Moving to Japan from the UK: Your 2026 Relocation Guide
Japan rewards people who arrive prepared. The country has spent the past decade gradually opening up to skilled foreign workers, with new visa categories, a points-based fast track to permanent residency, and a real shift in employer attitudes. At the same time, daily life in Japan still asks more of new arrivals than most relocation destinations: the language matters, the housing market has its own conventions, and small administrative steps can take a week if you do not know the order to do them in.
This guide walks you through what UK movers need to know in 2026: the main visa routes, the realistic cost picture, the practical sequence, and the cultural and linguistic groundwork worth doing before you go. Where the rules are nuanced, we point you to the Immigration Services Agency of Japan and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Why UK movers are looking at Japan
The pull is rarely one thing. For technology, finance, engineering and academic professionals, Japan offers senior roles in companies that are global household names, often with relocation packages that handle the heaviest paperwork. For creative professionals, the Japanese market for design, animation, gaming and the wider cultural industries operates at genuine global scale. For families, the public infrastructure, safety and education system are widely admired.
Beyond work, the lifestyle pull is real: public transport that runs to the minute, streets that are remarkably safe, food culture from ramen to globally awarded restaurants, and country from tropical Okinawa to Hokkaido.
Can you move to Japan from the UK?
Yes, on the right visa. UK passport holders can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days, but you cannot live, work or study long term on visitor status. Settling means choosing the right visa category before you arrive, and most categories are sponsored by an employer or recognised institution rather than self-applied. Japan now offers more routes for UK movers than it did a decade ago, including a fast-track points-based residency scheme and a Working Holiday option for younger applicants.
Main visa routes for UK movers
| Route | Best for | Key requirement | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) | Senior UK professionals scoring 70+ on the points test |
Points across academic background, professional history, salary, age, language ability and research achievements |
5 years initially. PR fast-track in 1 to 3 years |
| Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services | UK graduates and professionals in IT, engineering, business or international services |
Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience) plus a Japanese employer sponsor |
1, 3 or 5 years, renewable |
| Intra-Company Transferee | UK staff being transferred by their company to a Japanese subsidiary or branch |
Minimum service period with the parent company plus a transfer to a related Japanese entity |
1, 3 or 5 years |
| Business Manager | Founders or senior managers of a Japan-based business |
Investment threshold of 5 million yen and a substantive business plan |
Up to 5 years, renewable |
| Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) | Workers in 16 designated sectors (care, construction, food service, agriculture, manufacturing, others) | Sector-specific skills test and Japanese language test, or graduation from the Technical Intern Training Programme |
Type i: up to 5 years. Type ii: long-term |
| Working Holiday Visa | UK citizens aged 18 to 30 wanting up to a year in Japan |
Age, savings, return ticket and clean record. Strict bilateral quota | Up to 12 months, single use |
| Spouse / Dependant | Spouses and children of Japanese nationals or residents | Marriage certificate or proof of relationship, sponsor’s status | 1, 3 or 5 years, renewable |
Highly Skilled Professional (HSP)
This is the route most senior UK professionals aim for. It runs on a points test across academic background, career, salary, age, Japanese language ability and research achievements. Score 70 or more and you qualify, with a faster route to PR, multiple-purpose work rights and the ability to bring a spouse who can work without a separate visa. Score 80 or more and the PR fast track shortens to one year. Run your own numbers early.
Engineer, Specialist in Humanities, International Services
The workhorse route for working-age UK movers. It covers IT engineers, software developers, business and finance professionals, marketing and international services specialists, language teachers and translators. You need a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent professional experience) and a Japanese employer sponsor. The visa ties you to a sector, so you can change jobs within the category without restarting.
Specified Skilled Worker (SSW)
Introduced in 2019, SSW addresses Japan’s labour shortage in 16 designated sectors including nursing care, construction, food service, agriculture and manufacturing. Open to applicants who pass a sector skills test and a Japanese language test, or who have completed the Technical Intern Training Programme. Type i runs up to five years; Type ii is longer term, with a route to PR in some sectors.
Working Holiday Visa
Japan and the UK have a bilateral Working Holiday agreement that lets UK citizens aged 18 to 30 spend up to twelve months in Japan, working casually to fund travel. Quotas are limited and applications open in defined windows each year. It is single-use rather than long-term, but for younger applicants it is one of the simplest ways to test whether Japan is the right move before committing to a sponsored route.
Permanent residency and citizenship
Standard PR in Japan generally requires ten years of residence, of which at least five must be on a working visa. The HSP route shortens this significantly: holders scoring 70 points can apply for PR after three years, and those scoring 80 points after just one year. PR removes the need to renew status, broadens employment rights and is widely seen as the practical end-state for long-term UK movers.
Japanese citizenship is a separate question. Japan does not permit dual nationality for adults, which means naturalisation requires renouncing your British citizenship. Many long-term residents settle on PR rather than naturalisation precisely because of this rule. If lifelong Japanese citizenship is part of your plan, take legal advice on both sides before you commit.
Tax: what UK movers need to know
Japanese tax residency is determined primarily by domicile and length of stay. Once you have lived in Japan for more than five of the previous ten years, you are generally considered a permanent tax resident and your worldwide income becomes taxable in Japan, with reliefs available under the UK to Japan double tax treaty. Non-permanent tax residents in their first five years are taxed differently, with overseas-source income outside Japan typically only taxed when remitted.
On the UK side, file the P85 with HMRC, confirm your position under the Statutory Residence Test, and plan the timing of any UK property sale or pension drawdown carefully. The HMRC residency guidance is a useful starting point. Cross-border tax planning between the UK and Japan is worth a proper conversation with a qualified accountant before you move.
Cost of living: a realistic picture
Tokyo has a reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities, and parts of it earn that, but the headline can mislead. Rent in Tokyo’s central wards is high but not London-level for equivalent space. Outside the capital, in cities like Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka and Sapporo, costs drop substantially while quality of life and infrastructure stay strong. Public transport is genuinely affordable. Local food and supermarket basics are reasonable; imported goods carry a premium.
Build your budget around housing first, then schooling at international schools if you have children, then everything else. The move-in cost of a Japanese rental is the surprise for many UK movers: deposits, key money (a non-refundable thank-you payment to the landlord), guarantor fees and the first month’s rent can stack up to several months’ rent in cash before you have moved your first box.
Money, banking and currency
Japan’s currency is the yen. Major Japanese banks (MUFG, Mizuho, SMBC, Japan Post Bank) require your residence card and a Japanese address to open a full local account, so plan for this in the first weeks rather than before arrival. Online banks like Sony Bank and Rakuten Bank are popular with foreign residents for English-language access. For currency planning between GBP and JPY, Anglo Pacific’s dedicated currency partner since 2004 is Halo Financial, who can talk you through forward contracts and timing for one-off and recurring transfers.
A practical 6 to 12 month plan
- Confirm your visa route. HSP, Engineer/Specialist, Intra-Company Transfer, Business Manager, SSW, Working Holiday or Spouse decides every other timeline.
- Run your HSP points test if you might qualify. Even a few points differ whether you take that route or the standard Engineer/Specialist visa.
- Speak to a cross-border accountant about your UK tax exit and any continuing UK income.
- Negotiate your full package if employed: housing allowance, relocation support, schooling, annual flight home and end-of-employment arrangements.
- Gather and apostille your UK documents: degree certificates, marriage and birth certificates, criminal record check from ACRO.
- Start basic Japanese now. Even hiragana, katakana and a survival vocabulary make the first month meaningfully easier and add HSP points.
- Plan housing. Most UK movers start with corporate housing or a short-term apartment, then move to a longer rental once they have a residence card and a Japanese guarantor or guarantor company.
- Get a removals quote and survey. Japanese apartments are often smaller than UK equivalents, so plan to ship less than you think. Anglo Pacific surveys are free.
- Sort healthcare cover. Japan has compulsory national health insurance once you are resident, which most employees join through their employer.
- Book the move. Sea freight transit from the UK to Yokohama or Kobe typically runs around six to eight weeks port to port.
- Notify HMRC, your council, your bank, your pension provider, your GP and the DVLA. The HMRC form is the P85.
- Arrive, register at your local ward office within 14 days, collect your residence card on arrival, register for national health insurance and pension, and start to find your feet.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✓ Public transport that genuinely runs to the minute, particularly in Tokyo and the Tokaido corridor
✓ Among the lowest everyday crime rates of any major economy ✓ Excellent public infrastructure, healthcare and education ✓ Cost of living outside Tokyo’s central wards can be lower than UK equivalents for similar quality ✓ HSP route offers a fast track to permanent residency (1 to 3 years) for senior professionals ✓ Strong food culture from inexpensive local meals to globally awarded restaurants ✓ Domestic travel network makes weekends genuinely usable, from skiing in Hokkaido to beaches in Okinawa ✓ Active and growing UK and international community in Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama |
|
Where in Japan should you live?
Tokyo is the default choice for most UK movers because international employers, schools and infrastructure cluster most densely there. Within Tokyo, the central wards (Minato, Shibuya, Setagaya, Meguro, Chiyoda) hold the bulk of the international community while outer wards offer better value at the cost of a longer commute. Yokohama, just south of Tokyo, is a popular family alternative. Osaka and Kyoto suit movers in finance, technology, manufacturing and academia, with significantly lower costs than Tokyo. Fukuoka in southern Kyushu has emerged as a startup-friendly hub with mild winters.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to move to Japan from the UK?
Yes. UK passport holders can visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days, but living, working or studying long term requires the right visa. Routes include the Highly Skilled Professional, Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services, Intra-Company Transferee, Business Manager, Specified Skilled Worker, Working Holiday and Spouse/Dependant categories. The right route is set by the Immigration Services Agency.
How long does it take to move from the UK to Japan?
A realistic end-to-end timeline is six to nine months from a serious decision to arriving with your belongings. Visa processing through the Embassy of Japan in London usually takes several weeks once your Certificate of Eligibility is issued by the Japanese sponsor. Sea freight transit alone is around six to eight weeks port to port.
Can I get permanent residency in Japan?
Yes. Standard PR generally requires ten years of residence, of which at least five must be on a working visa. The Highly Skilled Professional route shortens this: holders scoring 70 points can apply for PR after three years, and those scoring 80 points after just one year. PR removes the renewal cycle and broadens employment rights.
Does Japan allow dual citizenship?
No. Japan does not permit dual nationality for adults, which means Japanese naturalisation requires renouncing your British citizenship. Many long-term UK residents settle on PR rather than naturalisation precisely because of this rule. If lifelong Japanese citizenship is part of your plan, take legal advice on both sides before committing.
Is the Working Holiday Visa right for me?
The Working Holiday Visa lets UK citizens aged 18 to 30 spend up to twelve months in Japan funding travel through casual work. It is single-use and quota-limited. It suits those who want to test whether Japan is the right move before committing to a sponsored route. For long-term moves you will need to convert to a sponsored visa from inside Japan or apply for a new category from the UK.
How much does it cost to move to Japan?
One-off costs vary by household size, but plan for shipping, the substantial move-in costs of a Japanese rental (deposits, key money, guarantor fees and first month’s rent), set-up costs and a contingency. Move-in costs alone can total several months’ rent in cash. A specialist removals partner who knows the Japanese end of the process saves you money and time.
What is the best way to ship belongings to Japan?
For a full household, sole-use sea freight to Yokohama, Kobe or Tokyo is usually the right choice on cost. For a partial home, shared container space (groupage) is more economical. Japanese homes are often smaller than UK equivalents, so most UK movers ship less than they expect. Air freight or baggage shipping covers urgent items.
