ABOUT THIS GUIDE
A clearer first step for life in Japan
Japan Life Compass helps foreign residents find practical next steps and reach the public body responsible for current information.
What we publish
We organise everyday topics—moving, emergencies, housing, money, work, school, language and local travel—around tasks people need to complete. We keep explanations short and link to reviewed official or public-interest sources.
How we review
Material claims are mapped to a publisher, URL, access date and next review date. Time-sensitive details such as fees, opening hours and individual eligibility are left to the responsible source.
Who we are
MAIMU (米夢), a one-person business, operates Japan Life Compass under the editorial name Japan Life Compass Editorial Team. AI tools assist research, writing and implementation. The editorial name does not imply a staff of licensed specialists. It is not a government website and is not presented as an official partner of linked organisations.
What readers can finish here
Our guides help you prepare a specific next action: an office-visit note, questions for a bank, a housing comparison, an emergency preparation card or a trip decision. Worked examples are fictional and labelled. They are not customer results or accounts of our own visits.
Sources, dates and limits
An editorial update date records a change to our wording or tools. A source-check date records a review of the linked information; it does not mean an office has confirmed your individual circumstances. We do not infer eligibility, deadlines or current fees from a general guide.
The article guides are in English. The home navigation is also available in Japanese, Chinese and Hindi; this does not mean every linked article or external service is available in those languages.
Editorial notes — 11 September 2026
We expanded the five existing guides with decision steps, fictional worked examples and preparation notes. The office-visit worksheet can be downloaded and used privately. These additions organise questions; they do not replace public instructions.
Advertising and independence
The tourism banner, accommodation link and new-life shopping, furnished-accommodation, tour and travel-data links are marked as advertisements. A possible commission is not evidence that an option is cheapest or right for you. You can use every guide and official source without following an advertising link.