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Lump-Sum Withdrawal Payment from Japan: How Much You Get Back

Japan pension lump-sum withdrawal payment explained: who qualifies, the 5-year payout cap, the unconfirmed 8-year reform, claim deadlines, and how to reclaim the 20.42% withheld tax.

2026.07.25

EnglishGrow

How to Make Money in Japan as a Foreigner: What Your Visa Allows

What your visa really allows in Japan: side jobs on a work visa, the 28-hour rule for students, full freedom for spouses and permanent residents - and the two things that are always legal.

2026.07.25

EarnEnglish

Seeing a Doctor in Japan: Clinics, Hospitals and Emergencies

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.

2026.07.25

EnglishProtect

Grow — investing and pensions as a foreigner in Japan (Skill 4)

The fourth of the five skills. NISA only exists while you live in Japan, and part of your pension comes back when you go. But start early, keep fees low and don't sell on the way down — those work in any country.

2026.07.25

English

Save — cut your costs in Japan (Skill 2)

The second of the five skills: keep a part of what you earn. The biggest wins for foreigners are simple switches — a cheaper SIM, a smarter way to send money home, the right card, the right home internet.

2026.07.24

English

Protect — visa, contracts and health in Japan (Skill 1)

The first of the five skills for living in Japan: protect your visa, your contracts and your health. If this foundation cracks, everything else falls. Guides on health insurance, residence registration, renting and move-out costs.

2026.07.24

English

The Five Skills — timeless principles of money and life in Japan

Money and life follow principles that do not change with country or century. Learn the five skills — protect, save, earn, grow, spend — and how to practise them as a foreigner living in Japan.

2026.07.24

English

Earn — work, Japanese and your visa in Japan (Skill 3)

The third of the five skills. What you earn is what you can do, times the hours you may work, times the rules that allow it — and for a foreigner that third one is your residence status. Raise your rate, not your hours.

2026.07.23

English

About lazy-lazy — Life in Japan School

Living in Japan is hard when nobody tells you the rules. lazy-lazy is the senpai you don't have yet — practical, honest guides on visa, housing, money and health for people from Nepal, Sri Lanka and beyond.

2026.07.23

English

Moving House in Japan 2026: Why March Costs Double

A single person pays about 142,000 yen to move in March and 60,000 to 70,000 from May. How to make companies compete, the honest problem with comparison sites, and the paperwork deadlines nobody warns you about.

2026.07.23

EnglishSave

Move-Out Costs in Japan: What You Really Owe (and What You Don’t)

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.

2026.07.22

EnglishProtect

Residence Registration (Juminhyo) in Japan: A Guide for Foreigners

How foreigners register their address (juminhyo) in Japan. The 14-day rule, what to bring, why you need it for a bank, SIM, insurance and jobs, and how it connects to tax.

2026.07.22

EnglishSpend Well

Credit Cards for Foreigners in Japan 2026: What to Check Before You Apply

"They rejected me when I showed my residence card." The screening criteria are not published, so anyone claiming a card is easy to pass is guessing. Here is what you can actually check before you apply, plus a no-annual-fee first card and the debit route.

2026.07.22

EnglishSave

Best SIM in Japan for Foreigners 2026: No Credit Card Needed

Which SIM in Japan can you get without a credit card? Compare Rakuten Mobile, ahamo, povo and Nihon Tsushin by price, data, coverage and eSIM. Plus the three walls foreigners hit and how to sign up.

2026.07.22

EnglishSave

Home Internet in Japan for Foreigners: Fibre vs Home Router vs Pocket Wi-Fi

Home internet in Japan for foreigners: fibre vs home router vs pocket Wi-Fi. Why a no-installation home router (Rakuten Turbo) suits newcomers, prices, and how to sign up in a rental.

2026.07.21

EnglishSave

Sending Money Home from Japan: Wise vs Banks vs IME

The cheapest way to send money from Japan to Nepal or Sri Lanka. Compare Wise, banks, IME, Prabhu and Western Union: how much arrives on 100,000 yen, choosing by your family, and how to send.

2026.07.21

EnglishSave

Renting an Apartment in Japan: Costs, Documents and Guarantors

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.

2026.07.21

EnglishProtect

National Health Insurance in Japan: How to Join and What It Costs

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.

2026.07.21

EnglishProtect