JOURNALIST (報道; hereinafter referred to as “JOURNALIST“) is a VISA STATUS to engage in reporting/journalistic activities conducted on the basis of contract between foreign press organization(s) and the applicant who falls under either one of the below;
- a person who is hired by a foreign press organization, and is sent to Japan by the press organization for the purpose of reporting/journalistic activities, or
- a freelance who works on the basis of contract with foreign press organizations for the purpose of reporting/journalistic activities.
Occupation related to reporting and/or journalistic activities based on contract with the foreign press organization; e.g. reporter (TV, magazine, newspaper or other kinds of press and media), news caster, anchorperson, photographer, reportage writer, cameraman, editor, magazine reporter, etc.
Occupation related to producing variety show, gossip magazine/news etc. or artistic activity. You should consider ENTERTAINMENT or ARTIST visa status in that case.
In case of contract with a Japanese press organization for the JOURNALIST activity, ENGINEER/HUMANITIES visa status would be applicable.
IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH VISA PROCEDURES IN JAPAN, JUMP TO INTRODUCTORY PAGES BELOW FIRST:
BASIC REQUIREMENTS
Immigration Office judges your eligibility for visa status comprehensively – In order to be eligible for this visa status, you need to have specific career, work experience and/or educational background in the related field you wish to engage in and to satisfy other basic requirements.
Here’s the list of basic requirements for JOURNALIST;
Regardless of which visa status you apply for, you need to satisfy basic criteria first;
>> WHAT IS VISA STATUS?
Reporting/journalistic activities conducted on the basis of contract between foreign press organization(s) and the applicant who falls under either one of the below;
- a person who is hired by a foreign press organization, and is sent to Japan by the press organization for the purpose of reporting/journalistic activities, or
- a freelance who works on the basis of contract with foreign press organizations for the purpose of reporting/journalistic activities.
Your condition has to satisfy all items listed below;
- AMOUNT of SALARY or FEE
You should receive appropriate salary or fee for your job mission enough to make living in Japan. - TERM of EMPLOYMENT / CONTRACT
The period of employment/contract should be at least one year if it is fixed.
If you are a freelance who has one particular contract with a foreign press organization supporting your visa application, it would be fine to make contract with several foreign press organizations to do the same types of activity while you are on Journalist visa in Japan.
POINTS TO NOTE
Possibility of Other Visa Status
ENGINEER/HUMANITIES
In case you make contract with (or are hired by) Japanese press organization(s), it would be applicable to Engineer/Humanities visa status.
>> ENGINEER/HUMANITIES
ENTERTAINMENT
In case the activity is related to producing variety show or other entertainment program or participating as a camera crew for the concert etc. , it would be applicable to Entertainment visa status.
ARTIST
In case your activity is related to artistic, it would be applicable to Artist visa status.
>> ARTIST
HOW to PROCESS
In case you are currently residing outside Japan yet or you are staying in Japan as a TEMPORARY VISITOR:
>> COE APPLICATION
In case you have been living in Japan under specific status and holding RESIDENCE CARD already:
>> CHANGE of VISA STATUS
PERIOD of STAY
Each visa status has the expiration date – you can stay in Japan under the visa status during the specific period stated on Residence Card issued by Immigration Office.
Period of stay shall be decided by Immigration Office depends on the applicant’s circumstance, and it shall be either of 5 years, 3 years, 1 year or 3 months.
In case you wish to extend the period of stay granted, you may apply for EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY before the expiry date.
>> EXTENSION OF PERIOD OF STAY (VISA RENEWAL)
In case you would like to travel outside Japan temporarily under the visa status.
>> RE-ENTRY PERMIT
BASIC REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
The immigration office considers your eligibility for the visa status by your situation/career and by documents you provide. You must prepare documents which certify that the contents of the application are true and correct. The Immigration Office will request you additional documents at any time if they have any questions or would like to confirm the information you provided case by case.
Specific documents are varied depending on the situation of each applicant and the host organization/company, however, the basic documents for this visa status are as follows;
In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS
- Application form
- Photo
- [In case of CHANGE of VISA STATUS] Residence Card and Passport
- Documents to certify your activity in Japan, either one of the below;
- [In case you are sent to Japan as an employee of the foreign press organization] contract/agreement/certificate signed by the foreign press organization, which specifies your job mission, period of mission, job title and salary
- [In case you are hired in Japan by the foreign press organization] Employment Agreement made based on the Japanese Labor Standards Act
- [In case you are a freelance working for the foreign press organization] Contract made with (or certificate signed by) the foreign press organization, which specifies your job mission, period of mission, job title and salary
- Outline of the foreign press organization (name of the organization and the representative, address of the head office and branch, history, company structure, number of employees, achievement as a press/media organization etc.)
NOTE: In case you are an employee of the foreign press organization which hires employees holding the “Foreign Press Registration Card (FPR Card)” issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) of Japan, you can provide a document signed by the employer to certify that the employer is hiring employees holding the card instead of documents listed on 4 and 5 above.
In case of EXTENSION of PERIOD of STAY
- Application form
- Photo
- Residence Card and Passport
- Document to prove that you continue the activity in Japan;
- [In case of you are employee] Employment Certificate signed by the employer
- [In case of you are a freelance] Certificate signed by the contracting foreign press organization
- Tax/Income Certificate and Tax Payment Certificate for the latest year’s Resident Tax (直近の住民税の課税・所得証明書および納税証明書)
- IN CASE YOU CHANGE THE CONTRACTING ENTITY (VISA SPONSOR) DURING CURRENT PERIOD OF STAY: need the almost same documents as “In case of COE APPLICATION and CHANGE of VISA STATUS” above.
NOTE / REMARK
- All the documents written in foreign languages need to attach the Japanese translation.
- Additional documents may be requested by the Immigration Office during the screening.
- Any certificate issued by the Japanese authorities (Tax/Income Certificate, Certificate of Residence, Certificate of Company Register etc.) has to be the one issued within 3 months before the date of application.