Moving To Japan From The UK

Moving to Japan

If you’re moving to Japan, Britannia will be able to help you through each stage of the process. Whether you’re moving to Tokyo, Osaka, or Kobe we have all the local knowledge to meet your needs and requirements.

	Importing Personal Effects to Japan For non-citizens, shipments of used household and personal effects are duty free providing they are owned and used longer than 12 months, and the owner has a visa valid for at least one year. The effects must be imported within 6 months of the shipper’s arrival. A customs form C-5360-2 must be provided. This is normally completed on the flight to Japan and stamped by customs on arrival. There are different requirements for Japanese citizens. Your local Britannia Member will provide you with detailed customs regulations.
	Japan Customs Prohibitions and Restrictions In general, it is in your interest not to import the following items: Firearms & ammunition Inflammable goods & substances Plants & plant material Foodstuffs, perishables or otherwise Narcotics and dangerous goods Offensive materials Alcohol & tobacco
	Transit Times to Japan Sole use containers take an average of 7 – 8 weeks. Crated consignments may take longer, on average between 8 and 10 weeks.
	Protecting Your Belongings for Transport to Japan All groupage consignments will be bar coded before they are loaded into the shipping container. This will ensure that no items are left at origin.
	Moving Pets to Japan Britannia can recommend a specialised shipper of animals to assist you in sending your family pet(s) from home to home. They will coordinate all documentation and necessary veterinary procedures. Find out more about pet transport.
	Moving Motor Vehicles to Japan Currently motor vehicles are subject to a 5% tax and may need extensive modifications to meet Japanese emission and safety requirements. If you are staying in Japan for less than a year, you will not have to pay taxes or duties.
	Japan Currency Transfer When you are making international payments for individuals, you can benefit from IFX expertise in seeking the best possible rate, whether you are sending or receiving foreign currency. IFX can help to protect you from exchange rate fluctuations and save you time and money on international payments. IFX offers: International payments Regular overseas transfers Prepaid currency card Forward contracts More info on the IFX website.

Moving to Japan with Britannia

Your move to Japan with Britannia – Britannia offers you a door-to-door service to Japan and can either ship your effects by sole use container, or for smaller shipments, in a wooden crate (LCL). Our agents in Tokyo will arrange customs clearance, and deliver and unpack the effects, including removal of debris on day of delivery.

Additional removal services – Britannia provides a variety of additional services when moving to Japan. We are authorised to provide a comprehensive insurance, can arrange international storage prior to delivery, recommend a convenient way to transfer your money, and can also take care of your pet transport.

If you are interested in moving to Japan, find out more about your removal costs, and read more about our international removals.

Living in Japan

Japan is made up over 6,000 islands but four of these islands make up 97% of the country’s land mass. Japan is the world’s third largest economy and is the fourth largest exporter and fourth biggest importer of goods around the globe. Japan’s capital Tokyo is the largest metropolitan city in the world and is home to over 30 million residents.

The vast majority of citizens in Japan enjoy a high quality of life. The average life expectancy in Japan is the highest in the world. The country also has the lowest rate of infant mortality in the world. After Singapore, Japan has the lowest homicide rate in the world.

Japan Visas

Working visas in Japan are granted to individuals with different backgrounds but some of the most common professions that are usually granted visas include university professors, senior management staff and those with a legal background.

Most visas will require a Japanese sponsor, such as an employer, educational institution, or Japanese citizen who will be happy to vouch for you. They will need to contact the local Japanese immigration office on your behalf, apply for a Certificate of Eligibility, and send this to you.

The visa application process in Japan is usually quite quick, taking around five days. Once you have secured your visa and arrive in Japan, you will then need to apply for a residence card. Once you have lived in Japan for 10 years, you can apply for a Permanent Resident visa. The exception to this is if you have been in Japan with a Highly Skilled Professional visa – for this, you only need to have lived in Japan for between one and three years.

Finding a Job in Japan

Japan is home to some of the largest tech companies in the world such Sony and Panasonic. There are employment opportunities for westerners in these large organisations for the applicants with career backgrounds in technology. Japan is also home to large financial organisations that often look for westerners to join their businesses. Teaching English is also option for many westerners who have relocated to Japan.

Being fluent in Japanese can help to give expats a competitive advantage in the job market, as this will open up more opportunities. Many expats find it relatively easy to find a job in Japan, especially as the country is currently facing a skills shortage due to an aging population. With the right skillset and experience, foreign workers are able to fill gaps in specific industries, such as IT, construction, and manufacturing.

Cost of Living in Japan

Living expenses in Japan can be quite high depending on where and how you live. Land prices in central Tokyo are some of the most expensive in the world, which means property prices can be incredibly high. However, if you move to the suburbs prices drop significantly. Western food can be quite expensive in Japan but if you eat local produce, it’s often a lot cheaper.

According to Numbeo, the cost of living in Japan is 18.6% lower than in the UK, without rent, and rent prices alone are 51.2% lower in Japan. Salaries also reflect this difference, with the average salary in Japan being nearly 30% lower in Japan than in the UK – £1,706 per month vs £2,419 per month.

You can check out some of the items you are likely to purchase regularly whilst living in Japan below. Prices are shown in Yen and converted to UK pounds alongside the price in the UK so you can see how costs match up.

Interesting Facts about Japan

• Sumo wrestling is Japan’s national sport, but baseball is also very popular
• Coffee is very popular in Japan and the country imports around 85% of Jamaica’s coffee beans
• There are around 1,500 earthquakes a year in Japan
• Japan is the largest consumer of Amazon rain forest timber
• Japan’s national literacy rate is almost 100%

Choose Britannia for Your Japan Relocation

If you are thinking about moving to Japan and want to find out more about our Japan removal services or request a quote, you can call us on 0845 6006661 or email sales@britannia-movers.co.uk. Our team will be happy to discuss how we can help you with your international relocation.