Going back to Europe and then coming back to Japan...what's important?

[ju-ju-belle]

First of all hello everybody, since this is my first thread here...

Here is my situation: I will have to go back to Europe for about two years for my company. Right now I have a contract with a Japanese company, however, abroad I will be hired by a subsidiary company in England. I am planning on coming back to Japan for sure and me and my wife will also keep our apartment here. I have been paying taxes and pension in Japan for three years and am currently on a 3-year visa and want to apply for permanent residency.
Now I am wondering whether I can still apply for permanent residency after being abroad for 2 years? And what happens to my pension fund? Will I have to pay taxes on my apartment (we are paying it off right now). What else is there I should think of?
Sorry for not being able to phrase my questions more accurately but it is all still a big blur to me. It would be great if someone who has been in a similar situation could just share his/her experiences and let me know what I should pay attention to. Some links would also be helpful. I wasn't able to find much on the web.
Thank you.

[StarfoxPro]

First of all hello everybody, since this is my first thread here...

Here is my situation: I will have to go back to Europe for about two years for my company. Right now I have a contract with a Japanese company, however, abroad I will be hired by a subsidiary company in England. I am planning on coming back to Japan for sure and me and my wife will also keep our apartment here. I have been paying taxes and pension in Japan for three years and am currently on a 3-year visa and want to apply for permanent residency.
Now I am wondering whether I can still apply for permanent residency after being abroad for 2 years? And what happens to my pension fund? Will I have to pay taxes on my apartment (we are paying it off right now). What else is there I should think of?
Sorry for not being able to phrase my questions more accurately but it is all still a big blur to me. It would be great if someone who has been in a similar situation could just share his/her experiences and let me know what I should pay attention to. Some links would also be helpful. I wasn't able to find much on the web.
Thank you.

This website contains information about Japan visa requirements.

http://www.immi-moj.go.jp/english/


If you are going to Europe for two years, why on earth would you waste money paying for an apartment that you are not going to use? Sublease it out or just get a new one when you get back. I am sure the building you live in will still be there in two years (albeit any natural disasters).

[trip_hop]

First of all hello everybody, since this is my first thread here...

Here is my situation: I will have to go back to Europe for about two years for my company. Right now I have a contract with a Japanese company, however, abroad I will be hired by a subsidiary company in England. I am planning on coming back to Japan for sure and me and my wife will also keep our apartment here. I have been paying taxes and pension in Japan for three years and am currently on a 3-year visa and want to apply for permanent residency.
Now I am wondering whether I can still apply for permanent residency after being abroad for 2 years? And what happens to my pension fund? Will I have to pay taxes on my apartment (we are paying it off right now). What else is there I should think of?
Sorry for not being able to phrase my questions more accurately but it is all still a big blur to me. It would be great if someone who has been in a similar situation could just share his/her experiences and let me know what I should pay attention to. Some links would also be helpful. I wasn't able to find much on the web.
Thank you.

The residency requirement is continuous residence in Japan for around 10 years if single, and generally 5 years for foreigners married to Japanese, case-by-case of course.
If you exit and return within the period of your re-entry visa, you will technically have been continually resident in Japan for visas purposes, but if you are not working and paying taxes on income earned in Japan, they may consider you not have been continuously resident. As it is the first time to see this question on this forum, no previous solutions have been posted.
So, contact Immigration, or an Immigration counselor, who may have come across your situation before.

[StarfoxPro]

The residency requirement is continuous residence in Japan for around 10 years if single, and generally 5 years for foreigners married to Japanese, case-by-case of course.
If you exit and return within the period of your re-entry visa, you will technically have been continually resident in Japan for visas purposes, but if you are not working and paying taxes on income earned in Japan, they may consider you not have been continuously resident. As it is the first time to see this question on this forum, no previous solutions have been posted.
So, contact Immigration, or an Immigration counselor, who may have come across your situation before.

Also, you might like it in Europe and decide to stay there. Therefore I would not worry about coming back to Japan until if and when the time comes.

[ju-ju-belle]

The residency requirement is continuous residence in Japan for around 10 years if single, and generally 5 years for foreigners married to Japanese, case-by-case of course.
If you exit and return within the period of your re-entry visa, you will technically have been continually resident in Japan for visas purposes, but if you are not working and paying taxes on income earned in Japan, they may consider you not have been continuously resident. As it is the first time to see this question on this forum, no previous solutions have been posted.
So, contact Immigration, or an Immigration counselor, who may have come across your situation before.

Thanks. Yeah, I figured that out too but I couldn't find out either whether I have to pay taxes and live here constantly or if it's enough too come back once a year in order to be able to apply for permanent residency. I guess there's no way around going to the immigration office...