What is the Japan Working Holiday Visa?

The working holiday programmes are based on bilateral arrangements, intended to make it possible for the youth of Japan and its partner countries to enter each country with the sole purpose of spending holidays while allowing them to legal work and fund their trip around the country. 　

The Working Holiday Program visas are designed to provide young people with wider opportunities for them to appreciate the culture and general way of life in Japan for the purpose of promoting mutual understanding between Japan and its partner countries. Youth between the age of 18 and 30 (25 in case of some countries) are eligible to stay in Japan for up to one year while working part-time under this special visa. 

Japan started the working holiday programmes first with Australia in 1980. As of 1st April 2019, Japan has introduced the programmes with the following 23 countries/regions. 　

Citizens of other countries are not eligible for a working holiday visa.

Of late, the annual number of young people who obtain Japanese working holiday visas totals nearly 15,000.