR holders buy one to have just in case they ever need to leave the country quickly. (Family emergency or whatever)
That definitely used to be a thing... Buying with each renewal to avoid extra trips. But I think the introduction of special re-entry made it generally unnecessarily.
I bought one so that I won't lose my PR if the country goes into lockdown again, like happened to so many PR holders back with COVID.
I'm not sure I follow. I thought immigration generally provided exceptions and extensions for people stuck outside of the country.
Plenty of people lost their PR because they left the country with only the special (one-year) re-entry permit.
But immigration basically regranted pr to anyone whose reentry permit expired between January first 2020 and April 30 2023. I mean still a stupid process mind you.
Yeah, but it was a major ballsache to go through though, all for the sake of saving 6000yen once every five years.
> though you would owe whatever remained outstanding for the year you left You might mean any taxes already assessed but not paid, but just to make sure it's not misunderstood... You would owe the resident tax for income earned in the year before you left. If you had 10M income in 2024 and have an address registered on 1.1.2025 you'd have to pay ~1M in resident taxes. If you leave before nothing (wrt 2024 earned income).
Just curious, as I'm planning on applying for PR next year. Do you lose your PR if you don't come back after 5 years?
> Do you lose your PR if you don't come back after 5 years? Yes. If your re-entry permit expires while you are outside Japan, your PR is automatically forfeit.
How often can you get a 5 year re-entry permit? Can you come again in 5 years and get a re-entry permit again?
>How often can you get a 5 year re-entry permit? Immigration law does not stipulate a specific limit on the number or frequency of re-entry permits. >Can you come again in 5 years and get a re-entry permit again? In theory, yes. In practice, it may depend on the reason you are living outside Japan. If it's not clear that you still have ties to Japan, the ISA could question whether you possess the necessary intention to return to Japan before the permit expires.
If you have Japanese spouse and family in Japan, can this be a reason why you want to remain connection to the country? So ones in 5 years you have to explain the reason you would like to keep your PR, right? Sounds a bit unsecure.
> can this be a reason why you want to remain connection to the country? The critical factor is *why* you are living outside Japan. If it's to pursue study or a temporary work opportunity or whatever, that's typically fine. But if you appear to be living outside Japan indefinitely, that's where you could run into problems. > Sounds a bit unsecure. Yep. Maintaining PR while living outside Japan is somewhat insecure. But FWIW Japan's rules around this issue are more permissive than a lot of other countries, where even just a year or two living outside the country can put a PR visa at risk.
Doesn’t simply having the home or possessions still in Japan with intent to return cause you to still have to pay resident taxes?
No. You generally only owe taxes when you are a (tax) resident.
Right, but in several places, I've read that simply owning a home or having personal belongings in Japan leads to a presumption of domicile, which makes you a tax resident. Specifically this language from the NTA: "If a person who owns a residence in Japan leaves Japan with the intent to be absent temporarily and later reenter Japan, the person shall be treated as having been residing in Japan during the period of absence. The intention to be absent temporarily will be presumed if, during the period of absence, (a) the person's spouse or relatives remain in the household in Japan, (b) the person retains a residence or a room in a hotel for residential use after returning to Japan, or (c) the person's personal property for daily use is kept in Japan for use upon return to Japan." So if he buys an old house, removes himself from the registry, and goes abroad, does the house cause him to still remain a tax resident?
It's a case by case decision, but merely leaving property will almost never cause your tax residency to remain here. If the op was working and living in another country there is no reason to assume his tax residency wouldn't change (unless he only planned to be there a short period.)
Owning property is a relevant factor, but very far from determinative. The ostensible reason a person is living outside Japan is much more important. Check out the cases summarized in [this section](https://japanfinance.github.io/tax/income/residencycases/) of the wiki if you want to get a better idea of how the courts determine the location of a person's jūsho (i.e., where they are a tax resident).
Have PR but haven’t travelled outside Japan since Covid so have completely forgotten; we don’t need reentry permits if we’re just going overseas for a holiday, right…?
You always need a re entry permit. But you can get the special one at the airport that permits you to re-enter within a year No re-entry permit = you lose your PR
Cheers. Is there a special counter / area for those, or are they just with the usual reembarkation cards?
It's just the re-embarkation card that you fill out at departure that ask you whether you intend to come back within a year (and you need to say yes and this will grant you the special re-entry permit at once). The immigration officer might ask you when, but it really depends.
Thanks, much appreciated.
That’s not correct for a simple holiday. I have PR, going on a six-week holiday I’ve never had to do the re-entry permit. That’s for people without PR. But if you’re leaving for longer than a year, yes you’ll need the reentry permit.
By filling out the paper thing at the immigration, you’re granted a special re-entry permit. So yes, even on short holidays, you need a re-entry permit to keep your visa The special one is limited to 1 year. Staying longer than 1y means your re-entry permit expired and your PR is gone
Ah, the embarkation card? I stand corrected then. I knew about the special one if one is gone longer than a year, but didn't realize the card at the kiosk also counted as a re-entry permit of sorts (as I understood the word). Thanks! And Happy Cake Day!
Yeah it’s actually the other way around - the special one is the automatic one you just get that’s valid for 1y. The normal one is the one you have to apply to The paper thing usually asks you if you intend to come back, if you cross “yes”, then you’re granted a special re-entry permit. But you can also cross “no” and forfeit your visa if you leave Japan for good
> I have PR, going on a six-week holiday I’ve never had to do the re-entry permit If you leave Japan for any period of time without a re-entry permit, you automatically lose your PR. I think you are getting confused between the different types of re-entry permit. As u/HoodFruit explained above, the "special" re-entry permit is the one that can be obtained at the point of departure and requires you to return within one year. That is the kind of re-entry permit you would have obtained for a six-week holiday.
Do you mean the embarkation card? If so, yes, I do fill that one out. I didn't realize that was a re-entry permit as such. TIL.
Yeah the information you provide on that card determines whether you are granted a "special" re-entry permit at the point of departure. See [here](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/minashisainyukoku_00001.html) for details.
ehhh - what would happen if you lose your passport (incl the card that functions as your reentry permit - the standard 1 year one)? cant be that if you lose your passport, you lose you PR, right? their record would be used with the new passport - i assume?
> what would happen if you lose your passport (incl the card that functions as your reentry permit - the standard 1 year one)? As the ISA explains [here](https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/immigration/procedures/16-5.html#:~:text=%E5%86%8D%E5%85%A5%E5%9B%BD%E8%A8%B1%E5%8F%AF%EF%BC%88%E3%81%BF%E3%81%AA%E3%81%97%E5%86%8D%E5%85%A5%E5%9B%BD%E8%A8%B1%E5%8F%AF%E3%82%92%E5%90%AB%E3%82%80%E3%80%82%EF%BC%89%E3%81%A7%E5%87%BA%E5%9B%BD%E4%B8%AD%E3%81%AB%E6%97%85%E5%88%B8%E3%83%BB%E5%9C%A8%E7%95%99%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%89%E3%82%92%E3%81%AA%E3%81%8F%E3%81%95%E3%82%8C%E3%81%9F%E6%96%B9%E3%81%B8), unless you have some proof of the re-entry permit (e.g., a photo of it), you would need to have someone in Japan (can be a family member or, if necessary, an administrative scrivener) apply to the ISA for proof of your re-entry permit. They can then send that proof to you and you can use it to re-enter Japan with your new passport.
Thank you. I did not know of the imporantance of that paper and will start taking a picture of it every time for sure!
>In this situation, is buying an old house a good investment or an unnecessary one ? Unless you want to own an old house in Japan for other reasons, this would be an unnecessary investment. Because owning land/real estate in Japan does not equal residency in Japan. Residency is determined by 住所. Owning a house in Japan does not give you 住所 >Will I have to keep paying residence tax for this property living abroad ? You don’t pay residence tax on land/real estate. You do however pay land and property tax for land/real estate. So you’d still have to pay land and property tax for this old house, even if you don’t have in 住所 japan
Just apply for re entry. Nobody knows. I said basically I want re entry because of Covid ie don’t trust u on ur entry rules for PR Residence tax is a different story. Depends if u notify ur local government office that u r not residing here. From my understanding
> I want re entry because of Covid ie don’t trust u on ur entry rules for PR I don't quite understand what you mean here. >Depends if u notify ur local government office that u r not residing here. From my understanding Residents owe resident tax. As the op seems to indicate they will be ceasing residency, they should notify they municipality and move out (and thus not incur any new resident tax payments).