Understanding the Status of Residence “Journalist” in Japan

June 13, 2023

Status of Residence “Journalist” Explained:

The status of residence “Journalist” and its activities fall under “those who fall under the following categories that conduct in news coverage and other journalistic activities based on a contract with a foreign journalistic organization.”

It includes the following categories:

• Foreigners hired by a foreign journalistic organization and dispatched to Japan by that organization to conduct journalistic activities.
• Reporters or freelancers who are not employed by a foreign journalistic organization but engage in journalistic activities based on a contract with a foreign journalistic organization.

The term “foreign journalistic organization” refers to newspapers, news agencies, broadcasters, and other media organizations with a head office in a foreign country, regardless of their ownership status. “News coverage and other journalistic activities” encompass all activities necessary for news coverage, such as filming, editing, and broadcasting. Therefore, in addition to reporters, roles like editor-in-chief, editor, cameraman, announcer, etc., are also covered under the status of residence “Journalist.”

Similar to other work-related statuses, applicants must not only qualify for the status of residence “Journalist” in Japan but also be able to earn sufficient income through these activities to sustain their stay in Japan on a stable and continuous basis.

Key Considerations to Note:

Cases that may fall under another status of residence:

Activities related to TV program production and similar areas may fall under other statuses, such as “Entertainment.”

Activities conducted by foreign nationals engaged in journalistic activities based on a contract with a Japanese journalistic organization generally fall under the status of residence “Technical, Humanities, and International Services” if the activities require knowledge of humanities, including sociology, political science, and economic ethics.

Categories and Required Documents:

If the applicant is employed by a foreign journalistic organization that employs individuals issued a Foreign Press Registration Card (FPR Card) by a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they fall under Category 1. Otherwise, they fall under Category 2. For Category 2 applicants, the application must include documents clarifying their activities and an outline of the foreign journalistic organization (representative’s name, history, organization, institutes, number of staff, news coverage, etc.). However, this requirement does not apply to Category 1 applicants. Instead, they must attach a document certifying that the foreign journalistic organization employs individuals issued an FPR Card by a spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.