Religious visa Japan, Australian income?

My husband and I will be going over to Japan for 3 years on a Religious visa with a charity organisation. We are Australian citizens but will be on a foreign visa overseas. On this visa you are unable to gain employment which we are aware of. Currently I have an Australian ABN and an online store on Etsy which I sell products, and I was wondering if while on this visa I can still have this business running and earn an income through it as an Australian income. Not really sure if that effects the visa or not.

That's probably a question you should ask immigration.

If you're working in another country by selling stuff but you're not paying taxes in that country, I don't think they really want citizens doing that, considering you're staying for an extended period of time as if you're a resident.

You might want to check with an immigration lawyer who is knowledgeable about this specific type of visa - the number of people with that type of visa may not be that big - I wonder if you’ve receive an informed answer here.


As far as I know, some of the requirements for that type of visa are: that you are dispatched from a non-Japanese religious organization to one of its branches/facilities in Japan, and that the remuneration you gain (either from the organization in Japan or the one who sent you to Japan) provides for sufficient and stable living for you in Japan while you conduct your religious activities.

(There seem to be some distinction between true religious activities/missionary work and other activities on the side, such as language education, social welfare work, etc., which are related to the religion, but those need to be “not for remuneration” and also need to be conducted under a separate permit.)


When it comes to taxes in Japan, as far as I know, you don’t have to worry about taxation in Japan for the first calendar year, because taxes are calculated based on previous year’s income in Japan, which will be zero during your first year.

For years 2 & 3 in Japan, you will be classified as “non-permanent (tax) resident,” and any income you gain “in Japan” and the “portion of your non-Japanese income that you bring/remit into Japan” will be considered taxable.

Please see the classification here - this is from National Tax Agency’s website:
https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/shinkoku/yoshiki/01/shinkokusho/...

(Please note that “resident status” mentioned on this link is in terms of taxation, and has nothing to do with the immigration’s categories.)

you are a RESIDENT in Japan in tax matters. but, you have a net shop in a foreign site and all trades have done in foreign currencies. I think you are doing a business in Japan in tax matters.
if you don't think so, you suggest that,
for example, a Japanese translator (living in Japan) does not need to file jobs with foreign companies when he/she collects money in his/her foreign account. but, it is clearly a tax evasion.

returning to the original question, tax matter and immigration matter are independent.
when you become to be a resident in tax matter you have to file your income, even when you are in any status in immigration matter.

To ken,

Is the first part of your comment in response to my comment?

I gave the classification according to National Tax Agency… not my personal opinion.

Speaking of a “foreign” national living in Japan: As long as sales from their foreign business go into a non-Japanese bank account (outside Japan), AND as long as that person does not bring in the income into Japan, that portion of revenues is not taxable in Japan (UNTIL you have lived in Japan for 5 years out of the past 10 years, when you need to start paying taxes on “global income”). I assume that the person would be paying taxes to their government on the income gained outside Japan and stays outside Japan.

And yes, as I mentioned, tax matters and immigration matters are separate.
But since the first poster mentioned tax issues first, I brought up the NTA classification for reference.

https://www.nta.go.jp/taxes/shiraberu/taxanswer/shotoku/2010.htm#:~:te...

No.2010　納税義務者となる個人
非永住者
課税所得の範囲
国外源泉所得以外の所得および国外源泉所得で日本国内において支払われ、または国外から送金されたもの

(国外/源泉所得)以外の所得
(国外で所得税が源泉徴収された所得)以外の所得＝税金を全然払っていない所得

if OP's foreign income is a salary, it is true.
but, in OP's case, it is not a salary. must pay income tax in Japan.