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Useful links and sharp discussion for foreign residents building a life, career, or business in Japan.
Curated, not algorithmic
Weekly digest
Strongly moderated
First Things to Do After Arriving in Japan - International Student Center Guidebook
(yamaguchi-u.ac.jp)
A university international-student-center guidebook covering the first practical steps after arrival: residence registration, banking, and phone contracts.
Japan Startup Visa: How to Start a Business in Japan
(blog.gaijinpot.com)
GaijinPot's overview of the Startup Visa process and how it differs from the Business Manager visa.
How to Get a Startup Visa in Japan
(japan-dev.com)
A practical guide to Japan's Startup Visa as a runway into the stricter Business Manager visa for foreign founders.
A legal-industry roundup of labor law changes taking effect through 2026, including customer-harassment prevention and gender pay-gap disclosure rules.
Work-Life Balance in Japan
(japan-dev.com)
An overview of Japan's evolving work-life balance culture and what's actually changing versus what's still mostly the same.
Apartment Hunting Do's and Don'ts in Japan
(blog.gaijinpot.com)
GaijinPot's practical do's and don'ts for apartment hunting in Japan as a foreign resident.
How to Rent an Apartment in Tokyo: A Guide for Foreigners
(tokyocheapo.com)
A practical walkthrough of the Tokyo rental process for foreigners, from agency visits to the up-front costs to expect.
Official NTA guidance on how non-residents are taxed in Japan, including domestic-source income rules and tax-treaty relief.
Information for Taxpayers - National Tax Agency
(nta.go.jp)
The National Tax Agency's official English-language hub for individual income tax, consumption tax, and withholding tax information.
The Immigration Services Agency's official page on the six-month digital nomad residence status, including income and insurance requirements.
The Immigration Services Agency's official multilingual portal covering employment, housing, healthcare, taxes, and emergency procedures for foreign residents.
Japan Dev Jobs - Bilingual and English-Friendly Tech Roles
(japan-dev.com)
A curated, regularly updated board of English-friendly tech jobs in Japan, useful for browsing beyond any single listing here.
JETRO's official portal connecting international professionals with Japanese employers open to global talent, including a searchable company database and practical guidance on visas and language.
Japan to tighten requirements for naturalization starting April 1
(japantimes.co.jp)
Residency requirement for naturalization doubles to 10 consecutive years, with longer tax/insurance-record screening - relevant if citizenship is part of your long-term plan.
Tech Meetups in Tokyo
(tokyodev.com)
A maintained list of recurring meetups (Tokyo Go, HN Tokyo, and others) rather than one-off conferences - better if you want to show up regularly, not just once.
SusHi Tech Tokyo 2026 - Official Events
(sushitech-startup.metro.tokyo.lg.jp)
Tokyo Metropolitan Government's own startup event series - a reasonable entry point if you're trying to meet other founders without already knowing where to look.
Wise's own comparison, useful for understanding when an international transfer service beats using a Japanese bank's wire transfer for moving money home.
Best Japan Banks: A Comparison of Services and Fees
(tokyocheapo.com)
Straightforward fee/feature comparison across the usual English-friendly options (Shinsei, Sony Bank, SMBC Trust) from a long-running expat resource site.
A proposal to replace the Immigration Services Agency entirely - worth watching even though it's an opposition bill, since it signals where the debate is heading.
Japan freezes visa applications for foreign restaurant workers
(japantimes.co.jp)
The restaurant-sector visa category hit its five-year cap of 50,000 workers - relevant if you or someone you know is in food service.