As globalization deepens, Japan, as the world’s third largest economy and an important center of technological innovation in Asia, has always attracted international attention for its visa policy. For those who are interested in developing a career, studying or living in Japan, it is not only necessary but also crucial to have a deep understanding of Japan’s visa policy. Japan’s visa policy not only reflects its degree of openness to the outside world, but also reflects the country’s strategic choice in dealing with social issues such as an aging population and labor shortages.

This article will comprehensively review the historical evolution of Japan’s visa policy, focus on analyzing the major changes in recent years, and look forward to future development trends. We will present a complete picture of the changes in Japan’s visa policy, from the strict entry control in the early post-war period, to the gradual opening up during the period of rapid economic growth, to a series of innovative policies implemented since the 21st century to meet the challenges of globalization.

Of particular note is that we will discuss in detail the recent introduction of new policies such as highly specialized occupation visas, specific skills visas, and start-up visas, and analyze their far-reaching impact on attracting overseas talents and promoting innovation and entrepreneurship. Through specific cases, we will show readers how these policy changes actually affect the lives and career development of applicants.

In addition, this article will also explore the future direction of Japan’s visa policy, including possible digital transformation, regional policy adjustments and other innovative measures. Our goal is to provide valuable insights and practical suggestions for those who plan to work, study or start a business in Japan, so as to help them better seize opportunities and cope with challenges.

Through this article, readers will be able to fully understand the past, present and future of Japan’s visa policy and be fully prepared for their trip to Japan. Whether you are an entrepreneur who wants to develop a business in Japan, or an individual who wants to study or work in Japan, this article will provide you with valuable reference information.

Historical evolution of Japan’s visa policy

In the early post-war period (1945-1970s), Japan implemented a strict policy on the entry of foreigners. During this period, Japan was in the process of post-war reconstruction and was cautious about the entry of foreigners. The government focused mainly on domestic economic recovery and social stability, so it took highly restrictive measures on the entry of foreigners. However, as the economy gradually recovered, Japan realized the need to introduce foreign professionals. Against this background, Japan introduced the work visa system for the first time, mainly for foreign talents with special skills or in professional fields that are in short supply in Japan. The establishment of this system laid the foundation for a more open visa policy in the future.

Entering the period of rapid economic growth (1980-1990s), Japan’s visa policy began to relax significantly. With the booming economy, Japanese companies’ demand for international business activities increased significantly. In order to adapt to this trend, the Japanese government gradually relaxed the application conditions for business visas and simplified the approval process. At the same time, in order to attract more highly skilled talents, Japan also adjusted the skilled talent visa policy and provided more preferential measures. During this period, Japan also made major adjustments to the student visa policy. Recognizing the importance of internationalization of education, the Japanese government proposed the “100,000 International Students Plan”, which greatly simplified the application procedures for study visas and extended the validity period. These measures greatly promoted international student exchanges.

Entering the early 21st century (2000-2010), Japan faced the severe challenge of an aging population. In response to the labor shortage, the Japanese government began to implement a more active policy to attract foreign labor. During this period, work visa conditions in areas such as nursing and domestic services were relaxed, and more opportunities were provided for foreign technical interns. In addition, the Japanese government also introduced preferential measures for highly specialized talents, such as shortening the application period for permanent residence permits. At the same time, in order to achieve the goal of “building a country based on tourism”, Japan has significantly relaxed its policy on short-term tourist visas. Tourists from many countries and regions have been granted visa-free or visa-on-arrival treatment, which not only promoted the development of the tourism industry, but also enhanced cultural exchanges between Japan and other countries in the world.

This series of policy changes reflects Japan’s process from post-war isolation to gradual opening up, and also shows how Japan responds to domestic economic and social development needs and changes in the international situation through visa policies. These adjustments have laid an important foundation for Japan to further open up its immigration policies in the 21st century.

Major changes in Japan’s visa policy in recent years (2010 to present)

In the past decade, Japan’s visa policy has undergone a series of major changes aimed at responding to domestic labor shortages, promoting economic development and enhancing international competitiveness. These changes are mainly reflected in the introduction of highly specialized occupation visas, the creation of specific skills visas, the improvement of the start-up visa system, and policy adjustments during the epidemic.

1.Introduction of Highly Specialized Occupation Visa (2015)

In 2015, the Japanese government launched the Highly Specialized Occupation Visa system, with the goal of attracting top global talent to work and settle in Japan. The background of this policy is that Japan is facing severe challenges of an aging population and labor shortage, and urgently needs to introduce highly skilled talents to maintain economic growth and innovation. The Highly Specialized Occupation Visa adopts a point system, and the applicant is scored based on factors such as education, work experience, and annual income. A visa can be obtained if a certain score is reached.

Taking the IT industry as an example, Rahul, a software engineer from India, successfully obtained a highly specialized occupation visa. Rahul has a master’s degree in computer science and has worked for a multinational technology company for five years, with an annual income of more than 10 million yen. His high education, rich experience and considerable income made it easy for him to meet the points requirement. After obtaining the visa, Rahul not only enjoyed a fast track to permanent residency, but his spouse was also allowed to work in Japan, and his parents could accompany him to reside long-term. This case shows how Japan attracts and retains international talent through flexible visa policies.

2.Creation of Specified Skilled Worker Visa (2019)

In order to further alleviate the labor shortage problem, the Japanese government created the Specific Skilled Workers Visa system in April 2019. This system targets 14 specific industries, including nursing, catering, construction, agriculture and other fields. Unlike the previous technical internship system, the Specific Skilled Workers Visa allows foreign workers to work in Japan as regular employees and enjoy the same labor rights and interests as Japanese employees.

In the field of nursing, this policy change has had a significant impact. Take Vietnamese nurse Nguyen Thi Hua (pseudonym) as an example. She passed the specific skills test and successfully obtained the opportunity to work in a Japanese nursing home. Not only can Nguyen Thi Hua receive a much higher salary than in Vietnam, but she also has the opportunity to learn advanced nursing skills and management experience. For Japanese nursing homes, introducing foreign talents like Nguyen Thi Hua has effectively alleviated the pressure of insufficient staff and improved the quality of nursing services. This case reflects how the specific skills visa provides new opportunities for career development for foreign talents while meeting Japan’s labor needs.

3.Improvement of the start-up visa system

In recent years, the Japanese government has also been continuously improving the start-up visa system to attract overseas innovative talents and promote entrepreneurial activities. In 2015, Japan launched a start-up preparatory activity visa, allowing foreigners with entrepreneurial intentions to prepare for entrepreneurship in Japan for up to one year. In 2018, it launched a foreign entrepreneurial activity promotion project, which was piloted in Tokyo, Fukuoka and other regions, further relaxing the requirements for foreign entrepreneurs.

Li Ming (pseudonym), a technology entrepreneur from China, successfully founded an AI company in Tokyo through this policy. Li Ming initially entered Japan on a pre-entrepreneurship visa and completed the writing of a business plan, company registration and initial financing within 6 months. Subsequently, she obtained a formal business management visa, and the company has now grown to a scale of 15 employees. Li Ming’s success story shows how Japan’s startup visa policy has provided convenience for foreign entrepreneurs and promoted the development of innovative industries.

4.Visa policy adjustments during the pandemic (2020-2022)

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Japanese government made a series of adjustments to its visa policy. In early 2020, Japan implemented strict entry restrictions, suspending the issuance of most new visas and imposing restrictions on the entry of foreigners who already held visas. These measures have had a significant impact on international students, technical interns and business people.

At the same time, in order to mitigate the impact of the epidemic on foreigners in Japan, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan implemented a policy of automatic extension of visa validity. For example, Carlos, a Brazilian engineer working in Japan, originally had a work visa that was due to expire in May 2020, but was unable to renew it in time due to the epidemic. Thanks to the automatic extension policy, Carlos was able to continue to reside and work in Japan legally until the restrictions were lifted and the formal visa renewal procedure was completed.

These policy adjustments reflect how Japan seeks a balance between maintaining national security and taking care of the rights and interests of foreigners in Japan when responding to public health emergencies. As the epidemic situation improves, Japan is gradually relaxing entry restrictions and resuming normal visa business, but health monitoring and other epidemic prevention measures will continue for some time.

Main features of Japan’s current visa policy

Japan’s current visa policy has several distinct characteristics, reflecting the strategic considerations of the Japanese government in responding to domestic economic and social needs and the trend of globalization. These characteristics include actively introducing high-end talents, responding to labor shortages in specific industries, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, and seeking a balance between openness and control.

First, the Japanese government has attached great importance to the introduction of high-end talents in recent years. By implementing the “Highly Specialized Occupation” visa system, Japan provides a more convenient entry and long-term residence channel for foreign professionals with cutting-edge technology, excellent management capabilities or rich international experience. This policy not only simplifies the application process, but also provides preferential measures such as permanent residence fast track for high-end talents and their families. For example, top talents in IT, finance, academic research and other fields can apply for permanent residence one year after arriving in Japan, greatly shortening the waiting time required for traditional channels.

Secondly, in order to cope with the increasingly serious labor shortage in specific industries, Japan has introduced a “specific skills” visa system. This system targets 14 industries with labor shortages, such as construction, nursing, and catering, and allows foreign workers with certain skills to work in Japan. Unlike previous policies that were limited to highly skilled talents, this system has a relatively low threshold and aims to address the labor gap caused by Japan’s declining birthrate and aging population. Through this policy, Japan has maintained its industrial competitiveness while providing valuable job opportunities for workers from developing countries.

• The Japanese government actively promotes innovation and entrepreneurship by improving the start-up visa system. The newly established “Start-up Preparation Activity Visa” allows foreigners who intend to start a business in Japan to prepare for starting a business for up to one year. At the same time, the “Foreign Entrepreneurship Activity Promotion Project” is piloted in Tokyo, Fukuoka and other regions to provide more support for foreign entrepreneurs. These measures are aimed at attracting global innovative talents and enhancing the vitality and international competitiveness of the Japanese economy. For example, foreign entrepreneurs in Tokyo can now enjoy a series of support measures such as office space subsidies and business consulting.

Finally, Japan strives to find a balance between openness and control in its visa policy. On the one hand, Japan continues to promote its tourism-based national strategy and attracts more foreign tourists by relaxing short-term visit visa requirements; on the other hand, Japan has also strengthened control over illegal stay and illegal employment. For example, while relaxing the visa-free policy for tourists from certain countries, the Japanese government has also strengthened entry inspection and residence management. This balance reflects Japan’s cautious attitude between promoting international exchanges and maintaining national security.

In general, Japan’s current visa policy is more open, flexible and targeted. These policy changes not only reflect Japan’s determination to cope with domestic economic and social challenges, but also show Japan’s positive attitude in the global talent competition. For foreigners who intend to work, start a business or reside in Japan for a long time, understanding these policy features will help them better seize opportunities and achieve their personal development goals.

Forecast of future development trend of Japan’s visa policy

As a developed country facing an aging population and labor shortage, Japan’s visa policy is undergoing a major transformation. Based on current policy trends and global trends, we can foresee that Japan’s visa policy will show the following major development trends in the next few years:

1.Smart visa system under digital transformation

With the rapid development of science and technology, the Japanese government is actively promoting the digital transformation of administrative services. In the visa application and approval process, we can expect to see more intelligent and automated systems being used. For example, an artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted application material pre-examination system may be introduced to improve review efficiency and accuracy. In addition, blockchain technology may be used to enhance the security and traceability of visa information. The application of these technologies can not only simplify the application process and shorten processing time, but also provide applicants with a more transparent and convenient service experience.

2.Possibility of a regional visa policy

In order to deal with the uneven development of different regions in Japan and the decline in population in certain areas, the Japanese government may consider introducing a more flexible regional visa policy. Such a policy may allow specific regions, especially rural areas with a continuous decline in population, to have greater autonomy to attract foreign talent. For example, there may be a “local revitalization visa” for specific regions to encourage foreigners to start businesses or work in these areas to promote the vitality of the local economy. Such a regional policy can not only help solve the problem of local labor shortages, but also bring new innovation momentum and cultural diversity to these regions.

3.Further relaxation of visas for highly skilled personnel and investors

Against the backdrop of increasingly fierce global competition for talent, Japan is likely to further relax its visa policies for highly skilled talents and investors. We can expect to see more specialized visa types for specific fields, such as specialized visas for emerging industries such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, and green energy. At the same time, the threshold for investor visas may be adjusted to attract more foreign capital into the Japanese market. These policy adjustments will aim to enhance Japan’s competitiveness in the global innovation economy and promote economic growth and technological progress.

4.Multicultural symbiosis policy in response to globalization trend

As the number of foreign residents increases, Japanese society is gradually transforming into a multicultural society. Future visa policies are likely to focus more on promoting harmonious coexistence between foreigners and local residents. This may include relaxing the conditions for family reunion visas, increasing the number of cultural exchange visas, and providing more social integration support for long-term foreign residents. At the same time, we may see more policy measures to encourage international students to work in Japan, such as extending the employment preparation period after graduation or simplifying the process of switching from student visas to work visas. These policies will help create a more open and inclusive social environment and enhance Japan’s international appeal.

Through the above trend forecasts, we can see that Japan is working hard to balance national development needs and globalization trends to build a more open, flexible and competitive visa system. These policy changes will bring more opportunities for foreigners who intend to work, study or start a business in Japan, and will also promote the development of Japanese society in a more diversified and international direction.

Impact of policy changes on applicants and coping strategies

In recent years, changes in Japan’s visa policies have brought new opportunities and challenges to applicants from all backgrounds. Through the following four real-life cases, we can gain insight into how these policy changes have affected applicants and how they have successfully coped with them.

1.Highly Specialized Occupation Visa – Software Engineer Xiao Zhang’s successful application experience

Xiao Zhang, a software engineer from China, applied for a highly specialized professional visa after receiving an offer from a well-known IT company in Japan. The introduction of this type of visa has greatly simplified the entry procedures for highly skilled talents. Xiao Zhang’s annual salary exceeds 4 million yen and he has more than 5 years of work experience, which meets the basic requirements of this visa.

During the application process, Xiao Zhang paid special attention to preparing detailed professional experience certificates and skill certificates. He also took the initiative to learn Japanese. Although he mainly used English at work, this showed his respect for Japanese culture and his determination to integrate into society. These preparations made his application successfully approved.

“The Highly Specialized Occupation Visa not only enables me to work in Japan, but also provides me with more benefits, such as a faster path to permanent residency. This motivates me to develop my career in Japan for the long term,” said Zhang.

2.Specified Skilled Worker Visa – The development of Vietnamese chef Mr. Nguyen in the restaurant industry in Japan

With the launch of the Specified Skilled Worker Visa in 2019, Japan’s restaurant industry has welcomed more international talent. Mr. Nguyen from Vietnam is one of the beneficiaries. He studied Japanese cuisine in Vietnam and passed the Japanese language proficiency and cooking skills test to successfully obtain a Specified Skilled Worker Visa.

Mr. Nguyen shared: “This new visa type provides us with valuable opportunities. Not only can I work in Japan, but I can also further improve my cooking skills.” While working in Japan, Mr. Nguyen continued to learn local specialties and enriched his cooking skills.

“The Specified Skills Visa has helped us solve our staff shortage problem,” said Mr. Fujita, the restaurant’s owner. “International chefs like Mr. Nguyen not only bring new culinary concepts but also promote cultural exchange in the kitchen.”

3.Startup Visa – Chinese entrepreneur Ms. Li’s experience in opening an AI company in Tokyo

The launch of the Startup Visa has made it easier for international entrepreneurs to start businesses in Japan. Ms. Li, a Chinese entrepreneur, seized this opportunity and opened an AI technology company in Tokyo. She first applied for a “Startup Preparatory Activities Visa,” which gave her six months to prepare her business plan.

Ms. Li recalled: “The Entrepreneurship Preparatory Activities Visa gave me ample time to familiarize myself with the Japanese business environment, find partners, and refine my business plan. This greatly increased the possibility of my business success.”

During the preparation period, Ms. Li actively participated in local entrepreneurial community activities and established a wide network of contacts. She also took advantage of the free consulting services provided by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and received valuable legal and financial advice. These efforts enabled her to successfully obtain a formal entrepreneurial visa, and within a year, the company’s revenue reached the standard and was successfully renewed.

4.Adjustment of student visa policy – Indian student Ravi’s transition from studying abroad to employment

In recent years, the Japanese government has adjusted its student visa policy to encourage outstanding international students to work in Japan after graduation. Ravi from India is one of the beneficiaries. He studied for a master’s degree in IT at a well-known university in Japan, and benefited from the new policy when he graduated and successfully switched to a work visa.

Ravi said: “The new policy allows us to have more time to find a job after graduation, which relieves a lot of pressure. In addition, when I participated in the job fair held on campus, many Japanese companies showed great interest in international students.”

Ravi was actively involved in internships and research projects during his time at school, which gave him an advantage when applying for a job. He eventually found a position as a software development engineer at a large Japanese electronics company.

Ravi’s employer, Mr. Suzuki, commented: “International talents like Ravi not only bring professional skills, but also help us expand overseas markets. The smooth transition from international students to employment provides a guarantee for us to continue to recruit global talents.”

These cases vividly demonstrate how changes in Japan’s visa policies affect applicants from different backgrounds. Whether you are a highly skilled person, a worker in a specific field, an entrepreneur, or an international student, understanding and making good use of these policy changes can create more opportunities for your development in Japan. The key is to prepare in advance, actively adapt, and make full use of the various support resources provided by the Japanese government and related institutions.

Conclusion

Japan’s visa policy is undergoing profound changes, reflecting the country’s active efforts to cope with the challenges of an aging population, labor shortages and globalization. In recent years, we can clearly see several major trends: First, Japan is gradually relaxing its entry policy for highly skilled talents, attracting top global talents by introducing measures such as highly specialized occupational visas. Second, in order to address the labor gap in specific industries, the establishment of specific skills visas has opened up new channels, enabling more foreign workers to find employment in Japan. In addition, the Japanese government is also actively encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship, improving the entrepreneurial visa system, and providing more support for foreign entrepreneurs.

At the same time, while opening up its policies, Japan is also constantly optimizing its management system, striving to strike a balance between promoting economic development and maintaining social stability. In the future, we can foresee that Japan’s visa policy will be more flexible and refined, and there may be more customized policies for specific regions or industries. Digital transformation will also have a profound impact on the visa application and management process, making it more efficient and convenient.

For those who intend to work, start a business or study in Japan, we recommend that you pay close attention to the latest changes in Japan’s visa policies. For highly skilled talents, you can focus on the application conditions for highly specialized professional visas and make career plans and improve your skills in advance. Those who intend to start a business should make full use of Japan’s entrepreneurship support policies, such as the business preparation activity visa, to be fully prepared to start a business in Japan. For international students, it should be noted that Japan is strengthening policy support for studying abroad to employment, and you can actively seek internship and employment opportunities during your studies.

Regardless of which path you choose, mastering Japanese language skills, understanding Japanese culture, and actively integrating with local society will become key factors for successful development in Japan. At the same time, it is recommended that applicants obtain the latest policy information through official channels in a timely manner and seek help from professional institutions when necessary to ensure the smooth progress of the visa application process.

As Japan continues to advance its internationalization process, we have reason to believe that there will be more opportunities open to talented and ambitious international talents in the future. However, applicants should also be fully prepared to adapt to the unique environment and work culture of Japanese society. Through careful planning and positive actions, I believe that everyone who is interested in developing in Japan can find a path that suits them, contribute to Japanese society, and realize their personal career ideals.