Getting your side hustle on in Japan 🇯🇵🧑‍🔧

Hey readers! I had a pretty hectic travel schedule in May; I left Taiwan 🇹🇼 for the summer, then hopped to the US for 2 weeks. Hence the writing of this edition was a bit delayed, but hopefully you still find it interesting! I got an unexpected notification from my mobile carrier in Taiwan, and also an unexpected phone call from Japanese immigration, so wanted to give people a heads up about those. Also, from my trips in and out of Japan, I’ve cleared Japanese immigration many times so I have tips about using the autogates.

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Table of Contents

• Taiwan: The Lucky Land extended to September 30, 2 …

• Taiwanese Mobile carriers verifying IDs 🇹🇼🪪

• Calls from Japanese immigration 🇯🇵📞

• Where to Use Japan’s Autogates (and Where You’ll R …

• Getting Permission for Side Jobs in Japan (資格外活動許可 …

  • Do I Need Permission for Side Work?

  • Requirements and Conditions

  • Case Example: TikTok Side Hustle

  • How to Apply

  • Types of Permission: Inclusive vs. Exclusive

  • Incorporating a company and visa permission

  • Final Thoughts

• Conclusions

Taiwan: The Lucky Land extended to September 30, 2025 🇹🇼💰

I have been a multiple time winner of Taiwan: The Lucky Land, a scheme where tourists can win 5000 NTD to use on travel or shopping. The scheme was originally set to expire on June 30, 2025, but now has been extended to September 30, 2025. You can still play even while holding a resident card - you just need to enter using visa free and not stay longer than 90 days. No word on any further extensions but it is likely if they still have funds remaining or the government believes the scheme is effectively driving tourism.

Taiwanese Mobile carriers verifying IDs 🇹🇼🪪

I got a confusing message from Taiwan Mobile (台灣大哥大 / táiwān dàgēdà) recently, even though I already showed both my ARC (Alien Resident Card, 居留證, jūliú zhèng) and passport when I bought my prepaid SIM (預付卡, yùfù kǎ). I wrote previously about the rationale for picking Taiwan Mobile for my mobile carrier.

English translation:

Apparently this kind of check has become more common lately due to enforcement of Article 22 of the Telecommunications Management Act. It’s meant to prevent scammers from using Taiwan numbers overseas — so if you’re a non-citizen with a Taiwan SIM, be aware that you might get flagged even if you already did everything right when you signed up. I’ve left Taiwan for the summer, so I’m not sure if I’ll lose the number or if I can just verify again when I’m back.

Calls from Japanese immigration 🇯🇵📞

I recently missed a few calls from the number 0570-034-259. When I looked up the number, it said “Tokyo Immigration Bureau (東京出入国在留管理局, Tōkyō shutsunyūkoku zairyū kanrikyoku).” I already have permanent residency (永住権, eijūken) and haven’t done anything sketchy, so I wasn’t too worried—but I was curious. Was it spam? Was it a spoofed call trying to steal my personal information?

I managed to pick up the call a few days later. They asked if I still had an address on my residence card (在留カード, zairyū kādo), to which I responded yes. Then they said they couldn’t currently find my records registered to any ward in Japan.

That’s when it clicked: I moved to Taiwan at the end of 2023, and deregistered myself from my local ward. These days I just come back to Japan every now and then for short trips—usually 1–2 weeks at a time. I explained this, and they asked when I was going back to Taiwan and whether I had a fixed address in Japan. I told them that I bounce around between hotels and friends’ places.

The agent just said, “Okay, no problem. But if you ever come back for a longer stay, please make sure to register at a ward office.”

I didn’t know immigration would proactively call you just for being unregistered. But apparently, if you still have a valid visa or PR and no resident registration, they might!

Where to Use Japan’s Autogates (and Where You’ll Run Into Trouble) 🚪

I previously wrote about registering for Japan’s automated immigration gates. Here’s where they’re available according to the official instruction guide:

• Narita Airport: Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 (both arrivals and departures)

• Haneda Airport: Terminal 3 only (arrivals and departures)

• Kansai Airport: Terminal 1 (arrivals and departures)

• Chubu (Nagoya) Airport: Arrivals and departures

Noticeably absent: Fukuoka, Sapporo, and surprisingly even Terminal 2 at Haneda (which has a new entry system that assigns you a track based on your status but has no autogates). Terminal 3 at Narita also lacks autogates—which lines up with most of the budget airlines using Terminal 3. Instead, you have to go through the regular resident re-entry line (再入国, sainyūkoku).

Another catch: if your passport chip is broken, you can still clear immigration using the autogates no problem. But the customs QR code terminals (those machines after baggage claim) require a working chip. My passport won’t read at all, and I have to go directly to a human manned station, usually after explaining to a worker that my passport chip is broken. Fortunately, you can still use the customs QR code instead of the paper form. Only place it worked was Haneda Terminal 2, which uses a newer machine that scans your passport and QR code before immigration, and then for customs you go to your assigned track without using an electronic terminal—but again, there’s no immigration autogate there.

So depending on your airport and passport condition, you may find yourself bouncing between systems.

Getting Permission for Side Jobs in Japan (資格外活動許可 / Shikakugai Katsudō Kyoka) 🧑‍🔧

Doing a side job in Japan is increasing popular for various reasons like covering extra expenses, funding hobbies, or fulfilling your entrepreneurial spirit. Whether it’s livestreaming, freelancing, or occasional teaching, there are rules you need to follow—especially if you’re on a work visa. Here’s a good write-up from Japan Dev.

Do I Need Permission for Side Work?

If you're on a Table 1 visa—such as Permanent Residency (永住権, eijūken), Spouse or Child of a Japanese National (日本人の配偶者等, nihonjin no haigūsha-tō), or you're a Japanese citizen—you don't need any special permission. You can engage in any legal work without restrictions.

For others, yes, permission is often required. If you’re on a standard work visa like Engineer/Humanities/International Services (技術・人文知識・国際業務, gijutsu, jinbun chishiki, kokusai gyōmu) and the side work fits your visa scope (e.g., translation, design, consulting), you are generally allowed to do it without any extra permission. If the work is outside your visa scope, then you would need permission. But if you’re on an Highly Skilled Professional visa (高度専門職 / kōdo senmonshoku), any compensated activity outside your main job requires prior permission from immigration.

This permission is formally called 資格外活動許可 (shikakugai katsudō kyoka), or “Permission to Engage in Activity Other Than That Permitted by Your Visa.”

Requirements and Conditions

Here are the main conditions to get approved:

• The side work must not interfere with your main job.

• You must remain employed at your main job.

• The side work must be not be illegal, sex industry work, or nightlife jobs.

• You need to provide a specific offer or contract — intentions alone aren’t enough.

• For engineer/humanities/international services/HSP visa holders, unskilled labor is not allowed. For example, no jobs as a convenience store clerk, waitress, hotel cleaning staff, etc.

Note that your employment rules may prohibit side work, so it’s important to check your contract or HR policy. While immigration doesn’t always require written proof from your employer, they might ask about it in follow-ups.

Also, if your side work is clearly unrelated to your main job and limited in scope, it tends to be easier to get permission.

Case Example: TikTok Side Hustle

My friend wants to start livestreaming on TikTok in preparation for TikTok Shop’s launch in Japan. She holds an HSP visa (高度専門職 / kōdo senmonshoku), and while some sources suggested she could just file the income under “miscellaneous income”, she didn’t want to risk it. She went to the Tachikawa (立川) regional immigration office after hearing rumors that obtaining same-day permission was possible. Turns out it wasn’t - instead she received a 郵便ハガキ (yūin hagaki) postcard notice and now has to return later to see if she was able to obtain permission or not.

They also required proof of the side job. Simply saying she wanted to start this activity on her own wasn't enough—they asked to see a contract or job offer. Thus she had to provide an offer from a livestreaming agency.

How to Apply

To apply, bring the following to your regional immigration office:

• The completed application form (available online).

• Your residence card (在留カード, zairyū kādo).

• Your passport.

• A written contract or offer letter from the side job.

Applications are free. Processing typically takes 2 weeks to 2 months. You can’t start working until it’s approved. Some immigration offices are faster than others, but same-day approvals are rare.

Types of Permission: Inclusive vs. Exclusive

Permission for part time work (資格外活動許可, shikakugai katsudō kyoka) comes in two categories: Inclusive (包括許可, hōkatsu kyoka) and Exclusive (個別許可, kobetsu kyoka). These differ in scope and who they're designed for.

Hōkatsu kyoka (包括許可) is a general permit that allows up to 28 hours per week of part-time work. It's commonly issued to:

• Students and dependents seeking casual jobs.

• Certain work visa holders like Instructors (教育, kyōiku) or those under the Engineer/Humanities (技術・人文知識, gijutsu, jinbun chishiki) category, but only if the job is with a public body or local government.

• Designated activities (特定活動, tokutei katsudō) visa holders waiting for a job to start or actively job-hunting.

Kobetsu kyoka (個別許可), on the other hand, is granted for specific work arrangements that fall outside your visa’s normal conditions. This is what most working professionals—including those on a Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職 / kōdo senmonshoku) visa—will need if they want to pick up a side gig. It’s tailored to:

• Tasks outside your current visa scope

• Freelance or self-employed work (個人事業主, kojin jigyōnushi)

• Flexible or undefined work hours, such as one-off contracts or creative projects.

Immigration usually expects the time spent on such side work to stay below the time you dedicate to your primary job. If you're already holding one kind of permit, they may check your application more closely to ensure your primary work isn’t affected.

Incorporating a company and visa permission

You can legally establish a business in Japan—such as a Gōdō Kaisha (合同会社, GK) or Kabushiki Kaisha (株式会社, KK)—even if you're on a regular work visa or Highly Skilled Professional (高度専門職 / kōdo senmonshoku) visa. You don’t need special immigration permission just to register and form a company.

However, what matters is operating the company. If you are involved in daily business activities or generating income from it, then you must apply for 資格外活動許可 (shikakugai katsudō kyoka) before starting operations.

This means you can create a GK or KK to prepare for future plans, but if you're planning to actively use it for selling, content creation, or managing a business while on a visa, you need explicit permission to avoid violating your visa conditions.

Final Thoughts

If you want to test a side hustle in Japan, do it legally. It’s possible to get permission to do so, but you need to be clear and prepared with documentation.

Your main job remains your core obligation, so don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you’re unhappy with pay or conditions, you might be better off finding a better full-time opportunity instead.

Conclusions

Hopefully now you have a heads up if you get any of these unexpected notifications from Taiwan or Japan, and also have a clearer view of the process to get permission for side work in Japan. You can always reach out at [email protected] for comments or questions! Remember, you can also support this publication by becoming a paid subscriber or a Patreon!