Points

Japan’s Highly Skilled Professional visa offers some of the best benefits in the Japanese immigration system — faster permanent residency, more flexibility, and no job-category restrictions. Most qualified applicants don’t know they’re eligible. Here’s how the points system works and how to apply. What Is the HSP Visa? The Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) visa is a points-based visa designed to attract top foreign talent to Japan. Three categories: HSP Type 1-i: Advanced academic research activities HSP Type 1-ii: Advanced specialized/technical activities (most common — IT, engineering, finance) HSP Type 1-iii: Advanced business management activities If you score 70+ points → HSP visa eligible If you score 80+ points → PR in 1 year If you score 70–79 points → PR in 3 years ...

Quick Answer Rakuten’s best setup for foreigners in Japan: (1) Get a Rakuten Card (free, 1% cashback on all purchases, ¥5,000 sign-up bonus, accepted wherever Visa is accepted). (2) Open a Rakuten Bank account linked to the card (0.1% interest rate + ATM fee waivers). (3) Shop on Rakuten Market with the card — stack SPU bonuses to earn 10–16% points. Heavy users report earning ¥100,000–200,000 in points per year. Points are worth ¥1 each and usable across all Rakuten services. ...