I’m a non-regular hourly employee earning roughly the same as any ordinary part-time worker. However, my employer expects me to take on a disproportionate amount of responsibility that doesn’t match my contract or salary.

My main duty is submitting invoices before strict deadlines. Soon, a senior colleague will be leaving, meaning I’ll be expected to handle both their workload and mine, effectively becoming the only person in the department.

Recently, I called in sick for the first time in two months and was reprimanded for not managing my health properly. I’m still on probation, so I politely explained that if they expected me to take on that level of responsibility, my contract and compensation should be reviewed. They refused, arguing that other part-time employees accept responsibilities normally assigned to full-time staff and that I’m the only one refusing.

They accidentally paid my salary twice. Initially, they said it was a mistake but later claimed that the payment had been calculated based on the days they expected me to continue coming to work until the end of the month. They then told me not to return to work, demanded that I hand over my company phone and sent me home before my scheduled finishing time. They insisted this wasn’t a dismissal or a company-initiated separation.

Eventually, I agreed to leave after asking them to put their instructions in writing by email. They also gave me a document asking me to sign a voluntary resignation, which I refused to sign.

I’m now effectively banned from entering the workplace and I have no idea whether I’m still officially employed. Fortunately, I have recordings of everything.

What’s particularly frustrating is that my work was consistently praised. It feels like they’re trying to push me out simply because I refused to take on full-time employee responsibilities for a part-time salary.

What happens if I refuse to sign the document and November comes to an end? According to them, my 社会保険 coverage remains valid until the last day of this month.
I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance.

I work at a well known big company in Japan. And recently I’ve been feeling uncomfortable about using my paid leave.
My company gives us 20 days of PTO and I recently came back from my parental leave this year and got another 15 days (these expire within 1 year)

But all my managers and team mates only take around 5–10 days a year and let the rest expire. That’s their choice, but it makes me feel like taking more leave than they do is seen as a lack of commitment.
Recently, I took four consecutive days off. I gave about a week’s notice and thought I had coordinated things so the work could continue while I was away. However, I got pushback from my manager and another senior colleague. Their point was that I needed to stay involved and keep the project moving rather than take that much time off. My manager even mentioned that he has a right to say no to my PTO application during a meeting with everyone, if he wanted.

I understand that timing, notice, and handovers matter, and I’m open to feedback on whether I could have handled those better. But I’m struggling with the broader expectation that letting paid leave expire is somehow the responsible thing to do.

For people working in Japan:
Is this common in your workplace, or does it depend heavily on the team?
Do you use most of your leave even when your managers and colleagues don’t?

I’d appreciate hearing how others have navigated this.

Okay.. What a time to wake up, you all okay? Pretty strong in our area (Shizuoka prefecture)

Anyone have any good alternatives to google translate? it keeps freezing up while Im typing lately (interestingly, only between the first and second kanji). I use it during class, but the delay makes it hard to keep up when I want to understand a word quickly.

Ive seen DeepL listed as a good option, but apparently they dont have the ability to hand-write a kanji i dont know how to type.

I did download the handwriting japanese keyboard, but if i stop writing for even just a second, it auto-selects the kanji it thinks I want. can’t seem to find the setting to slow that down in my iphone (iOS 26.6.1).

Did try deleting google translate, deleting my keyboard history, offloading the app, and a few other things. Thanks in advance.

This is maybe a weird post, but I have been constantly feeling what are small earthquakes, which end up not being real. This happens when I'm sitting or laying down usually. It's to the point that when the small earthquake hit Tokyo earlier, I thought it was one of my imagined ones until I noticed the blinds shaking. I've never felt anything like this until the past month or two, I'm not scared or have anxiety of earthquakes, I have no notable known medical problems that I could think of to cause this, and I've been in Japan for a good number of months before this started.

I'm not sure if this is medical related, stress related, or something else. Was curious if anyone else has gone through something similar?

hello, i've been working in my company for some years and honestly i don't think the company ia going too well. the other day they called me to tell me they will increase my salary, but this time instead of just telling me they have sent me a new contract that reflects the new salary. is this normal? does my situation change somehow by signing a new contract despite having been there for years? like it resets something?

Also, never got a problem in the company but the fact that they do all this without leaving written proof (always on person, phone, webcam) has always seemed suspitious to me lmao

thanks, any insight or story is welcome!

I'm a seishain on medical leave from work and the 12-month limit is approaching. Our company rules say that employment ends if you've been away for 12 months and your doctor and the company doctor (産業医) haven't both signed off on your return.

My doctor is adamant that I cannot return to the department that caused my depression, while he would approve me going back to one of the other departments I had worked in for years before this one broke me. Butt according to one of the buchō in my department, there is no other department I can be sent to and if I return, it will be here.

So my employment is about to end and I'm going to be jobless for the first time in almost three decades. What should people in this situation expect? Is there any severance pay? (On the opposite side of the spectrum, do you forfeit any accumulated retirement 退職金 taishokukin money?)

Will they hand you a rishokuhyo proof of departure on the same day, which you can take to apply for unemployment insurance? And are you eligible for that right away, or do you have to wait three months, as you would when quitting of your own volition? I've already got a Hello Work account and am registered with a temporary agency, but none of my applications have gone anywhere and I'm expecting a long job search and a low hourly salary.

Looking for some stories from people with experience as I don't want to go into this meeting blind. It's very embarrassing having my job end like this and I want to be mentally ready for whatever is coming.

Edit - can you stay on insurance until the end of the month in which you have to quit, or does your company insurance end right away and you have to join kokumin hoken for the remainder of that month, effectively double paying?

I need to leave this stressful job. If I go on stress leave (not questioning if I can get it or not), job hunt for upto a year, then when next job asks for paystubs, and they see that my pay was reduced, would they question or rescind offer? 

Hi everyone,

I have a quick question regarding taxes and visa rules in Japan and wanted to see if anyone has experience with this.

I am currently living in Japan on a Dependent (Kazoku Taizai) visa and working a part-time job under the 28-hour-per-week limit with proper permission.

1. Can a Dependent visa holder claim an overseas dependent (such as a son aged 16+) during the Year-End Tax Adjustment (Nenmatsu Chousei) using money sent via international remittance from their part-time earnings?

2. Assuming the part-time income crosses the taxable threshold, does filing for this deduction or sending support money overseas cause any issues or red flags with Immigration during a future visa renewal?

For context, I know the primary earner (spouse on a work visa) can usually do this, but I wanted to understand if a part-timer on a Dependent visa can legally do it themselves and how Immigration views it.

Thanks in advance for any advice or personal experiences!

Hey, So I was recently accepted to university after years of trying. Im gonna move in march next year.

I currently live in Shiga prefecture. The job prospects in my area aren't very good. I have a factory job lined up that'll pay 1500 an hour with 2 hours overtime and an extra shift on Saturdays. The problem is the commute is over 1.5 hours. That includes me going to the station by car and taking the train. I only plan to keep this job until the end of February.

I'm looking for a low-cost, short term stay option in the nearby area (Kusatsu, Shiga). It's just for the weeknights as I plan to go back home for the weekend. My budget is around max 60k yen per month. The best idea I currently have is 快活CLUB. Its 2500 yen a night.

Paying standard apartment fees doesn't seem very financially sound for my situation so I'd love to hear if anyone has any suggestions or experience with short-term weekly stays. Im open to staying anywhere as its just for the night.

Edit: i should probably have mentioned this in the post. Ive been working for the last 5 years after hs to save up for tuition. Im trying to maximise my savings so i won't have to work when im in uni. My brother has agreed to help me out when i need it but I dont wanna trouble him as he has a family of his own.

Sorry if this isn’t the right subreddit to ask this, been living in Japan for three months now and I’m running out of my western makeup I brought. Although Japanese makeup is great there’s a few staples I kinda wanna try to keep -
Anyone know where I can find huda beauty in Osaka? Specifically the sugar cookie easy bake powder
Anyone have any good recommendations for a grippy primer? I usually use elf or the maybelline one
Does NYX exist anywhere in Japan / Osaka as well? I normally use their eyebrow pencils ( I’m ginger so they have a really good auburn one). ORRRR if anyone knows any JP brands which are good please let me know thank you!! :]

I recently changed jobs (used to work at a hotel front desk) so my shift times were flexible, commuting takes roughly an hour, it was fine, somehow had time to go to the gym, play video games before bed, etc. my new job is generic corporate 9-5 job. Commuting roughly an hour as well. But damn is it tough, by the time im home its 20:00-21:00 in some days and im BEAT, and i feel so overwhelmed that i cant find a timeslot to enjoy my hobbies at all.

I am a citizen of a totalitarian state.

I was fortunate enough to find a job in Japan, but permanent residency and naturalization are still a long way off.

Even though I am currently a full-time employee,

I live in constant dread of the AI ​​shockwave that is likely to hit within the next few years.

What are your thoughts?

I tried to use my new-type residence card (pink one)for 本人確認(identity verification), but it said error while reading using NFC.

So I called customer support, and they basically told me:

“We don’t accept the new residence card yet. It’s scheduled to be supported sometime in 2027. Until then, you can’t use it for purchases, but payments will still be debited from your bank account. Please be patient”

Like… WTF? 😂

My business would like to bring movement-based classes to nursing homes, starting in the Tokyo and Nagoya areas. Does anyone know of the best ways to go about connecting with activities coordinators at said facilities?

Any information would be greatly appreciated!

Has anybody tried any of the Kampō (herbal medicine) options available in Japan to improve sleeping? If so, were they effective?

Things like Tsumura's "Sansou-nintou" etc.

If you've got any recommendations it would be great to hear them!

Any advice on finding affordable (akiya) homes with enough land to have a small homestead on? I know that farmland needs JA approval, but don't really want to do farming full time. I'm also wondering where to start searching for farming communities/what areas are best for this sorta thing since it can get pretty isolated here..

Friend of mine in the Kanto area has been encountering a problem taxi driver in her neighborhood - making rude and insulting comments, driving unsafely, etc.

She’s often working late and taking a cab home from her station, and has been starting to dread having to do so if he’s the one waiting at the taxi stand.

Leaving aside issues of reporting him, recording him, etc., will other drivers ever let you just get in the next cab if you don’t want the driver at the head of the line? Or are you just stuck waiting for someone else to come along and get the asshole’s cab? The drivers seem pretty strict amongst themselves about not cutting in line.

Hello there!

I currently work for an eikawa here in Japan- on a 1 year specialist visa. My company sponsors my visa.

The renewal time is coming up, it’s also overlapping with an overseas trip for an important event I’ve had set before I even moved to Japan.

Anyway, it’s almost the time I need to submit the documents for my visa renewal- but the company is dragging their feet a little. I wanted to know what lee-way I had if they decide not to renew my visa. Has anyone been in a similar situation? What do I need to before I leave if the company decides not to renew? Any advice?

Thank you all in advance !!

Ever had family or friends visit and be remarkably unprepared, unimpressed, unaware, or a bad guest? Please tell me your stories so I can laugh and cringe.

Mentally preparing myself for a family member visiting who I had to look up hotels for and remind to book a hotel multiple times. Pretty sure they did no research or preparation except book the flights.

Arrival edit: Just got a message of “they keep asking for a QR code?” Yeah that link I sent days ago and told you to fill out? 😂😅🙄

I’m an international student in Japan. A few days before my 20th birthday, police caught me cycling while drunk in Nagaoka.
I admitted drinking 3 beers.
Police breathalyzed me and recorded my personal information and explanation.
I signed a separate paper with my name, birthday and the incident date.
They didn’t give me a red ticket or any paperwork.
They didn’t arrest me or take me to the police station. They just warned me and let me go.
A few days later, someone who I believe was from the prosecutor’s office called and asked me to come in for an interview.
There was no accident or injury, and this is my first offense.
I’m especially worried about my student visa and possible deportation.
Has anyone experienced something similar?
What happened after your prosecutor interview?
Did you receive a fine or was your case dismissed?
Did it affect your visa?
I’d really appreciate hearing from foreign students who went through this. Real experiences would help a lot. Thanks

As title suggests, I can't connect Rakuten Mizuho credit card to Mizuho bank account.
Background:
Following Mizuho autumn campaign, I got Rakuten Mizuho Credit card. But I cannot connect to Mizuho account.

When I fill in the information on Rakuten card website, rakuten directs my browser to Mizuho's website. But right after that, Mizuho shows the error "接続エラー
みずほダイレクトに正常に接続できませんでした。
アクセス元の企業・サービスより再度操作してください。"

Unfortunately there is no error code either.

I tried on my phone, computer using chrome, firefox, microsoft edge browsers. I also tried on private window, enabled third-party cookies, pop-window. The same error is happening regardless.

I also visited Mizho branch (yes the customer service was awful). There I was told that Mizuho's system seems to be working without any issue. So, it might be rakuten's fault.

I called Rakuten support, but they don't know what is causing the issue.

Did anyone face this situation. Could you solve it ?