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Ten years is the standard, but from April 2027 your residence card must show a 5-year period of stay, and permanent residence becomes revocable. What changed is not how long you have lived here. Decided rules and undecided proposals, separated.

One year at a Japanese language school costs about 2,000,000 yen once living costs are added. But applications fail on where the money came from, not the amount. Includes the 2026 rule changes.

Cold medicine with pseudoephedrine cannot enter Japan, prescription or not. Since May 2026 under 18s get one small pack and ID is checked. What to buy, what to bring, and when a clinic is cheaper.

A Nepali licence does not work in Japan even with an IDP. Sri Lankan and Indian ones do, until the three month rule cancels them. The conversion requirements, the October 2025 tightening, and the real cost.

Income tax gets withheld automatically, but most student workers overpay and can get it back. The income walls (1.1 million and 1.6 million yen), the 270,000 yen student deduction almost nobody explains in English, and how to claim it all back.

Your landlord cannot raise your rent without your agreement under a standard lease. What the Act on Land and Building Leases actually protects, the 5 steps to take when a notice arrives, and when accepting is the smarter move.

Leaving Japan permanently? The moving-out notice unlocks your pension refund and stops your bills. Resident tax follows you home, and an abandoned bank account can block your re-entry. The order that saves you money.

How to see a doctor in Japan: clinic or hospital, the 5 steps of a visit, Japanese phrases that work, and emergencies - call 119 (free) or #7119 when unsure. A guide for foreign residents.

Move-out costs in Japan explained. Normal wear is the landlord responsibility; you pay only for damage you caused. How foreigners avoid being overcharged and how to push back.

Renting an apartment in Japan: the real move-in cost (4-6 months), the documents you need, and how to rent without a Japanese guarantor using a guarantee company.

Living in Japan over 3 months? You must join National Health Insurance. How to enrol, what it costs, the 14-day rule, using your card, and how unpaid premiums affect your visa renewal.