cultural visa-"special permission" to work?

[Touyakun]

I'm quite new here, but as I've seen that all of you here are quite knowledgable and helpful about japan and the workings of, i wanted to ask here.

I'm planning to go to Japan at the end of the year. Obtaining a working visa seems to be increasingly difficult without a BA the more i research into it. However, I've heard that a cultural visa, while allowing a 6 month to year stay, not normally allowing the foreigner to work, "special permission" can be acquired to work if the cultural activity is unable to sustain your stay there financially.

Would anyone happen to know anything about this? Is this a feasible feat? If so, what steps may be required to get things going in this direction?

Thanks so much in advance for anyone's help.

[Glenski]

Yes it is feasible. Go here for the form.
http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/tetuduki/index.html

Exactly how many hours that are permitted, I don't know. This site doesn't say, so you will have to ask immigration.

[Touyakun]

Awsome. Thanks so much, Glenski

[Touyakun]

If I may, one section of the site does say how long certain categories of foreigners may work in a day/week. It only lists 3 categories (College students, Visiting students, and Pre-college students), and I was wondering if you would know if I qualified as a "Pre-student" as i couldn't find a definition. Does this include all other non-educational activities, or is it something more specific?

[Glenski]

No, I don't know. I'd say contact immigration.

[tokapi]

I have known one university educated " unemployed " Taiwanese once legally worked at a Japanese restaurant for 6 months back in 1977 or 1978 then had to leave Japan,on what kind of special visa I don't know.This is a true story.

This person told me,saving of 6 months salary from Japan could support one year of unemployed life in Taiwan.

[tokapi]

this person has no Japanese ancestry & couldn't speak Japanese.Maybe,Japan had lenient work permission visa policy for a friendly former colony.

[pipokun]

I don't know what you want to do with cultural visa...
Judo? Kendo? Tea? Calligraphy?

Instead of finding a loophole, do you have an option to study here first?

Stat (http://www.jasso.go.jp/career/job_foreign/documents/08_7syuusyokuzyoukyou.pdf)

The recent figure shows more than 8,000 international students got jobs here in 2006. They are mainly college graduates, but about 1000 students who graduated from two-year Jr. colleges or technical colleges, a sort of community college in the US, also got jobs with legitimate resident status.

[Touyakun]

No worries, I'm not trying to be malicious. I'm working on getting the cultural visa for either Aiki Jiujutsu or Nakamura Ryu Batto do (traditional japanese martial art and sword respectively), both of which I currently train in and my sensei has contact with senseis in Japan. That was my reasoning for asking about permission to work with a cultural visa, as that seems my most viable option.

Though I just realized what you probably meant. True, I don't have a degree yet and am still trying to live in Japan. My career goal is to be an interpreter, English-Japanese, and decided that going to Japan to better my ability in the language would be essential. I may be being a bit anxious, though I decided to first go to Japan, learn as much as I can, and come back with this on my resume to see if there is any potential to start my future line of work then. If not, then I will go to college as long as necessary.

Basically, I'm set on this decision, and while I have no intention of being completely ignornant or stubborn, I do want to give this an earnest effort.

I'm also currently researching to apply for the JUSFC grant as well, and am reading up more on Cultural Visas to find out what the requirements would be to qualify for the "special permission" to work.

I'm happy I found the possibility of this course through this thread, so while I continue my research, I only ask that if any have prevalent information regarding this idea or any smarter/better/efficient/etc. venues, and want to, to post here. A big thank you to anyone who does.

[Touyakun]

If I may, I understand that the application for a Cultural Visa also requires documentation regarding the activity, its duration, etc. However, it states the documents must be "certified". Is this stating my written documents get notarized or be represented in a specific way for them to be recognized?

Aside from this, I read that documentation showing I can pay for all expenses while on the Visa is required. With this, is a Guarantor still required before applying for the visa?

Thank you in advance for any help.

[Mike Cash]

You know, at some point you're going to have to contact Immigration. You do realize that none of us are Japanese Immigration officials, don't you? You need individualized and authoritative answers; why not ask the people who not only actually know what the heck they're talking about but who will also be the ones you have to deal with anyway?

[Glenski]

The MOFA homepage says this:
1. In cases where the person concerned intends to engage in academic or artistic activities, or to engage in specific studies of Japanese culture or arts, the following materials are required.
1. Documents certifying the activity and its duration of the person concerned, and the outline of the organization where he or she intends to engage in the activity concerned.
2. Documents certifying the academic career, professional career, and other career regarding the activity of the person concerned.
3. Documents certifying that the person concerned can defray all expenses incurred during the stay in Japan.
2. In cases where the person concerned intends to learn Japanese culture or arts under the guidance of an expert, additional materials showing the career and the achievements of the expert, besides the documents mentioned above, are required.
The underlined bold emphasis is mine, just to reference what you call "certified". Take the meaning as you will. They simply must come from an official source that looks convincing and authoritative to immigration.

You wrote that you want "the cultural visa for either Aiki Jiujutsu or Nakamura Ryu Batto do (traditional japanese martial art and sword respectively)". Not sure which of the 2 categories that falls under, but it seems reasonable to get official documentation from the sensei, doesn't it? If he doesn't have letterhead paper, then an official seal from his office.

Can't help you understand the part about guarantor or not, but if your sensei is going to pay for everything, have him put it in writing. It you are the one who will foot the bill, show a bank account standing that proves you can pay your way here.

As Mike stated, though, go to the horse's mouth for a clearer understanding of what is needed. If you can't speak/read enough Japanese for that, have your sensei here do that. That's essentially one thing a guarantor is for.

[Li-Chen]

wow that's good info

[Touyakun]

Yes, thank you very much for the info, that helped alot. I'll take care of things myself from here then with immigration. I apologize for my ignorance, but again, I really appreciate the help.