Masayo Boston is a certified legal professional specializing in administrative procedures (gyoseishoshi 行政書士) in Fukuoka. Her focus is on helping foreigners with visa applications, naturalization procedures, and establishing companies in Japan. The text presented here is provided in its entirety by Masayo Boston. To learn more about her services and to contact her, please access her website.
This series is updated monthly, so check back for the latest articles.
Topics
Choosing Sides: An In-depth Look at Japanese Nationality Laws
(Post date: 2023/6/15)
Legal systems vary globally in their protocols for conferring nationality. Some nations, including the United States, Brazil, and Peru, grant citizenship by birthright, while others, like China and South Korea, award nationality based on the principle of lineage or descent. This article will succinctly outline the necessary procedures in Japan for individuals with dual nationality, encompassing both Japanese and a foreign citizenship. Read more
Movement to Change Japanese Nationality Law
(Post date: 2023/4/18)
Recently, I have had more opportunities to think about dual nationality. Our office has handled applications for naturalization on behalf of former Japanese nationals and procedures related to the residence status of foreign spouses and children of Japanese nationals who have unavoidably had to give up Japanese citizenship… Read more
Residency for Tax vs Immigration Purposes
(Post date: 2023/3/14)
March 15… It’s the deadline for filing for income tax adjustment and paying your income tax in Japan. Tax season may be a difficult time for sole business proprietors as they need to prepare their own tax adjustments whether they outsource the assignments to a tax accountant or not…Read more
When Moving Out of a Tenant’s Home
(Post date: 2023/2/9)
Makoto Ayukawa, a guitarist and pioneer of mentai rock (rock music from Hakata in the 70s), passed away on January 29. Someone recommended that I should listen to “借家のブルース” from the first album “有頂天” by the band Sonhouse, which Ayukawa played in before starting the band Sheena & The Rokkets. In memory of Ayukawa, I listened to the song “借家のブルース” which means “The Blues of a Rented House”… Read more
Leaving Japan – A Checklist
(Post date: 2023/1/12)
Happy New Year! It is a new year, and some of you may be preparing for a new beginning. Some of you may be leaving Japan to live in another country for various reasons. I will outline some of the necessary general steps to take before you depart. (Tax is not my specialized field so I will only mention some general matters. I will not go into the pension, health insurance card and income tax return matters here either.) We hope you will find this information helpful as you prepare to leave Japan… Read more
Income Documentation for Application for Permanent Residence Permit
(Post date: 2022/12/8)
We often receive inquiries about applications for permanent residence permits. Many applicants believe that having legally resided in Japan for ten years or more is a sufficient condition to obtain permanent resident status. Many of our clients are unaware of the “independent livelihood requirement.” To prove that you meet the independent livelihood requirement, you must submit a certificate of taxation or a certificate of tax payment of residence tax. The following describes the tax-related documents required when applying to become a permanent resident from various other residency permit statuses… Read more
Naturalization in Japan – The Process Explained
(Post date: 2022/11/10)
How well do you know the process of naturalization in Japan? Although becoming naturalized is sometimes compared to applying for a permanent residence permit, a permanent resident is still a foreigner who does not have the right to vote. In contrast, when naturalization is granted, successful applicants become a Japanese national, a new Japanese family register will be created, and voting rights will also be granted. However… Read more
Our Business Legal Consultancy Services
(Post date: 2022/10/4)
October is here, and I suddenly realized it’s Autumn. In Japan, we say “Ichijitsu Senshu” (one thousand autumns in a day): meaning it feels like a day has lasted a thousand years. These days, with my tight and busy schedule, I wish I only had one Autumn in my day! I hope all of you are enjoying the Autumn in your day. Here at Legal Associates Office Boston, we provide… Read more
Becoming a Permanent Resident (Part 1) : After 3 years of marriage with Japanese or Permanent resident spouse
(Post date: 2022/9/6)
Application for Permanent Residence: At Legal Associates Office Boston, we often receive inquiries from people who want to apply for permanent residence.If a foreign national who wishes to apply for permanent residence is the “Spouse of a Japanese national” or the “Spouse of a permanent resident”, has been married for at least three years, and… Read more
What You Can Do at a Notary Public’s Office
(Post date: 2022/8/10)
What comes to mind when you hear “notary public”? Notarization is an official fraud-deterrent process that assures the parties of a transaction that a document, and the documents’ signatures, are authentic and can be trusted. The qualifications required for someone to notarize documents and signatures vary widely from country to country… Read more
International Marriage and Residence Status: How Divorce Affects Residence Status
(Post date: 2022/7/6)
“Marriage is the tomb of life.” This quote from the French poet Baudelaire is often misunderstood as a nihilistic aphorism that views marriage as something distasteful. Recently, however, I learned that the quote originally meant that marriage was “a place to be united with a loved one, to spend a lifetime together, and to end one’s life.” The divorce rate for international marriages in Japan is said to be over 50%. This figure indicates that a lot of patience is required for two people raised in different cultures to find shared values and remain married. In this article, I would like to write about the impact of divorce on the residence status of Japanese and non-Japanese internationally married couples…. Read more
Dual Citizenship and Naturalization
(Post date: 2022/6/7)
On June 2, a woman residing in Fukuoka Prefecture who had acquired American citizenship while practicing law in the U.S. took legal action asking the Japanese government to confirm her Japanese citizenship and invalidate its decision not to issue her a Japanese passport, claiming that “not recognizing dual citizenship is a violation of the Constitution.”… Read more
Japanese Yen Depreciation and Foreign Direct Investment in Japan
(Post date: 2022/5/10)
The yen is depreciating in the foreign exchange market. In the past, it was said that the yen should be bought in times of contingency or crisis, but it seems that the crisis in Ukraine has not generated interest in the yen. Since I am not an expert on economics or currency exchange, I will not comment on the causes of the current yen depreciation or future market developments. Still, there is a strong view that the current dollar/yen market trend will continue, and many pessimistic reports are floating around… Read more
Seeking Refuge in Japan from Ukraine: Evacuee or Refugee?
(Post date: 2022/4/4)
My name is Masayo Boston, and I will try to fill attorney Mr. Atsushi Miyake’s shoes by undertaking the writing of this column from this month. I am a certified legal professional specializing in administrative procedures (gyoseishoshi 行政書士) here in Fukuoka. My focus is on helping foreigners with visa applications, naturalization procedures, and establishing companies in Japan. This month’s topic concerns those from Ukraine seeking refuge in Japan… Read more
