There are actually a lot of foreigners working in Japan for its lucrative animation industry, and it looks like the Japanese government has noticed. This is because it looks like the Immigration Bureau of Japan is overhauling its regulations for anime industry workers. This makes things possible for foreigners working in anime-related fields to obtain permanent residency rights in Japan after just one year.

Earlier this year, the bureau started loosening restrictions for foreigners working under three fields. These fields are advanced academic research activities, advanced specialized/technical activities, and finally, advanced business management activities. This new framework allows foreigners working under these fields to get permanent residency after working in Japan for a year. Previously, they needed five years of work to get it. Now, Japan is also planning to extend this to a fourth field, and that’s of course, Japanese pop culture. This of course involves the anime industry, as well as fashion, entertainment, and gaming. They describe it as a “points-based preferential immigration treatment for highly skilled foreign professionals” framework.

They’re planning to implement this by 2018, so those working in anime really don’t have to wait that long. Their goal is to promote the spread of Japanese culture to the international community through the efforts of Japan-based foreigners. However, there are still some rules to consider. The most obvious being the fact that foreigners still have to work in Japan for a year. It might be shorter, but unless you already have a Cool Japan-related job for at least one year, you won’t get that permanent residency.

And then, there’s the fact that they need “highly skilled” individuals to get that residency. There are also other factors to consider, including educational background, experience in their fields, and others. They’ll also be evaluating your annual income as well. Remember, this is all points-based, so it’s not that easy to get one.

Anime workers need at least 80 points to get that eligibility after working there for a year. An annual income of 25 million yen will only get you 40 points, so that won’t be enough. Also, getting 70 points total would only allow you to apply for permanent residency after THREE years. Not that easy, huh? But still, this is a lot more lenient that previous requirements.

Source: Sora News 24