I need residence or visa information
Start with Immigration Services Agency sources for status of residence, renewal, change of status, residence cards, re-entry, and immigration consultation.
Living in Japan
Government support for foreign residents in Japan
Use this guide when you need official information as a foreign resident in Japan but are unsure which system applies. It brings together residence, daily-life, work, healthcare, money, welfare, and consultation starting points.
Official sources, reviewed by Sollo. Source corpus updated 2026-06-24.
Choose your situation
I need to set up daily life
Use municipal and official living guides for address registration, housing, utilities, garbage rules, My Number, local tax, childcare, and disaster preparedness.
I need help with work or job loss
Use Hello Work and labour information for job seeking, employment insurance, workplace issues, and unemployment procedures.
I need healthcare or emergency information
Use health, fire/emergency, and municipal public-health sources for medical institutions, emergency guidance, insurance, vaccinations, and consultation.
I need multilingual advice
Look for official consultation desks, international associations, FRESC, local foreign-resident consultation, or multilingual consultation portals where available.
Official source map
Immigration Services Agency
Legal stay, activities permitted, residence card, renewal, status changes, re-entry, and immigration advice.
Local municipality
Address, local health insurance, local tax, childcare, waste rules, resident services, local welfare, and disaster information.
MHLW / Hello Work
Employment, labour standards, job seeking, employment insurance, healthcare, welfare, and pension-related policy areas.
Japan Pension Service
Pension enrolment, contributions, exemptions, benefits, and international social security agreements.
Consultation desks
Multilingual consultation, legal guidance, labour problems, consumer trouble, housing issues, and local support navigation.
What to prepare
Useful details include your residence card, passport, address, municipality, employer or school details, health insurance status, household members, income information, and any official letters you have received.
Official sources
This reviewed shortlist covers several common needs. It is intentionally smaller than the complete source directory.
Guidebook on Living and Working in Japan - English
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice official document related to immigration, living in japan, foreign resident.
Open official documentImmigration Information Center
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Justice official document related to immigration, living in japan, foreign resident.
Open official documentUsing ambulances and emergency services in Japan - English
Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA)
Fire and Disaster Management Agency (FDMA) official document related to healthcare, foreign resident, living alone.
Open official documentMy Number system: official overview
Digital Agency
Digital Agency official document related to administrative tasks, foreign resident, new resident.
Open official documentIndividual inhabitant tax for foreign residents
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)
Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) official document related to administrative tasks, living in japan, tax.
Open official documentRoutine vaccinations and immunization information
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) official document related to healthcare, foreign resident, living alone.
Open official documentLiving in Tokyo: guide for foreign residents - English
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation TSUNAGARI
Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation TSUNAGARI official document related to living in japan, foreign resident, new resident.
Open official documentTokyo Bosai Disaster Preparedness Guide 2023 Part 00 - English
Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Tokyo Metropolitan Government official document related to living in japan, foreign resident, new resident.
Open official documentCommon questions
Should I ask immigration or my ward office?
Ask immigration for residence status and legal stay questions. Ask your ward or city office for address registration and local resident services.
Where can I find general daily-life information?
Official living guides for foreign residents are the best starting point because they group procedures by situation rather than by ministry.
What if I cannot read Japanese well?
Prioritize official multilingual pages, local foreign-resident consultation desks, international associations, or official translation-supported portals.
Do foreign residents qualify for welfare or public services?
Some services may be available depending on residence status, household, income, and municipality. Check the official source and ask the relevant office before assuming eligibility.
Important note
Sollo helps you find and organize official public information. It does not decide eligibility, submit applications, or replace advice from a government office or qualified adviser. Official rules can change and may depend on your location, household, income, residence status, employment, and application timing. Always confirm details with the linked official source or the relevant office before acting.
How Sollo can help
Sollo helps foreign residents turn a plain-language problem into the correct official category, such as immigration, local registration, work, healthcare, tax, pension, or housing.