Cars
Buying a car in Japan as a foreigner: parking certificate, seal, insurance and loans
Buying a car in Japan as a foreigner: you need a 住民票, a parking space within 2 km and, for a regular car, a seal certificate. Kei cars need less paperwork.
Straight answers for foreigners living in Japan
Money, housing, phones, driving and visas, answered for people without permanent residency, a Japanese credit history or fluent Japanese. Every fact is sourced and dated.
What do you need to sort out?
Five areas where being a foreign resident changes the answer.
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Money
Sending money home, banks, cards, pension, NISA and tax
- What is the cheapest way to send money from Japan?
- Which banks open an account for a newcomer?
- Can I get a credit card without permanent residency?
11 guides
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Housing
Renting, guarantor companies, insurance and mortgages without PR
- How do I rent an apartment in Japan as a foreigner?
- Which guarantor companies accept foreign residents?
- Can I get a mortgage without permanent residency?
5 guides
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Phone & internet
SIMs, phone contracts and home internet without a Japanese credit card
- Which SIM can I get without a Japanese credit card?
- Which home internet providers support English?
- How do I keep my number when I switch carrier?
4 guides
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Driving
License conversion, driving schools in English and buying a car
- How do I convert my foreign driver's license?
- How long can I drive on an International Driving Permit?
- Which driving schools teach in English?
5 guides
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Visa & residency
Permanent residency, naturalization, spouse visas and renewals
- What are the requirements for permanent residency?
- Permanent residency or naturalization: what is the difference?
- How do I renew my visa in Japan?
5 guides
Start here
Licenses
How to convert a foreign driver's license in Japan (外免切替) after the 2025 changes
To convert a foreign driver's license in Japan you need 3+ months in the issuing country, a 住民票 and, since Oct 2025, a 50-question test with a 90% pass mark.
Driving schools
English driving schools in Japan compared: costs, courses and camps (2026)
Driving school in Japan in English: verified courses cost ¥367,280 to ¥572,000 for an AT licence in Tokyo and Saitama. Camps from ¥231,000, mostly in Japanese.
Driving schools
Gasshuku menkyo for foreigners: how a Japanese driving camp works, and how much English you get
Gasshuku menkyo in English is rare: camps take about 14 days for AT and include lodging and meals, but lectures are in Japanese. What foreigners need to know.
Licenses
Driving in Japan on an international driving permit: validity, the 3-month rule and translations
An international driving permit lets you drive in Japan for 1 year from landing. Only 1949 Geneva IDPs count; Germany, France and Taiwan use a translation.
Renting
Foreigner-friendly real estate agents in Japan: how to find one
How to find foreigner-friendly real estate in Japan: JPM's list of about 441 multilingual agencies, UR housing with no guarantor, portals and share houses.
Renting
Guarantor companies in Japan (保証会社) for foreign tenants, compared
A guarantor company in Japan stands in for a personal guarantor on your lease. Fees, emergency contact rules and languages at GTN, Casa, Nihon Safety and JID.
Renting
Renting an apartment in Japan as a foreigner: steps, documents and up-front costs
Renting an apartment in Japan as a foreigner: the steps from search to keys, the documents for screening, and up-front costs of about 4 to 7 months' rent.
Mortgages
Mortgage in Japan without permanent residency: which lenders say yes
A mortgage in Japan without permanent residency is hard: Flat 35 and most banks require PR. PRESTIA lends to foreign residents earning over ¥10 million.
Home insurance
Fire insurance for your apartment in Japan: what it covers and whether you can choose your own
Fire insurance for an apartment in Japan covers your belongings and damage you cause the landlord. Cover, cost and how to pick your own policy.
Bank accounts
Which Japanese banks open accounts for foreigners? 10 banks compared
How to open a bank account in Japan as a foreigner: residence-card rules, the 6-month rule, English and overseas transfers at 10 banks (October 2026).
Credit cards
Credit cards for foreigners in Japan: what you can realistically get
Yes, foreign residents can get a Japanese credit card. What issuers require, 8 no-fee cards scored for newcomers, and debit cards if you're declined.
Tax
Furusato nozei for foreigners: who can use it, limits and leaving Japan
Furusato nozei for foreigners works the same as for Japanese residents: pay tax in Japan, donate, pay ¥2,000 net. Limits, one-stop rules and leaving Japan.
Why you can trust these answers
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One published method
Comparisons score every provider on the same weighted criteria, with a one-line, sourced reason for each score.
Scoring method -
Sources you can check
Every article lists its sources with the date we read them, official pages first, Japanese-language ones included.
Editorial policy -
No paid rankings
If we ever earn from a link, it is labeled "PR" next to the link itself. It never changes a score or an order.
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