Artist, Journalist, Religious, SSW, ITPEC, and Local-University-Graduate Visas

The Artist visa is issued for a short term; upon renewal, applicants may be asked why they are conducting business specifically from Japan if their clients are based abroad, and should be prepared to explain this. The Journalist visa (報道) is required when the parent organization of a media outlet is based outside Japan; if the employing company is Japanese, the Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services visa (技術・人文知識・国際業務) or the Entertainer visa (興行) is the appropriate status instead. The Religious Activities visa (宗教) is intended for individuals engaged in religious work. Specified Skilled Worker / Tokutei Gino (特定技能, SSW) targets specialized skilled trades, requires relevant licenses, and does not accommodate company directors; it serves as an alternative pathway for "blue-collar" work (for example, auto dismantling). It is not a direct path to PR and requires N4-level Japanese along with passing an exam. The ITPEC exam is a pathway to a work visa for IT specialists; passing it on the first attempt takes roughly one calendar year. A separate visa status exists specifically for graduates of local (Japanese) universities that allows them to start a business; this was only mentioned in passing in the community without further detail and needs verification. Sources: https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/journalist.html — Official MOJ page on journalist status; https://www.moj.go.jp/isa/applications/status/qaq5.html — Official MOJ page on the 宗教 (religious activities) status.