BY KAZUMICHI KUBOTA/ Staff Writer
August 1, 2023 at 18:54 JST
It's showtime for younger talent hoping to perform in Japan, as the conditions for obtaining an entertainer visa were widely relaxed on Aug. 1.
According to the Immigration Services Agency, until now, foreigners coming to Japan to perform at small venues had to have at least two years’ experience performing abroad.
In addition, there were also various conditions about the size of the stage and dressing room where the performances would be held in Japan.
That meant a mountain of paperwork had to be completed before a foreigner could receive the entertainer visa.
Those in the Japanese entertainment industry asked for a revision because they thought that many of the documents were unnecessary.
Under the relaxed conditions, the foreign entertainer will have to be managed or employed by someone abroad with at least three years’ experience.
The company in Japan handling arrangements will also have to show that it has no problems, such as unpaid wages over the past three years.
If those conditions are met, the entertainer's experience as well as the venue size will not matter.
Foreign entertainers who earn at least 500,000 yen ($3,500) for a day’s work will be allowed to stay in Japan for 30 days rather than the past limit of 15.
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