Status of Residence: “Cultural Activities”

Overview of Status of Residence: “Cultural Activities (Bunka Katsudo文化活動)”

There has been an increase in the number of people who are dispatched by foreign governments, universities or other organisations in connection with international academic and cultural exchange, or who are provided with research funding by such organisations, and who intend to engage in academic or artistic activities in Japan related to the humanities or natural sciences. At the same time, there has also been an increase in the number of people who come to Japan with the aim of carrying out specialised research into Japanese culture or arts, or of learning these under the guidance of experts. The status of residence of ‘Cultural Activities’ was established with this situation in mind.

Scope of the status of residence of “Cultural Activities”

In the “Cultural Activities” section of the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, the activities that can be carried out in Japan are stipulated as follows:

Activities that do not involve income, such as academic or scholarly activities, or activities that involve specialised research or learning under the guidance of experts in the culture or arts unique to Japan (excluding activities up to the ‘Student’ section of Table 4)

Classification of activities under the ‘Cultural Activities’ status of residence

The following activities fall under the status of residence of ‘Cultural Activities’.

  • a. Academic activities that do not involve income
  • b. Artistic activities that do not involve income
  • c. Activities that involve specialised research into Japanese culture or arts
  • d. Activities that involve learning Japanese culture or arts under the guidance of experts

The meaning of the terms used in the status of residence of “Cultural Activities”

‘Academic activities not involving income’ includes all academic activities that do not involve earning income, such as research and study activities carried out by professors, associate professors, assistant professors, lecturers, etc. at foreign universities or by persons dispatched from foreign research institutions without receiving any remuneration, and research student activities carried out without receiving any remuneration under the guidance of university professors, etc.

This also includes academic activities carried out by students enrolled at a branch campus in Japan of a foreign university that has not been approved as a special training college, etc.

This also includes unpaid internship activities (activities in which foreign university students, etc. undertake practical training at companies in Japan as part of their studies, etc.).

‘Japanese culture or arts’ refers to Japanese culture or arts that are unique to Japan, such as ikebana, tea ceremony, judo, Japanese architecture, Japanese painting, Japanese dance, Japanese cuisine, and traditional Japanese music, as well as other things that may not be unique to Japan but that have played a major role in their formation and development, such as Zen and karate.

‘Activities to acquire Japanese culture or arts under the guidance of experts’ refers to activities to acquire Japanese culture or arts under the guidance of experts who have devoted themselves to Japanese culture or arts.

‘Experts’ refers to those who have not only a license or title in their respective fields, but also have repeatedly and continuously provided guidance in their fields or have done so in the past.

Relationship between the status of residence ‘Cultural Activities’ and other statuses of residence

Even if the activities carried out by a foreign national fall under the status of residence ‘Cultural Activities’, if they are activities to receive education at an educational institution, etc. prescribed in the status of residence ‘Student’ in the table of the Immigration Control Act, Appendix Table 1-4, they fall under the status of residence ‘Student.

If you are accepted by a public or private organisation in Japan other than the educational institution stipulated in the Immigration Control Act, Table 1-4, and you are engaged in activities to acquire skills, techniques or knowledge without receiving remuneration, you will be granted the status of residence of ‘Trainee’, and not the status of residence of ‘Cultural Activities’.

Past cases: Ballet is not ‘Cultural Activities’.

A ballet school in Japan with a perfect track record and history has granted permission to a foreign girl who has won prizes in prestigious ballet competitions, and who was judged to have the potential to become a professional ballet dancer in the future, to enter a special professional training course in a boarding school of the ballet school, and invited her to Japan. There was a case in which an application for a Certificate of Eligibility for ‘Cultural Activities’ was made, but was NOT granted.

The Immigration Bureau’s view was that ballet is not a ‘culture or art unique to Japan’ and therefore does not fall under the activities to acquire skills and techniques under the guidance of a professional or expert, which are planned for cultural activities.

Points to consider when assessing the ‘Cultural Activities’ status of residence

When deciding the status of residence

The purpose of entry or desired status of residence on the application form should be ‘Cultural Activities’, and the activities to be undertaken should fall under the ‘Cultural Activities’ status of residence, as evidenced by the activity details, personal history, and supporting documents.

The applicant must have sufficient financial resources to cover the period of stay in Japan without working, based on the method of payment of living expenses, the average monthly amount of payment, and the supporting documents.

At the time of extension of period of stay

The activities to be undertaken must continue to fall under the category of ‘cultural activities’ based on the information provided in the application form (activities and career history sections) and supporting documents.

The applicant must have sufficient financial resources to cover the expenses of living in Japan for the period of stay without working, based on the method of payment of living expenses, the average monthly amount of payment, and the supporting documents.

Other points to note

If a foreign researcher engaged in academic activities receives research funding or a research grant from a Japanese organisation, etc., and engages in said activities, the status of residence of ‘Professor’, ‘Research’ or ‘Cultural Activities’ will be decided. If research funding or a research grant, etc., that is not remuneration is provided to a foreign researcher from Japan, the status of residence will be decided as follows

‘without income’ is interpreted to include cases where ‘even if money is received, it is not considered to be one’s own’, and if the research expenses provided by an organisation in Japan are to be spent entirely for research purposes, they are not considered to be the recipient’s money, and therefore are not considered to be ‘with income’ to that extent. This also applies to grants and living expenses.

If part of the money received, even if it is in the name of research expenses or living expenses, is not used as actual expenses but becomes the recipient’s own money, it is considered to be ‘income’, even if it is not remuneration, and the activity is considered to be ‘accompanied by income’, so it is judged as an activity that falls under a status of residence that allows work, such as ‘Professor’, rather than the status of residence of ‘Cultural Activities’.

If it is not confirmed that the entire amount of research funding, grants, etc. provided to foreign researchers is spent on research purposes or as actual expenses, it will be treated as ‘income’ and judged as an activity that falls under the ‘Professor’ or other work-permitted status of residence.

Internship (activities in which foreign university students, etc. undertake practical training at Japanese companies, etc. as part of their studies, etc.)

For those who intend to engage in internship activities, if they receive remuneration from public or private organisations in Japan, they will be granted the status of residence of ‘Designated Activities’ (No. 9), and if they do not receive remuneration, if their period of stay exceeds 90 days, they will be granted the status of residence of ‘Cultural Activities’, and if their period of stay does not exceed 90 days, they will be granted the status of residence of ‘Temporary Visitor’.

The period of stay for internship activities is not to exceed one year.

Special provisions for the extension of the period of stay for “Cultural Activities”

Those staying in Japan with the status of residence of “Cultural Activities” are required to pay attention to the following points when extending their period of stay.

The standard period of stay is three years from the date of entry.
If you apply for a period of stay that exceeds three years, the decision on whether or not to renew your period of stay will be made after considering the necessity and special circumstances of your activities beyond three years, your acquisition of skills, your past period of stay, your ability to pay living expenses, and other factors.