Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [640]
You must carry your Alien Registration Card at all times as the police can stop you and ask to see the card. If you don’t have the card, you may be taken back to the station and will have to wait there until someone fetches it for you.
Visa Extensions
With the exception of those nationals whose countries have reciprocal visa exemptions and can stay for six months, the limit for most nationalities is 90 days or three months. To extend a temporary visitor visa beyond the standard 90 days or three months, apply at the nearest immigration office (for a list of immigration bureaux and regional offices visit www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/soshiki/index.html). You must provide two copies of an Application for Extension of Stay (available at the immigration office), a letter stating the reasons for the extension, supporting documentation and your passport. There is a processing fee of ¥4000.
Many long-term visitors to Japan get around the extension problem by briefly leaving the country, usually going to South Korea. Be warned, though, that immigration officials are wise to this practice and many ‘tourist visa returnees’ are turned back at the entry point.
Work Visas
Unless you are on a cultural visa and have been granted permission to work (Click here), or hold a working-holiday visa, you are not permitted to work in Japan without a proper work visa. If you have the proper paperwork and an employee willing to sponsor you, the process is straightforward, although it can be time-consuming.
Once you find an employer in Japan who is willing to sponsor you, it is necessary to obtain a Certificate of Eligibility from the nearest immigration office. The same office can then issue you your work visa, which is valid for either one or three years. The whole procedure usually takes two to three months.
Working-Holiday Visas
Australians, Britons, Canadians, Germans, New Zealanders and South Koreans between the ages of 18 and 25 (the age limit can be pushed up to 30 in some cases) can apply for a working-holiday visa. This visa allows a six-month stay and two six-month extensions. It is designed to enable young people to travel extensively during their stay; although employment is supposed to be part-time or temporary, in practice many people work full time.
A working-holiday visa is much easier to obtain than a work visa and is popular with Japanese employers. Single applicants must have the equivalent of US$2000 of funds, a married couple must have US$3000 and all applicants must have an onward ticket from Japan. For details, enquire at the nearest Japanese embassy or consulate (Click here).
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VOLUNTEERING
Japan doesn’t have as many volunteer opportunities as some other Asian countries. However, there are positions out there for those who look. One of the most popular volunteering options in Japan is provided by Willing Workers on Organic Farms Japan (WWOOF Japan; fax 011-780-4908; www.wwoofjapan.com/main/index.php?lang=en; 6-7 3-chōme Honchō 2jō, Higashi-ku, Sapporo 065-0042, Japan). This organisation places volunteers on organic farms around the country, where they help with the daily running of the farms and participate in family or community life. This provides a good look into Japanese rural life, the running of an organic farm and a great chance to improve your Japanese-language skills.
Alternatively, you can look for volunteer opportunities once you arrive in Japan. There are occasional ads for volunteer positions in magazines like Kansai Time Out in Kansai and the various English-language journals in the Tokyo area. Word of mouth is also a good way to search for jobs. Hikers, for example, are sometimes offered short-term positions in Japan’s mountain huts (Click here).
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WOMEN TRAVELLERS
Japan is a relatively safe country for women travellers, though perhaps not quite as safe as some might think. Women