78 docs tagged with "getting-started"

Call 110 in Japan for crimes in progress, accidents, and urgent police help: the dispatch flow, first-word script, interpreter routing, and the #9110 option.

Call 118 in Japan for maritime emergencies: vessel distress, ocean rescue, suspicious activity at sea, the Coast Guard response, and who this number serves.

Call 119 in Japan for fire or ambulance: the first-question script, location-first rule, free ambulance transport, and what the crew does after dispatch.

Antidepressants in Japan explained: which SSRIs, SNRIs, and related drugs are available, which ADHD drugs are banned, and how to plan care before arrival.

Sending Japanese documents abroad? Learn how the Hague apostille works, which countries accept it, and the full legalization path for the rest.

Calling 119 for a fire in Japan: the exact kaji desu script, address order, floor details, dispatcher questions, and the available language help.

How calling 119 works in Japan: when to call an ambulance, what the dispatcher asks, why the ride is free, and who picks the hospital you go to.

Foreign residents 16 and over must carry the residence card at all times. Learn the statute, the fine, what police stops involve, and calm strategy.

Choose your first Japanese resources: the four-slot day-one toolkit (kana app, grammar, SRS, dictionary), a free path, a budget-paid path, and what to skip.

Banned medication in Japan explained: which stimulants and restricted drugs are prohibited, what happens at the border, and legal steps before arrival.

What does life in Japan cost? Compare single and family starter budgets for Tokyo, major metros, and regions, with dated figures and forgotten costs included.

Dental insurance in Japan covers basic exams, fillings, root canals and standard crowns at a 30 percent copay. See covered care, exclusions and cost checks.

Japan's designated shelters (hinanjo) explained: where they open, what gym-floor life is really like, what to bring, and how foreign residents find theirs.

Prepare for emergency calls in Japan: your address card, key Japanese phrases, ID and medical cards, plus a koban visit that pays off in a crisis.

Get emergency language help in Japan: three-way interpreter calls, the AMDA and Himawari hotlines, consular lines, and key phrases to memorize now.

Eye exam in Japan happens at optical shops, not clinics. Learn the in-store refraction flow, glasses cost bands, and when to visit an ophthalmologist instead.

How to file a police report in Japan: victim vs lost-property reports, koban vs station choice, what to bring, and the certificate insurers need.

Major ward offices run foreign-resident counters with multilingual help, orientations, and procedure support. Services, cities, and first-visit tips inside.

Fraud and scams targeting Japan residents: oreore, SNS investment, phishing, delivery texts, key defenses, plus 188 and police reporting paths.

Gaimen kirikae converts a valid foreign license to a Japanese license. See eligibility, documents, JAF translation, fees, tests, and timelines.

Read Japan's hazard maps before you need them: the MLIT Kasaneru portal, flood depth bands, shelter zones, and how your address shapes evacuation timing.

Hiragana, katakana, or kanji first? The right order for beginners, why romaji is a one-week tool, and why "kanji first" methods fail in real Japanese.

How often do house fires happen in Japan? FDMA figures on frequency, top causes, and who is most at risk, with dated stats residents can trust.

How long does it take to learn Japanese? FSI says 2,200 hours. This page unpacks what "fluent" means, what one year buys, and how to set realistic goals.

How long should your trip to Japan be? A duration framework by trip type, plus the seasonal trade-offs and holiday-crowding windows to plan around.

How to learn Japanese from zero to fluency: a sourced roadmap from kana through JLPT N5 to N1, with hour budgets per level and the anti-patterns to skip.

New to the Living-in-Japan pillar? Five reading paths by profile, from arrival to departure, plus how J-Compass sources, dates, and maintains every article.

Confused where to click first? J-Compass maps four reader paths through its Traveling-in-Japan pillar, from early research to the week before you fly.

A short wayfinding guide to the Japanese Learning section, with reading paths for absolute beginners, JLPT N3 candidates, and returning intermediate learners.

Meet the agency that grants, renews, or refuses your status: ISA structure, regional bureaus, filing paths, and what happens after you apply.

International driving permit Japan rules: Geneva-only validity, the one-year limit, translation-path countries, and the new-arrival conversion timeline.

This Japan trip checklist sequences everything before you fly: passport validity, visa status, bookings, Visit Japan Web, IC card, and rail pass decisions.

Japan crime statistics explained for residents: NPA 2024 figures on violent and property crime, bicycle theft, fraud, and a realistic safety picture.

Japanese test for naturalization in Japan: the third-grade reading and writing benchmark, how the Legal Affairs Bureau checks ability, and how to prepare.

Lost your My Number Card? Suspend it at 0120-95-0178, file a police report, and reapply at the ward office. Fees, timelines, and reissue steps covered.

Lost your residence card in Japan? File a police report, then apply for free same-day reissue within 14 days. Documents, abroad-loss path, and late fixes.

Get a MOFA apostille in Japan by mail or at the Tokyo counter. Documents, forms, fees, timing, and the useful one-stop notary shortcut explained.

My Number Card vs notification card explained: what the paper notice does, what the plastic IC card adds, how to apply, and how long issuance takes.

Use the My Number Portal for moving notices, tax filing, pension checks, and certificates. Access setup, online steps, and counter-only limits covered.

My Number explained for residents of Japan: the 12-digit ID, who gets one, which tax and pension procedures use it, and how the number differs from the card.

A prepaid SIM bridges the first month in Japan: Mobal, Sakura Mobile, and GTN Mobile compared on price, English support, and the switch to a contract.

Learn how to read a Japanese contract: parties, terms, tokuyaku clauses, dispute terms, and the seal page, plus a review checklist for residents.

Your residence card is Japan's foreign-resident ID for banks, phones, and police checks. Learn its fields, where it is issued, and the carry rule.

Rules of the Road for Bicyclists explains Japan bicycle law: road-default riding, sidewalk exceptions, bans, lights, and 2026 fines residents face.

Register your hanko at the ward office counter: eligible seals, ID, dated fees, the registration card, and seal certificates explained step by step.

For many Japan visa filings you may translate documents yourself with a signed affidavit. Get the format, the ISA rule, and where this path fails.

Weighing a move to Japan? Compare safety, healthcare, and transit against wages, language load, and visa gates, plus honest profiles of who thrives here.

Should you visit Japan right now? An honest look at 2025's record crowds, rising accommodation costs, and new access rules, plus who a trip still works for.

Small claims court in Japan handles money claims under 600K yen in one hearing. Filing fees, courts, procedure, and language tips for residents.

Every Japanese status of residence in one plain-English map: work-permitted, work-restricted, and unrestricted groups, each row tied to the ISA table.

Japan's 23-day pre-indictment detention explained: your rights to silence and counsel, the request-a-lawyer strategy, plus embassy notification help.

The boshi techo is Japan free maternal and child health handbook issued at pregnancy registration. Learn what it records, bilingual versions, and how to use it.

Dial 188 to reach Japan's consumer hotline: free advice, cooling-off help, and merchant mediation via your nearest consumer affairs center. How it works.

Japan's cooling-off right lets you cancel door-to-door and high-pressure contracts in 8 to 20 days. Which deals qualify, how to notify, and what is excluded.

Japan's Earthquake Early Warning buys seconds before strong shaking. How EEW works, which phones and TVs carry it, what to do, and its limits.

Japan's five evacuation advisory levels explained: Level 1 forecast to Level 5 emergency safety securing, who issues them, and when residents must act.

Build a Japan earthquake kit that lasts: water and food quantities, the full item checklist, go-bag storage, real cost band, and the refresh cycle.

JLPT levels explained: a single canonical guide to N5 through N1, the test's sections, the 0 to 180 score, the section-minimum rule, and sitting dates.

Japan reports quakes on the JMA shindo intensity scale, not magnitude. Learn the 10 levels, what each feels like, and where to check your local reading.

Koban police boxes explained: what Japan's neighborhood posts do, when to visit, what to bring, and how foreign residents get help in Japanese.

Okusuri techo is Japan free medication notebook pharmacies update at every fill. Learn paper vs app, what it records, and why to bring it to every visit.

Shako shomei certifies your parking spot before car registration in Japan. See required documents, police steps, fees, timelines, and kei-car rules.

Banks want a phone number, carriers want a bank account, landlords want both. Each gate explained, plus the paths that break the cycle and the order to try.

Felt a quake near the coast? Move to high ground first. JMA warning tiers, vertical evacuation, towers, and zone checks in one coastal procedure.

A Japanese visa gets you to the border; your status of residence governs everything after landing. Learn what each document controls, with ISA sources.

Vision correction surgery in Japan explained: LASIK and ICL mechanics, self-pay cost bands per eye, clinic path, and follow-up questions for residents.

J-Compass's Living-in-Japan pillar is a sourced, honest reference for long-term residents, not tourists or relocation sales pitches. Here's what it covers.

J-Compass's Traveling-in-Japan pillar is a sourced, honest reference for short-term visitors, not a listicle or a booking funnel. Here's what it covers.

A structured, source-backed guide to learning Japanese, built for serious learners who want depth over rote memorization.

What insurance doesn't cover in Japan, from cosmetic care to normal birth and full dock exams. Learn each exclusion and the separate benefit that pays instead.

NHI coverage in Japan explained: covered clinic, hospital, drug, dental and rehab care, plus exclusions, prenatal vouchers, cost caps and birth-benefit gaps.

What to bring to a doctor in Japan: insurance proof, residence card, referral letter, medication book, prior records, and the new-patient form explained.

Heading to a Japanese emergency room? Pack insurance proof, residence card, medication book, prior records, a charged phone, and payment for discharge.

Standard Japanese earthquake response: drop, cover, hold on during shaking, then gas, door, injuries, and tsunami checks. The full procedure in one page.

Where foreigners live in Japan, mapped by prefecture and city from the 2020 National Census: the concentration pattern, its causes, and the trend since 2000.

Japan's ward office (yakusho) handles address moves, certificates, insurance, and benefits. Learn counter layout, hours, tickets, and what to bring.

New in Japan? Work the 90-day setup checklist: residence card, ward registration, insurance, bank, phone, utilities, and housing, each linked to its guide.

Daily Japanese study routine for beginners: the four-slot stack, weekly time budgets for N5 and N4, a 15-minute fallback, and a worked example day.