A Guide to Foreigners' Rights In Japan

If you are living and working in Japan, regardless of your nationality or length of stay, you need to be aware of your legal rights as a worker and a foreigner. This can be difficult to say the least. Detailed information is not readily available in English and some employers may not disclose and explain everything, either because they don't know or don't want you to know. In addition, most Japanese people won't know about laws regarding foreigners anyway and finding an English speaking lawyer can be difficult and expensive. If you have problems with an employer or other legal trouble, you need to know your legal rights. So, where are foreigners to turn? Luckily, there is a very good, legal guide available. It is the Gaikokujin o Sapoto-suru Tame no Seikatsu Manyuaru (Survival Manual: A Guide to Foreigners' Rights in Japan). It is published by a NGO that helps foreigners called 3A Corporation. In addition, 3A publishes Mina no Nihongo, an excellent line of Japanese language textbooks.The Survival Manual is very detailed comprehensive and covers a wide range of topics such as:

visas and residence, labor laws, marriage and divorce, childbirth and children, medical and other types of insurance, driving, arrests, and death.

It is available in both Japanese/English and Japanese/Chinese versions. One page is in Japanese and the opposite page in the foreign language. The Survival Manual costs 2000 yen. It is not available through most booksellers and can be purchased from 3A Corporation directly. You can visit their website:

3A Corporation

Or you can call or email them directly

Tel:03-5802-6033/ Fax:03-5802-6034

email: fmwj@jca.apc.org

It is definitely more than worth the price. A must have, particularly for those staying in Japan long term.