🇯🇵 Move to Japan
Tech Worker Relocation Guide
Median Tech Salary
$55,000
vs US Salary
46%
Quality of Life
4/5
Safety Index
9/10
🌟 Why Move to Japan?
- ✓ Extremely safe with low crime rates and clean cities
- ✓ Rich culture combining tradition and cutting-edge technology
- ✓ Excellent public transportation and infrastructure
- ✓ Affordable cost of living compared to other developed nations
📄 Visa Options
Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services
Requirements: University degree or 10 years experience + job offer
Processing: 1-3 months
Duration: 1-5 years
Highly Skilled Professional Visa
Requirements: Points-based (70+ points for education, salary, age)
Processing: 1-2 months
Duration: 5 years (fast-track to PR at 80+ points)
Business Manager Visa
Requirements: Business investment of 5M JPY + office space + business plan
Processing: 2-3 months
Duration: 1-5 years
💷 Tax Overview
National income tax 5-45%. Resident tax ~10%. Social insurance ~14-15%. Effective rates comparable to Western Europe.
📚 Practical Tips
banking
Open an account at Japan Post Bank, SMBC, or MUFG. Residence card required. Cash is still king in many places.
housing
Suumo, Homes.co.jp, or real estate agents. Key money (1-2 months), deposit (1-2 months), agent fee (1 month) upfront.
healthcare
Enroll in NHI (National Health Insurance) at city hall or Shakai Hoken through employer. Covers 70% of costs. Very affordable.
phone
NTT Docomo, au (KDDI), SoftBank. Budget MVNOs: Rakuten Mobile, IIJmio from 1,000-2,000 JPY/month.
