Japan living and working tips and useful information.
Tokyo’s luxury apartments are in high demand among wealthy foreign buyers. With Chinese investors driving the surge, prices in central Tokyo have soared, fueled by low interest rates, a weak yen, and global demand.
Foreign Buyers Rush Tokyo Luxury Apartments as Chinese Investors Lead the Frenzy Read More »
Noise, trash and endless disputes have forced seven Osaka municipalities to say they have completed the "Special Area Minpaku" program. On November 29, Minoh Mayor Ryo Harada said directly to Kansai TV: "Minoh City will also withdraw."
Osaka’s Special Zone Minpaku Crisis: 7 Cities Pull Out Amid Noise and Trash Complaints Read More »
On November 25, 2025, Japanese media revealed that Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s government is preparing to effectively double the residency requirement for naturalization from 5 to nearly 10 years — aligning it with permanent residency rules.
"I'm starting to live alone in Japan, but how much does it actually cost?" "How different are living expenses between big cities and rural areas in Japan?" Many people living in Japan likely have these questions. Especially with Japan's rising prices and rent, "where you live" and "how you spend your money" directly impact monthly expenses.
The Specified Skilled Worker visa is a residence status introduced by the Japanese government in 2019. This system aims to address Japan's labor shortage by accepting foreign talent with specialized knowledge or skills.Initially, the Specified Skilled Worker system covered 12 industries, but in March 2024, 4 additional industries were included, bringing the total to 16 industry sectors.
Many people may find the communication fees of Japan's three major carriers too high and are considering switching to more cost-effective budget SIM cards (Japanese: 格安SIM). However, with a wide variety of options like ahamo, povo, Rakuten Mobile, and UQ mobile, each offering different data allowances and pricing, it's natural to have questions: "Are budget SIM cards reliable despite being cheap?" "Will I regret switching to a Japanese budget SIM card?"
【2025】Japan's Top 15 Recommended Budget SIM Cards Ranking Read More »
The Oxford University Happiness Research Institute, in collaboration with Gallup, the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, and others, will release the 2025 World Happiness Report on March 20, 2025, International Happiness Day.
What is the average annual income for each prefecture and region in Japan? The well-known Japanese job recruitment website Doda compiled average annual income data from approximately 600,000 people registered with the doda service between September 2023 and August 2024. The results provide rankings for each prefecture and the average annual income for seven regions (Kanto, Tokai, Kansai, Chugoku/Shikoku, Hokuriku/Shinetsu, Hokkaido/Tohoku, and Kyushu/Okinawa).
2025 Ranking of Average Annual Income by Prefecture in Japan! Read More »