Congratulations on obtaining your Long-Term Resident visa as a Nikkei Sansei (third-generation Japanese descendant). This is a significant step toward starting a new life in Japan, the country of your roots. While this status of residence opens up many possibilities for your life in Japan, it also comes with responsibilities as a member of society.

From the perspective of an immigration law specialist, this article will explain the essential knowledge needed for a Nikkei Sansei to lead a fulfilling life, build a rewarding career, and establish a more secure future by eventually obtaining Permanent Resident status. We will also include practical advice based on common issues we see in our practice.

 

 

Building a Flexible Career: The Advantage of Unrestricted Work for Long-Term Residents

One of the greatest benefits of the “Long-Term Resident” status for Nikkei Sansei is that there are, in principle, no restrictions on employment activities. This means you can work in a wide range of fields, just like Japanese nationals, according to your abilities and interests, without being tied to a specific job type or industry.

You can pursue diverse career paths, from professional positions to service industries, manufacturing, or even starting your own business, without requirements for specific educational backgrounds or work histories. It is also possible to continue working remotely for a company abroad. This high degree of freedom is a major advantage in establishing a financial foundation and achieving self-fulfillment in Japan.

 

 

Responsibilities as a Member of Japanese Society: Social Insurance, Taxes, and Official Notifications

Like all other mid- to long-term residents in Japan, those with “Long-Term Resident” status are legally required to fulfill the following public duties:

• Social Insurance: Health Insurance and Pension
• Taxes: Resident Tax and Income Tax
• Notifications under the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act: Such as reporting a change of address. Faithfully fulfilling these public duties is not only about complying with the law but also about protecting your own and your family’s well-being and contributing to the stability of Japanese society.

 

 

Investing in Your Future: How Fulfilling Your Public Duties Paves the Way to Permanent Residency

Your payment history for taxes and social insurance premiums is more than just a fulfilled duty. It is an extremely important screening factor when you renew your status of residence and, eventually, when you apply for “Permanent Resident” status.

The Immigration Services Agency of Japan rigorously examines whether an applicant complies with Japanese laws and fulfills their responsibilities as a member of society. Particularly in the screening for permanent residency, they assess whether the individual will continue to be a model member of Japanese society for years to come.

What we particularly emphasize in our daily consultations is the “timing of tax payments.” Some people mistakenly believe, “It’s fine as long as I pay everything before I apply for Permanent Residency.” This is a major misunderstanding. The screening process assesses your sincere attitude, asking, “Have you consistently fulfilled your duties by the payment deadlines?” In reality, even if all payments are complete at the time of application, a single late payment in the past can be judged as a disregard for your obligations, making it extremely difficult to obtain permanent residency.

 

From ‘Long-Term Resident’ to ‘Permanent Resident’: Steps Toward a More Stable Future

After establishing a foundation for life in Japan as a “Long-Term Resident,” many people consider obtaining “Permanent Resident” status as their next goal. “Permanent Resident” is the most stable status of residence, as it does not require renewal of the period of stay and further enhances your social credibility.

To change from “Long-Term Resident” to “Permanent Resident,” you generally need to meet the following requirements, but there are also some practical issues to be aware of.

• Residency Requirement: In principle, you must have continuously resided in Japan with “Long-Term Resident” status for at least 5 years.
  Practical Advice: As a guideline, if your total number of days spent outside Japan exceeds 100 in a year, there is a high risk that your main base of life will be judged as not being in Japan. Be especially cautious about long trips abroad when you are planning to apply for permanent residency.
• Good Conduct Requirement: You must comply with Japanese laws and be well-integrated into society as a law-abiding citizen.
  Practical Advice (Traffic Violations): It is dangerous to assume, “It was just a minor violation, so it’s okay.” Even if you have paid the fine, the violation remains on your record. In our experience, having 5 or more traffic violations in the past 5 years, or 3 or more in the last 2 years, increases the likelihood of being judged as not having good conduct, leading to a denial of your application. Please practice safe driving at all times.
• Independent Livelihood Requirement: You must have a stable income and the financial foundation to live independently in Japan.
  Income Guideline: While there are no official figures, a stable annual income of at least 3 million JPY for a single person over the past few years is a general benchmark.
  Practical Advice (Dependents): We sometimes see cases where individuals claim family members living overseas, such as parents, as dependents for tax deduction purposes. However, the permanent residency screening will question whether you are actually supporting that family member’s livelihood. If it is a deduction without factual basis, the credibility of your declaration will be doubted, becoming a major reason for denial. If you claim dependents, you must be prepared to provide objective evidence of financial support, such as records of overseas remittances.
• Conformity with the National Interest Requirement: Your permanent residency must be deemed to be in the interest of Japan.
• Proper Fulfillment of Public Duties: As stated above, it is an absolute condition that you have paid your taxes, pension, and health insurance premiums on time, by the deadline.
• Holding the Longest Period of Stay: In principle, you are required to currently hold the longest period of stay legally permitted for your “Long-Term Resident” status (e.g., 3 or 5 years).

 

 

Conclusion

Living in Japan as a Nikkei Sansei is a wonderful opportunity to connect with your roots. At the same time, understanding your responsibilities as a member of society and faithfully fulfilling them will make your life in Japan richer and more stable.

The application for permanent residency is a process that examines not just your documents, but your entire attitude toward life in Japan up to that point. The key to success is to prepare systematically, keeping in mind the practical points mentioned in this article.

 

 

 

Profile: Ami Ito　Immigration lawyer in Tokyo, Japan

 

・Background: Born in Tokyo. Spent her high school years in the UK, graduating from a local school.

 

・Education: Graduated from Sophia University (Faculty of Foreign Studies, Department of English Studies) with a focus on Intercultural Communication.

 

・Professional Experience:

-Worked for 11 years in the overseas division of a manufacturing company.

-Serves as an Officer of the Chiba Branch of the Chiba Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association (Since May 2025).

– Previously served as a Director of the International Affairs Department at the Chiba Gyoseishoshi Lawyers Association (June 2023 – May 2025).

 

・Certifications & Skills:

– TOEIC score: 970; United Nations Associations Test of English (UNATE): Grade A.

– Over 10 years of experience teaching English to high school students.

– Officially registered on the Financial Services Agency’s “List of Professionals (Gyoseishoshi Lawyers) in Chiba Prefecture Capable of Handling Foreign Languages.”

 

・Philosophy: Having lived abroad, I understand the challenges of living and working in a different culture. This experience inspired me to become a Gyoseishoshi (Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialist) to assist foreigners who wish to live and work in Japan, and to support companies looking to hire foreign talent.

I enjoy connecting with people and listening to their stories. I am dedicated to carefully understanding each client’s unique situation and proposing the best possible solutions based on my legal expertise. Through clear and attentive communication, I strive to ensure my clients feel secure and well-supported throughout the process.