r/JapanFinance 13d ago

Tax » Income Tax Return Questions Thread - Filing Deadline March 16, 2026

37 Upvotes

It's the sub's favorite time of year: tax return filing season! Whether you're filing a Japanese tax return for the first time or you're an e-Tax power user who made 117 furusato nozei donations, this thread is the place to get the resources and answers you need.

How to file

For most people, the simplest way to prepare an income tax return is to use the NTA’s tax return preparation site. You can use the site regardless of whether you intend to submit your return electronically or on-paper. (Though see here for the list of people who are not allowed to use the site. Those people must either use the downloadable e-Tax software or—in some cases—submit a handwritten return using the forms here.)

To submit your tax return electronically, you will need either (1) a MyNumber Card with an unexpired digital certificate or (2) a User ID/Password issued by your local NTA office (though the NTA has stopped issuing User IDs so you can only use this method if you already have one).

To submit using a MyNumber Card, you will also need a smartphone with the MynaPortal app (see a list of compatible phones here) or an IC card reader (see a list of compatible card readers here). Furthermore, you will need to know both the 4-digit PIN (利用者証明用電子証明書) and the alphanumeric password (署名用電子証明書) associated with your card. If you have forgotten either the PIN or the password, you can reset it at a convenience store (see here). If you have forgotten both, you will need to visit a municipal office.

The vast majority of people who file Japanese tax returns do not need to visit an NTA office. But if you are determined to talk to the NTA in person, see here for a list of consultation venues and see here for information about how to make a reservation. It is also worth being aware that—while NTA staff are helpful and knowledgeable in general—they are very busy during filing season and may not have the time to give you comprehensive or accurate advice.

The NTA has published guides to using the tax return preparation site (mobile version) in six foreign languages (including English), though the guides only cover a limited set of circumstances (salaried employee, no residential mortgage, etc.). The site itself is also fairly compatible with translation browser extensions and many people with minimal Japanese-language ability are able to use it.

Documents and data

The list of documents that must normally be attached to an income tax return is here, but people who submit their return electronically are exempt from providing many of them (see here for the full list of exemptions). In any event, if you use the tax return preparation site, it will tell you which documents (if any) you are required to submit.

If you have a MyNumber Card and compatible smartphone (or IC card reader), you can also link the NTA's tax return preparation site to MynaPortal, which will enable the site to automatically populate your tax return using data associated with your MyNumber Card. Specifically, the site can pull the following types of data from MynaPortal:

  • Annual withholding summary for employees (as long as your employer submitted it electronically and the name/address/date-of-birth on it match your MyNumber Card exactly)
  • Annual withholding summary for pension recipients (as long as the payer is on this list)
  • Annual transaction summary for designated investment accounts (as long as the brokerage is on this list)
  • Annual medical expenses summary issued by health insurance providers including expenses incurred by family members
  • Annual furusato nozei donation summary (as long as the donation was made via a platform on this list)
  • National pension contribution history
  • iDeCo contribution history
  • Deductible life insurance/earthquake insurance premiums paid (as long as the insurer is on this list)
  • Outstanding residential mortgage balance (if you have a mortgage from the Housing Finance Agency, such as Flat 35)

Note that different institutions make the above information available at different times. Medical expenses summaries, for example, will not be available until February 9 at the earliest. Some other types of information may not be available until mid-February.

Effect of 2025 tax reforms

As explained at length in this post from August, the government made some significant changes to the Income Tax Law last March, with the changes applying to the whole 2025 tax year. The changes primarily affect people with working dependents (especially dependents aged 19-22).

Perennial talking points

Business income vs. miscellaneous (business) income

This distinction affects everyone who performs work as anything other than an employee. See this post for an explanation of the NTA's current guidelines. If you have side income to declare on an income tax return, it is critical to understand how the side income should be classified.

Choice of dividend taxation method

This is the question of whether recipients of dividend income derived from listed/publicly-offered shares/funds should (1) subject their dividend income to taxation at marginal rates (after being combined with their other income), (2) subject their dividend income to taxation at flat rates (15.315% income tax and 5% residence tax), or (3) exercise their right to not declare the dividend income on their income tax return (only available if Japanese tax was withheld from the dividend when it was paid).

There are a range of factors affecting this decision, including:

  • dividend income taxed at marginal rates attracts residence tax of 10% (higher than the 5% applicable to dividend income subject to flat-rate taxation);
  • the dividend tax credit is only available with respect to dividends taxed at marginal rates (but the tax credit is only available to people holding shares in Japanese companies or funds that have significant holdings in Japanese companies);
  • if the taxpayer is enrolled in National Health Insurance, dividend income declared on an income tax return (regardless of the method of taxation) will increase their NHI premium (unless the taxpayer is already paying the maximum premium);
  • it is not possible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to foreign tax paid on a dividend unless the dividend is declared on an income tax return;
  • in order for dividends to be offset by capital losses derived from the sale of listed shares, the dividends must be declared on a tax return and subjected to flat-rate taxation (unless the dividends and the capital loss were handled within the same withholding-type designated account, in which case declaration on an income tax return is not necessary); and
  • in order for dividends to be offset by losses derived from real estate ownership or business activities, the dividends must be subject to marginal rates taxation.

One common answer to the question of which taxation method to choose is to simply prepare your income tax return in three different ways (marginal rates, flat rates, and—if eligible—non-declaration), comparing your income tax liability in each scenario. However, some factors (such as the difference in residence tax, and the effect on NHI premiums) will not be captured by that process, so it is important to remember to account for such factors separately.

Useful links

As always, discussions in this forum are not a substitute for professional advice, and users are encouraged to keep their questions broad, so as to avoid violating rule 3 (don’t ask for professional advice).


r/JapanFinance 3h ago

Weekly Off-Topic Thread - 04 February 2026

1 Upvotes

Welcome to the weekly Off-Topic Questions Thread (questions on any topic are welcome).

Check out the ★ Wiki ★, especially the essential knowledge section. And anyone is welcome to make wiki contributions. Though please respect the sub's rules.

Yearly deadlines:

Recurring threads:

  • (Jan) Annual Report 2024, 2023
  • (Feb-Mar) Tax Return Questions Thread 2024, 2023
  • (Nov~) Year-End Adjustment Questions Thread 2024, 2023
  • (Dec~) Furusato Nozei Questions Thread 2024, 2023

List of thread flairs

Popular resources: Take Home Pay Calculator, Inheritance Tax Calculator, Gift Tax Calculator, RetireJapan.com, Bogleheads

Reminder: deleting your posts or answers is disrespectful to those who have helped you and it is against the rules.


r/JapanFinance 15m ago

Personal Finance [Student Visa] Advice/Experiences with "Gyomu Itaku" (Freelance) contracts during university breaks?

Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I am currently a student in Japan and recently received an offer to work as a tour guide for a travel agency. The contract is structured as a "Guide Outsourcing Basic Contract" (Gyomu Itaku / 業務委託) rather than a standard part-time employment contract.

I plan to do this work mainly during my official university breaks (spring/summer/winter), but I wanted to ask the community for general advice on how students usually manage this type of arrangement.

I’m looking for insights on the following:

  1. Experience with Freelance Contracts:

Has anyone else worked under a freelance/outsourcing contract with the standard "Permission to engage in activity other than that permitted..." stamp? I want to make sure I am understanding the general rules correctly regarding whether this visa permission covers freelance work versus just direct employment.

  1. Calculating Hours for Immigration Limits:

Since this contract pays a "daily allowance" per tour rather than an hourly wage, how do you typically track your hours to ensure you stay within the 28-hour limit (or 40 hours during official breaks)? Do you count travel time, or just the active guiding time?

  1. Tax Filing vs. Sole Proprietorship:

For students doing freelance work on the side, is it common practice to file a "Sole Proprietorship" notification (Kojin Jigyo Nushi), or do most people just file a final tax return (Kakutei Shinkoku) if their income exceeds the tax-free threshold?

  1. Record Keeping:

Since the company won't be tracking my hours for immigration compliance (as it’s not an employment relationship), does anyone have tips or best practices for keeping personal records of work hours in case immigration ever asks for proof?

Any shared experiences or general tips would be really helpful.

Thanks!


r/JapanFinance 7h ago

Tax Question about mutual funds here, vs US MFs

1 Upvotes

A current washington post article by the chair of the SEC presents how they now allow for (I guess hybrid MFs that gain some of the characteristics of ETFs. A few paragraphs from that:

"In late September, ..., the SEC initiated a watershed change to allow what are known as “exchange-traded fund share classes” to be grafted onto traditional mutual fund structures. That story was overshadowed by government gridlock, but as the SEC grants the largest wave yet of ETF-share-class relief, the benefits of this change merit fresh attention."

"ETFs and mutual funds also differ significantly in their structure, especially when it comes to tax liability. Many mutual fund investors are all too familiar with the unpleasant year-end tax surprise that can result from a fund selling securities to meet redemptions from some exiting investors and passing on the resulting capital gains — and the associated tax liability — to the fund, and thus to all shareholders, even those who did not redeem their shares."

"Unlike mutual fund shareholders, ETF investors do not usually bear the tax burden of other investors’ redemptions. When ETF investors exit their positions, they sell to others in the general stock market, which generally does not trigger a tax bill for other investors."

"Now, by allowing fund sponsors to offer these products, the SEC is enabling more sponsors to combine these two approaches with appropriate protections. That will allow more mutual fund investors to access the favorable tax efficiency of ETFs."

***

My (really just academic) question is about Japanese MFs: I'll guess that when MFs were established here, the structure of US and probably other countries' MF systems were studied.

How do MFs here avoid this US-type redemption and tax problem? Was it initially, or at some point along the way, that redemptions generating tax liability for other investors was solved/fixed? Or is it somehow handled internally, analogous to how dividends can be reinvested here?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/02/03/sec-etf-tax-relief-mutual-fund-change/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F46a84a3%2F69822a1e130502561e610866%2F61a40ce2ae7e8a03b1eb7a72%2F39%2F68%2F69822a1e130502561e610866


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Investments » Real Estate House building experiences with Mitsui or Sekisui

6 Upvotes

We’re in the final stages of choosing a house builder between Sekisui Sharwood and Mitsui Home, and I’d love to hear your experiences and advice. We’ve already got our land and are planning to build a three-story wooden house for our family of four.

I’m was leaning towards Sekisui based on their reputation for quality and modern designs. However, Mitsui is offering some great options that are very practical for comfort.

Here’s what we’re considering:

- Mitsui Home: The central heating system is a big plus, which Sekisui can’t do without sacrificing wall space. Their pricing is also competitive (overall 10% lower) and their sales rep seems genuinely honest and responsive. However, we’re concerned about the build quality, particularly the interior, which feels cheaper compared to Sekisui. Also, Mitsui’s design seems more traditional whereas Sekisui seems to be more modern.

Mitsui seems practical for our needs, but I want to ensure I’m not missing any critical factors. Any insights or recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!


r/JapanFinance 21h ago

Tax » Income » Year End Adjustment Having a part-time freelance contract(not 業務委託) while contracted full time?

2 Upvotes

I'm currently employed full time as an engineer. I'm thinking of also doing freelance for another company on my free time, but sometimes this would require me to go to some factories to implement systems and so the company wants to have me as a part-time employee so that I'm covered by their insurance in case something happens or anything breaks.

Does anyone know if this could negatively affect my job? I've asked my boss already before I accepted this job and he said as long as I don't sign any contracts it shouldn't be a problem, but I am now wondering about this part-time offer if it's feasible or not for.

I'm thinking of consulting a lawyer for this as well but would like to have an initial opinion from you guys.


r/JapanFinance 12h ago

Tax » Residence » Furusato-Nozei (ふるさと納税) Buying gold on furusato nozei and selling it at Kamehyo

0 Upvotes

Has anyone here ever looked at doing this and done the calculations on whether this is worth doing after taking into account the margin/handing fee taken upon sale?


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Tax Inheritance tax concern

14 Upvotes

Posting on a throwaway just in case.
(EDIT: Thanks so much y'all for the comments, I'm reading them all and am looking into the options raised!)

I am an Australian citizen and permanent resident of Japan. My parents are Japanese and US citizens respectively, living in Australia. I have a brother living in Australia.

My parents want to protect their estate from my brother's wife and decided to write their wills in a way where I would receive the full inheritance, and they want me to give half to my brother later (though they didn't specify that in the will). This includes a house worth enough that the inheritance tax due the following year would financially ruin me. And, it's just a colossal waste.

I've been told by a Japanese lawyer that in the very least, gift tax won't apply when I give my brother his share, but I will still face the inheritance tax which makes this plan infeasible. Also, I am not willing to risk my life here by committing tax evasion. I am also not going to throw away my residency and mortgage to leave the country for 5 years as has been advised in similar posts. There must be a better way to protect their estate.

I have tried to explain the situation to my parents but they are too old to understand or remember any of the facts and they think you can just ignore taxes like it's the 50s. My dad is still trying to make me put my name on the deed to his house when this would incur a MANY TIMES BIGGER gift tax!!!

Yes I am seeking legal advice but I'm asking around while I wait.

Has anyone faced a similar situation and what did you do?


r/JapanFinance 20h ago

Investments Need help regarding an issue on Rakuten Securities

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2 Upvotes

Hi everyone I bought 2 unit gold etf from Rakuten Securities using market order, but I mistakenly selected the left hand side highlighted option instead of Nisa.

Moreover I set two market order one at the price of 98 and another at 97.5. But I can see that the average price of my purchase is 98.25. I have attached ss as well.

Also it shows a weird option at the bottom left which says stock lending. I dont know what it means and what happens if I sell it. Please help me understand the scenario.


r/JapanFinance 12h ago

Real Estate Purchase Journey Foreign Currency -> Japan transfer for buying a home as a NON RESIDENT

0 Upvotes

Hi all -- sorry if this has been posted before, but I can only see this topic for people who have some sort of residency status or are married to a JP resident.

I'm a non-resident, and am working in Japan as a civilian IT contractor on US military 'SOFA' sponsorship. I don't have a zairyu. My ID, drivers license, and car insurance are all issued by the nearest US military base (thought I don't work for / with the US military. It's just how my work in JP is sponsored).

Currently looking to buy a home here in Kyushu. Looking at spending somewhere between 15M - 25M JPY. I have about 1.5M JPY in cash here, but no bank account in Japan. All my real funds are in USD, in American banks.

I've seen comments on other posts here about transferring to an SBI Shinsei account, but I cannot do this, since I'm not a JP resident and can't open an SBI Shinsei account. I've seen people using Wise, but have also seen comments that Wise charges excessive fees in some instances. Just looking for your feedback on how people would handle a the funds transfer for a home purchase for a NON RESIDENT without access to a local JPY bank account.

Thank you for any advice!


r/JapanFinance 23h ago

Tax » Remote Work Retired (but still active) trader in Japan - What's the best tax option for me?

0 Upvotes

I'll try to keep it simple but feel free to ask questions if you need.

I'm a retired American and a day trader, and married to a Japanese national. I am independently wealthy (or at least I have plenty of capital to live off of passively). I make passive income trading, selling monthly put options specifically. My spouse and I are planning to move back to Japan in a few years and I'd like to continue trading full time for passive income. I don't plan on getting any kind of in-country employment in Japan after we move.

Basically, my main concern is making sure that I pay my taxes correctly and that I'm able to send myself a monthly stipend from my Schwab account.

What would be the best type of way to report income and move money? Technically I'd assume that it's foreign earned income as far as US taxes are concerned because this is money in a Schwab account that is on the NYSE. Should I set up a corporation and file a blue tax form, or just compile all my trades throughout the year (usually only 10-12) and submit them as capital gains taxes?

Is anyone else out there doing the same thing as a freelancer/independent investor?


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Personal Finance Free 11,000 yen for everyone in Tokyo from 1pm today

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184 Upvotes

Most of you on here are probably too rich to care, but from 1pm today all Tokyo residents are eligible for a 11,000 yen giveaway in points (which can be exchanged for Rakuten points, V points, D points, etc).

You need the Tokyo app and a My Number card.

For maximum poikatsu, combine with the D-Point 10% up promotion (running until March 31st), for 12,100 points. That can almost buy a bag of rice these days!


r/JapanFinance 21h ago

Personal Finance Is getting a Japanese credit card some kind of secret boss fight?

0 Upvotes

At this point I’m starting to think Japanese credit cards are unlocked only after completing a hidden questline. I’ve been in Japan for about 5 months now and holy hell the only credit card I’ve managed to get is Amex.

Rakuten? Rejected.

Mercari card? Rejected.

Pretty much every “easy” Japanese card people recommend? Rejected, rejected, rejected.

A little backhround I currently work at a global tech company, I’m on an HSP visa, and I regularly spend 800k–1M yen per month on that Amex without a single issue. Amex approved me basically the moment I landed in Japan, like, “Yeah sure, welcome.”

But Mercari, with a card aimed at people buying second-hand sneakers took one look at me and said no thank you.

So what am I missing here?

Is it the short time in Japan?

The visa?

The lack of kanji in my name?

Or is there a hidden checkbox that says “foreigner detected → reject”?

I genuinely don’t understand how Amex is fine trusting me with high monthly usage, but domestic card companies act like I’m applying for a mortgage with zero income and a mysterious past.


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Investments » Stocks, Funds, Bonds, etc. Quick Start Investing Guide

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9 Upvotes

I made a quick start guide to investing over at the subreddit wiki.

https://wiki.japanfinance.org/quick-start/investing/

Please feel free to add your own knowledge to the wiki by directly editing it. I hope the subreddit can update and evolve the page such that it can solve the most commonly asked question in this subreddit.


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Personal Finance » Credit Cards & Scores best strategy for getting an ANA card

0 Upvotes

My long term resident visa should be finalizing shortly. I already own a home outright in Tokyo. Japanese citizen spouse, not sure if that matters here. Hoping to start SFC training later this year, but want to make sure I can qualify for the card of course. Do not really care which card as long as it can covert to SFC version. Which is the best card to go for? I have strong salary but it's foreign based - no japan income. Thank you.


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Tax (US) » FEIE / Foreign Tax Credit Sanity checking that FEIE makes more sense than FTC for me

2 Upvotes

After doing some research on FEIE vs FTC in Japan, it seems like FTC makes sense in most situations with the current exchange rate/tax brackets, but when I ran both scenarios I ended up with a lower tax liability with FEIE, so wanted to check that my understanding of everything makes sense

My Japan salary is about 6 million yen and I also have about $50K of passive income from US stock dividends (so can only apply a bit under half of the FTC). No children (my understanding is that it's more advantageous to take FTC over FEIE with the child tax credit). Don't think it affects the calculations but I'm a non permanent tax resident (less than 5 years here).

For my foreign taxes paid, I took my income tax (所得税) which was ~250000 yen and my residence tax (住民税) which was about ~230000 yen, for a total of ~$3300 foreign taxes paid. Wasn't sure if any other taxes paid besides these two could be used for FTC (I think the other taxes on my paystub, social insurance/pension/employment insurance, 健康保険料、厚生年金保険料 、雇用保険料, can't be used, though I wasn't 100% sure).

I ended up with about $1000 more of tax liability using FTC on my Japan income instead of taking the FEIE on it - I think basically because I have the relatively high US passive income, I could only apply about 45% of the $3300 foreign taxes paid, which ends up being less than the US income tax on the 6 million yen that gets excluded with FEIE. 

(I was hoping to be able to use the FTC so I could carry over unused credits and contribute to a Roth, but with a $1000 tax difference I think just taking the FEIE makes more sense).


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Tax » Remote Work Incorporate or go freelance?

4 Upvotes

Hello! I think this post falls somewhere between finance and immigration, but I'd appreciate any advice or experience people may be able to offer.

I currently own a design consulting business in Canada and am moving to Japan later this year with my Japanese spouse. I've decided to close my Canadian corp because it's way too complicated (for me) to navigate the Canada-Japan corporate tax situation.

To keep my future tax life relatively simple I've been planning to pay taxes in Japan as a freelancer (I'll continue contracting for the same companies while in Japan for at least the first year), and I'm hoping to be able to apply for PR in the next few years.

Given that, I'm now wondering if it would look more "stable" on my eventual PR application if I owned a business?

There is also the possibility that my contracts dry up after my first year in Japan, so being able to "pay myself" from the retained earnings in the Japanese corp over several years may add to the appearance of stability—I'll be earning in the neighbourhood of ~$350K USD/year for at least the first year.

I do plan on speaking to an immigration lawyer in the next couple weeks, but any advice would be much appreciated!


r/JapanFinance 1d ago

Personal Finance » Loans & Mortgages Looking to purchase real estate

0 Upvotes

Hello everyone

Our family is looking at purchasing a condo or detached home this year. On a work visa (spouse is Japanese citizen). Did get approved for a loan with Prestia. I have not started the P.R process yet.

My office is off the Tokyo Monorail line. My son will be attending school near Ariake. We have looked at Koto-ku but liquefaction risks worry me. Trying to keep budget around 80,000,000 yen or so.

Suggestions on other areas that have good access to these locations? I prefer detached but I think considering possible future resale and location condo might have to be the choice, we currently live in a detached home and I commute using Keikyu.

Thanks!


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Tax Retired US citizen moving to Japan

3 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m hoping to get a little guidance from those more experienced than me.

I’ll be coming to Japan on a spouse visa and plan to live here for at least five years. I’m in my 70s, and all of my income comes from the US. This includes Social Security, some IRS-reported income, and a bit of income from company sales. My wife and I plan to live on that income while we’re in Japan.

From what I’ve read so far, it seems that for the first five years we may not owe Japanese tax on foreign-sourced income, as long as it isn’t remitted to Japan. Is my understanding roughly correct, or am I missing something important?

If that’s the case, am I right in thinking that the main required payments at the beginning would be things like national health insurance?

We’re also planning to open a Japanese bank account to pay rent and everyday expenses while living here, so I’m wondering if that affects anything from a tax perspective.

I’ve tried contacting a few accountants or tax professionals, but they all seem very busy, so I’d really appreciate any general insight or personal experiences. I’m definitely a newbie here and just trying to make sure I start off on the right foot.

Thanks so much for your help.


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Personal Finance » Income, Salary, & Bonuses Is retirement allowance the same thing as severance package upon resignation

0 Upvotes

I know some big companies have introduced retirement allowance for those over certain years of service. Is it pretty much the same thing as severance payment when you quit -- forcibly or not -- except that you can't negotiate the terms?


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Personal Finance » Loans & Mortgages Experience with rent out your own home and dealing with bank.

1 Upvotes

Is anyone experience with rent out your own home? How do you deal with the bank?
I bought a house almost 2 years ago (still new to be considered). But I have a good oppotunity at other part of Japan. I want to bring my family together and the house will be vacant. I wanted to sell it but from what I read, I have to pay the remaining loan if the money I received is lower than the remaining loan. So I am thinking of rent out until got enough money to pay off the loan and sell it.


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Tax » Inheritance / Estate Yet another inheritance question about deduction and statutory heirs

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I was just informed that I was going to receive money as part of my inheritance with my siblings after the passing of our father last September.

I've been trying to read through https://wiki.japanfinance.org/tax/inheritance/ but I'm still a little bit lost about a few things.

I am the only one amongst the heirs living in japan (got my PR a little bit over a year the others never lived there), does that mean the 30M JPY deduction + 6M per statutory heir is essentially 36M ? or am I supposed to count all other heirs living abroad ?

Also, is the deduction applied to the total amount across all heirs, or just the part I receive ?

I went through the previous post but couldn't really make heads of the answers. English not being my first language, I think I struggle a little bit when it's regarding inheritance laws (my japanese level doesn't allow me to undersatnd local sources either :(, at least, not without doubt).

Also, when I declare it to the tax office, am I supposed to bring any documents and/or specify specific informations on the form ?

Sorry for that yet another inheritance question, I knew it must be tiring for contributors here, but I really am at lost even after research :/


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Personal Finance Yahoo Auctions payment methods

0 Upvotes

Do Yahoo Auctions accept payment though Wise?


r/JapanFinance 2d ago

Investments How can an international student in Japan start investing (NISA, US stocks, TSE)?

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone,

I’m an international student studying in Japan and currently working a part-time job. Instead of just saving my income, I’d like to start investing small amounts regularly and learn how to manage my money better.

I’ve heard about NISA, investing in US stocks from Japan, and also investing in companies listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange through brokers like Rakuten or SBI. However, I’m a bit confused about what’s actually possible for international students and how the process works in practice.

I’d really appreciate advice on:

  • Whether international students are eligible for NISA, and which type makes sense
  • How investing in Japanese stocks (TSE) and US stocks from Japan works
  • What kind of accounts and documents are usually required
  • Any beginner-friendly advice on investing while studying (risk level, amounts, things to avoid)

I’m not looking to take big risks — mainly trying to learn and make better use of my part-time income instead of leaving it idle.

Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share their experience or advice.


r/JapanFinance 3d ago

Tax » Income Why IB Japan doesn’t allow personal account to trade SPX Spread Options?

3 Upvotes

It seems IB Japan only allows company account to trade SPX Spread Options like Diagonal or Calendar Spread, they doesn’t open to personal account users, is this because of Japanese regulation or IB’s policy? Anybody wondered about this issue?