Hello. This is Ito from IMS Legal Professional Corporation. As we informed in our blog post on September 22nd, as of August 1st this year, some provisions of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act were amended. Initially, the criteria for acquiring the status of residence "Entertainer" was divided into categories 1 to 4, but the old categories 1 and 2 have been unified, resulting in three categories total. For individuals engaging in activities falling under category 1, the change from a minimum residency period of "15 days" to "30 days" may not represent a significant alteration.
For those operating under category 1 and conducting multiple activities during their stay, or for those conducting activities that span categories 1 to 3, there may be concerns among hosting institutions about how to proceed.
For individuals engaged in singing activities performing live in multiple venues
As the contracts and each live venue need to meet the requirements, documents for all live performances will need to be submitted.
Even if the residency period of "30 days" is determined based on the activities on the first day of the live performance, if documents regarding activities after that day were not submitted at the time of application, only the approved activities can be conducted, and activities in other venues will not be allowed.
In the case of a singer scheduled to perform live during the promotion of a new song
Since the promotional period is limited, it is anticipated that live performances are often scheduled before arriving in Japan. However, there may be cases where an event appearance is decided suddenly due to the popularity of a new song. In such cases, since activities not reviewed by the Immigration Bureau will be carried out, an additional application must be made to obtain permission.
The Immigration Bureau hopes that activities will be conducted within the approved scope, even if the individual is already in Japan under the Entertainer residence status. Additionally, if there is a need to conduct additional activities during the stay before the residency expiration, an application for a Residence Qualification Certificate will be submitted. If permission is granted, the activity can be carried out, and if the activity is within the current Entertainer residency period, it can be performed without leaving the country, and any unused Residence Qualification Certificate will be returned to the Immigration Bureau.
Furthermore, it is necessary to clearly identify the individual's responsibility for management during each activity period.
For professional athletes appearing in events for the purpose of promoting the team or entering into sponsorship contracts with companies and appearing in commercials or events
Although the activity is categorized under category 2, if it involves category 3 activities, there is no need for any procedures with the Immigration Bureau if permission is obtained from the affiliated institution. However, unauthorized activities without permission from the affiliated institution may affect the trust relationship, which could lead to issues regarding the continuation of future contracts.
For more information, please contact us below ↓
https://imsvisa.support/en/contact/
