Ohara & Furukawa, Author at Ohara & Furukawa

May 20, 2016

Does marrying a Japanese citizen automatically grant the spouse Japanese citizenship?

Simply marrying a Japanese citizen does not automatically grant Japanese citizenship to a foreign national. Attaining Japanese citizenship must be done though the normal naturalization process. While the naturalization process is somewhat easier for spouses of Japanese citizens, the naturalization application is quite time consuming and detailed. In addition, there may be a waiting period of several years before the spouse can apply, depending on the circumstances.

May 18, 2016

If my visa application is denied, can I reapply again immediately?

When a visa application is denied in Japan, it means that there was some critical flaw in the application or that the applicant did not meet all the requirements for obtaining a visa. Therefore, reapplying immediately without making any corrections or changes to the application will likely result in another denial. Rather than immediately resubmit the same application, it is much more productive to review the denied application and attempt to fix any problems or weaknesses before resubmitting.

May 16, 2016

Is it legal to sublease an apartment in Japan?

Subleasing property is not generally as accepted in Japan as it is in other parts of the world. Most rental contracts tend to include a provision specifically prohibiting subleasing. In these cases, the terms of the agreement will typically state that if a tenant subleases the apartment without the landlord’s prior approval, the landlord may cancel the contract.

May 13, 2016

Can contract workers become “lifetime” employees in Japan?

The Partial Amendment of the Employment Contract Act of Japan took effect on April 1st, 2013 and is designed to help employees who are on fixed term contracts that continuously get renewed. The rule states that any fixed-term contract employee who has had his or her contract renewed 4 times can apply for a change to an employment contract without a fixed term. This rule greatly benefits contract employees who have been stuck in a cycle of continuous contract renewal with no chance of becoming a permanent employee.