Academic & Cultural Visas in Japan: Professor, Artist, Religious Activities, Journalist, Cultural Activities, Trainee

Japan’s immigration system includes six categories of status of residence (commonly called “visas”) for academic, artistic, religious, journalistic, cultural, and training activities: Professor, Artist, Religious Activities, Journalist, Cultural Activities, and Trainee. Each covers different activities and requires different documents.

All six are set out in Appended Table 1 of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act (ICRRA). For an overview of all categories, see “Types of Residence Status in Japan: A Comprehensive Guide.”

The fees for a change of status of residence and an extension of the period of stay were revised on October 1, 2026. The amount depends on factors such as the period of stay granted. Please check the latest amounts on the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) page “Revision of Residence Permit Fees as of October 1, 2026” (in Japanese).

Professor

The Professor status of residence is for foreign nationals conducting research, research guidance, or education at universities and similar institutions in Japan. It is listed in Appended Table 1-1 of the ICRRA, and no criteria under the Ministerial Ordinance on Criteria for Landing Permission (LCMJO) apply.

Eligible Activities

The status covers activities of research, research guidance, or education at a university in Japan, an equivalent institution, or a college of technology (koto senmon gakko) (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-1). The ISA gives “university professors, etc.” as examples (Status of Residence “Professor”).

Despite the name “Professor,” the statute defines the status by the place and content of the activity (research, research guidance, or education), not by job title.

Scope of Permitted Institutions

The Professor status is limited to universities, institutions equivalent to universities, and colleges of technology. By contrast, the Researcher status covers activities of engaging in research under a contract with a public or private organization in Japan, excluding activities that fall under Professor (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-2).

Period of Stay

The period of stay is five years, three years, one year, or three months.

Key Documentation Points

Required documents differ depending on whether the applicant works as a full-time staff member (Category 1) or a part-time staff member (Category 2). For full-time staff, no materials are required in principle other than the common documents such as the application form and photograph. Part-time staff must submit a document certifying the content, duration, position, and remuneration of their activities at the university. For an extension application, part-time staff submit resident tax certificates (taxation or tax exemption, and tax payment); those who have changed from full-time to part-time also submit the document certifying their activities.

Note on Activities Outside Status

A Professor status holder who wishes to receive remuneration for activities that are not research or education at a university or similar institution (for example, language teaching at a company, or translation work) must obtain permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence in advance (ICRRA, Article 19).

Artist

The Artist status of residence is for foreign nationals engaged in income-generating artistic activities in Japan. It is listed in Appended Table 1-1 of the ICRRA, and no LCMJO criteria apply.

Eligible Activities

The status covers income-generating activities in music, fine arts, literature, or other artistic fields, excluding activities that fall under the Entertainer status (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-1). The ISA gives “composers, painters, writers, etc.” as examples (Status of Residence “Artist”).

Scope of “Artistic Activities”

The statute refers to “music, fine arts, literature, or other artistic activities”; music, fine arts, and literature are examples.

The statutory text for Artist does not contain a limitation such as “unique to Japan” (Cultural Activities) or “based on foreign culture” (Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services).

Artist vs. Cultural Activities

Artistic activities fall under Artist if they generate income, and under Cultural Activities if they do not. Activities that constitute public entertainment (concerts, theatrical performances, etc.) fall under the Entertainer status.

Period of Stay

The period of stay is five years, three years, one year, or three months.

Key Documentation Points

For a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) application, the applicant submits a document certifying the content, duration, position, and remuneration of the activities (or, where the activities are not based on a contract, a document stating the content and duration of the activities and the expected income), together with evidence of artistic achievements: a CV detailing the applicant’s artistic career, and one of the following:

A letter of recommendation from a relevant organization
Media coverage of past activities
Records of awards, prizes, or selections
A catalog of past works
Other materials equivalent to the above

For extensions, the applicant submits the document on the content of the activities and resident tax certificates (taxation or tax exemption, and tax payment).

Religious Activities

The Religious Activities status of residence is for religious workers dispatched to Japan by a foreign religious organization to engage in missionary work or other religious activities. It is listed in Appended Table 1-1 of the ICRRA, and no LCMJO criteria apply.

Eligible Activities

The status covers missionary work or other religious activities carried out by a religious worker dispatched to Japan by a foreign religious organization (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-1). The ISA gives “missionaries dispatched by foreign religious organizations, etc.” as examples (Status of Residence “Religious Activities”).

Key Requirement

Under the statute, the applicant must be a religious worker “dispatched to Japan by a foreign religious organization.” The application therefore documents the relationship with the dispatching organization.

Period of Stay

The period of stay is five years, three years, one year, or three months.

Key Documentation Points

A copy of the letter of dispatch from the foreign religious organization or another document certifying the period of dispatch, position, and remuneration
Materials showing the outline of the dispatching and receiving organizations (denomination, history, representative, organization, facilities, number of followers, etc.)
A document certifying the applicant’s position and career as a religious worker (not required if stated in the letter of dispatch)

For extensions, a document certifying that the dispatch continues and resident tax certificates (taxation or tax exemption, and tax payment) are submitted.

Journalist

The Journalist status of residence is for foreign nationals engaged in news coverage and other journalistic activities under a contract with a foreign media organization. It is listed in Appended Table 1-1 of the ICRRA, and no LCMJO criteria apply.

Eligible Activities

The status covers news coverage or other journalistic activities carried out under a contract with a foreign media organization (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-1). The ISA gives “reporters and camera operators of foreign media organizations, etc.” as examples (Status of Residence “Journalist”).

The ISA’s document guidance distinguishes three forms of activity:

Persons dispatched by a foreign media organization
Persons employed in Japan by a foreign media organization
Persons working under a contract other than employment with a foreign media organization (freelancers, etc.)

In every case, the activity must be based on a contract with a foreign media organization.

Foreign Press Registration

Required documents differ depending on whether the applicant is employed by a foreign media organization that employs a person issued a Foreign Press Registration Card by the Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Category 1) or not (Category 2). Category 1 applicants submit a document certifying that the organization employs a staff member issued the card. Category 2 applicants submit materials showing the content of their activities and materials showing the outline of the foreign media organization.

Period of Stay

The period of stay is five years, three years, one year, or three months.

Cultural Activities

The Cultural Activities status of residence is for foreign nationals engaged in non-income-generating academic or artistic activities, or in research into or acquisition of culture or arts unique to Japan. It is listed in Appended Table 1-3 of the ICRRA, and no LCMJO criteria apply.

Eligible Activities

The status covers academic or artistic activities not accompanied by income, and activities of conducting specialized research on culture or arts unique to Japan or acquiring them under the guidance of an expert. Activities that fall under the Student or Trainee status are excluded (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-3). The ISA gives “researchers of Japanese culture, etc.” as examples (Status of Residence “Cultural Activities”).

Under the statute, these activities fall into three categories:

Academic or artistic activities not accompanied by income
Specialized research on culture or arts unique to Japan
Acquiring culture or arts unique to Japan under the guidance of an expert

Income as the Deciding Factor

Activity Type	With Income	Without Income
Artistic activities	Artist (Entertainer if the activity is public entertainment)	Cultural Activities
Receiving education at an educational institution	—	Student (excluded from Cultural Activities)

A person residing under the Cultural Activities status may not engage in activities of operating a business involving income or activities for which they receive remuneration (ICRRA, Article 19, paragraph 1, item 2). Doing so requires permission to engage in activity other than that permitted under the status of residence in advance.

Learning Under the Guidance of an Expert

To acquire culture or arts unique to Japan, the statute requires that this be done “under the guidance of an expert.” The applicant submits materials showing the career and achievements of the expert who will provide the guidance.

Period of Stay

The period of stay is three years, one year, six months, or three months.

Proving Financial Support

Since Cultural Activities do not involve income, applicants submit documents showing their ability to cover expenses during their stay in Japan:

Self-funded: A scholarship certificate specifying the amount and period, a bank balance certificate in the applicant’s name, etc.
Sponsored by another person: The sponsor’s resident tax certificates (taxation or tax exemption, and tax payment); if the sponsor is abroad, a bank balance certificate in the sponsor’s name, etc.

Trainee

The Trainee status of residence is for foreign nationals accepted by a public or private organization in Japan to acquire skills, techniques, or knowledge. It is listed in Appended Table 1-4 of the ICRRA and is the only status among these six for which LCMJO criteria (landing permission criteria) are set.

Eligible Activities

The status covers activities of acquiring skills, etc. carried out upon acceptance by a public or private organization in Japan. Activities that fall under the Technical Intern Training (i) or Student status are excluded (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-4).

Under the ICRRA, “skills, etc.” (ginō-tō) means skills, techniques, or knowledge.

Key LCMJO Criteria

The LCMJO sets the following criteria for the Trainee status:

Non-repetitive skill acquisition: The skills to be acquired must not be obtainable solely through the repetition of the same task
Age and post-return plans: The applicant must be at least 18 years old and be expected to engage, after returning home, in work requiring the skills acquired in Japan
Difficulty of acquisition at home: The skills must be impossible or difficult to acquire in the area where the applicant resides
Training instructor: The training must be conducted under the guidance of a full-time employee of the accepting organization who has at least five years of experience in the relevant skills
Conditions where practical training is included: If practical training is included, the training must fall under one of the cases set out in the LCMJO (for example, training conducted by a national or local government body or an incorporated administrative agency itself, training conducted as a program of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) or similar bodies, or training conducted as a program of an international organization)
Measures to secure return: The accepting organization or the intermediary organization must take measures to secure the trainee’s return, such as securing return travel expenses
Record keeping: The accepting organization must prepare documents on the implementation of the training, keep them at the place of business, and retain them for at least one year from the end of the training
Limit on practical training hours: Practical training hours must not exceed two-thirds of total training hours (three-quarters or four-fifths in the cases set out in the LCMJO)

Cases Where the Accepting Organization Must Have Certain Arrangements

For some of the cases under item 5 above (such as training conducted as a program operated mainly with funds from the national government or similar bodies), the accepting organization must satisfy all of the following:

It has secured accommodation for trainees (including where the intermediary organization has secured it)
It has secured training facilities for trainees
It has assigned a staff member in charge of daily life guidance
It has taken insurance or other protective measures against death, injury, or illness during training
It has taken, for the training facilities, measures equivalent to the safety and health measures required under the Industrial Safety and Health Act

Period of Stay

The period of stay is one year, six months, or three months. However, two years is also available for certain trainees dispatched by their home institution as part of its work, such as persons holding a foreign qualification equivalent to a physician who acquire knowledge and skills relating to proton or heavy-ion beam therapy equipment (ICRRA Enforcement Regulation, Appended Table 2).

The required documents are listed on the ISA’s Status of Residence “Trainee” page.

Relationship with Technical Intern Training and Employment for Skill Development

Activities that fall under Technical Intern Training (i) are excluded from the Trainee status. Act No. 60 of 2024 established the Employment for Skill Development Program, which replaces the Technical Intern Training Program. The Act is scheduled to come into effect on April 1, 2027, except for some provisions (ISA, “Outline of the Employment for Skill Development Program and related laws”).

Differences from Temporary Visitor

Some activities covered by these six statuses may appear similar to what is permitted under the Temporary Visitor status of residence. The two are distinguished by the content and duration of the activity and by whether remuneration is involved.

What Temporary Visitor Permits

The Temporary Visitor status covers sightseeing, recreation, sports, visiting relatives, inspection tours, participating in lectures or meetings, business contact, or other similar activities during a short stay in Japan (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-3). The period of stay is 90 days, 30 days, or 15 days, among others (List of Statuses of Residence).

A Temporary Visitor may not engage in activities of operating a business involving income or activities for which they receive remuneration (ICRRA, Article 19, paragraph 1, item 2). However, honoraria for lectures that are not given as a business, and similar payments, are excluded from “remuneration” here (ICRRA, Article 19, paragraph 1; ICRRA Enforcement Regulation, Article 19-3).

Summary

Factor	Temporary Visitor	Professor through Trainee
Duration	Short stay (period of stay of 90, 30, or 15 days, among others)	Period of stay from three months up to five years, depending on the status
Remuneration / income	Not permitted (except honoraria for lectures not given as a business, and similar payments)	Permitted as the activity of the status for Professor, Artist, Religious Activities, and Journalist; not permitted for Cultural Activities and Trainee

Our View

The following is our office’s view in light of the statutory text. The assessment may differ depending on individual circumstances, so please check in advance if you are unsure.

Short cultural experiences: Short-term participation in lectures or inspection tours falls under Temporary Visitor activities. A person who intends to keep acquiring culture or arts unique to Japan under the guidance of an expert should consider the Cultural Activities status
Academic conferences and meetings: Short-term participation in meetings falls under Temporary Visitor activities. Ongoing research or teaching at a university is covered by the Professor status
Short-term reporting: A person who stays in Japan and continues journalistic activities under a contract with a foreign media organization should consider the Journalist status

Comparison of All Six Statuses

Status	Income / Remuneration	Period of Stay
Professor	Permitted within the activities of the status	5 yrs / 3 yrs / 1 yr / 3 mo
Artist	Permitted within the activities of the status	5 yrs / 3 yrs / 1 yr / 3 mo
Religious Activities	Permitted within the activities of the status	5 yrs / 3 yrs / 1 yr / 3 mo
Journalist	Permitted within the activities of the status	5 yrs / 3 yrs / 1 yr / 3 mo
Cultural Activities	Not permitted	3 yrs / 1 yr / 6 mo / 3 mo
Trainee	Not permitted	1 yr / 6 mo / 3 mo (2 yrs for certain clinical trainees)

Key points:

Trainee is the only one of the six statuses with LCMJO criteria (landing permission criteria)
A spouse or child supported by a person residing under the Professor, Artist, Religious Activities, Journalist, or Cultural Activities status is eligible for the Dependent status of residence. Trainee is not among the statuses covered by Dependent (ICRRA, Appended Table 1-4)

How We Can Help

AEGIS International Administrative Firm, as a registered immigration specialist (certified by the Immigration Services Agency to file visa applications on behalf of clients), supports applications for academic and cultural statuses of residence.

Identifying the right status: We sort out which status of residence your planned activities fall under and whether the Temporary Visitor status is sufficient
Preparing and filing the application: We prepare and file applications for a Certificate of Eligibility, a change of status of residence, and an extension of the period of stay
Guidance for accepting organizations: We explain the documents that universities, religious organizations, media organizations, and training hosts need to prepare

If you have any questions about academic or cultural statuses of residence, please feel free to contact us.

This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice for individual cases.

This article is based on laws and official information as of October 11, 2026. Rules and practice may change, so please check the latest information before applying.