The Fernshore Index
The factors retirees look at first.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Retirement
50 of 100Mixed
Mixed: Japan has no retirement status. The nearest route is the Designated Activities long stay for sightseeing and recreation (up to one year, no work), which asks for savings of more than 30 million yen (about US$189,000), over the US$100,000 line. It is based on savings, not a pension, and the pages name no path to permanent residence.
Source: Status of Residence "Designated Activities" (long-term stay for sightseeing, recreation and similar, and accompanying spouse) (page in Japanese); Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation): documents for applicants; Finding a status of residence by activity (page in Japanese); Federal Reserve H.10 weekly release: foreign exchange rates, 13 October 2026. Checked 16 October 2026.
Healthcare
86 of 100Strong
WHO UHC service coverage index 86 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Cost of living
47 of 100Mixed
Price level 0.649 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Japan. Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
74 of 100Strong
Global Peace Index 2026: 10th of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Community
46 of 100Mixed
Expat Insider 2026 Ease of Settling In: 24th of 31.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
8 of 100Weak
Tokyo, the main city: 2 comfortable months a year (April (19.4 °C, 133.7 mm) and May (23.6 °C, 139.7 mm)); every other month has an average daily high under 18 °C or over 30 °C, or 150 mm of rain or more.
Source: Climate normals 1991–2020 (monthly values), Tokyo. Checked 16 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
Unknown
Research for United States passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
Unknown
Research for Canada passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
Unknown
Research for Australia passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
Unknown
Research for New Zealand passports is being checked
The country
The rest of the research on Japan.
The country page grades every factor, with its sources.
JapanQuestions from retirees about Japan.
Is there a retirement visa in Japan?
We found none. The Immigration Services Agency's list of 28 statuses has no status for retirees or people living on a pension. The nearest route is a Designated Activities long stay of up to a year for sightseeing and recreation, with no work. The pages name no path from it to permanent residence.
How much savings does the long stay ask for?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs sets a savings test, which you and your spouse may hold together, shown by a bankbook with six months of deposits and withdrawals. To be safe, have more than ¥31 million (about US$196,400). Rules can change, so confirm with a Japanese consulate.
How does health care work for a retiree in Japan?
The guidebook says National Health Insurance covers registered residents under 75, with a 30% share up to age 69, but excludes Designated Activities for sightseeing or recreation. That long stay asks for private medical insurance. WHO scores Japan 86 of 100 on health service coverage (2023). Cover prices are unknown.
What does a month cost for one person?
Private guides (verified 13 August 2026) give all-in budgets for a comfortable single expat of ¥250,000 to ¥370,000 in Tokyo, ¥200,000 to ¥300,000 in Osaka, ¥200,000 to ¥290,000 in Kyoto and ¥180,000 to ¥280,000 in Fukuoka. They cite no sources; costs for couples are unknown here.
How hot do summers get in Japan?
August is the hottest month in the Japan Meteorological Agency's 1991-2020 normals: average daily highs are 31.3 °C in Tokyo, 33.7 °C in Osaka and Kyoto, and 32.5 °C in Fukuoka. January highs are 9.8 °C in Tokyo and 9.1 °C in Kyoto. These are averages; individual days run hotter or colder.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [R1] Status of Residence "Designated Activities" (long-term stay for sightseeing, recreation and similar, and accompanying spouse) (page in Japanese), Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Checked 16 October 2026. Describes the status for foreign nationals staying up to one year in Japan for sightseeing, recreation and similar activities, and a spouse accompanying them; applicants show current savings and six months of account history, and a private medical insurance policy covering the stay. The page does not state the savings amount; it refers to a Ministry of Justice notice that was not opened.
- [R2] Designated activities (Long Stay for sightseeing and recreation): documents for applicants, VFS Global, Singapore (private visa application centre for the Japanese embassy; one-pager updated 26 September 2025). Checked 16 October 2026. Says the applicant must be 18 or older with savings of more than 30 million yen, shown by a bankbook and six months of balances and transactions, plus private medical travel insurance for the stay. A private operator's checklist for Singapore applicants, not a government page; the amount is expected to match the Ministry of Justice notice but that was not opened.
- [R3] Finding a status of residence by activity (page in Japanese), Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Checked 16 October 2026. The Agency's list of 28 statuses of residence (professor, highly skilled professional, business manager, student, family stay, designated activities, permanent resident and others) has no status for retirees or for people living on a pension.
- [K3] Federal Reserve H.10 weekly release: foreign exchange rates, 13 October 2026, Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. Checked 16 October 2026. Japan: 158.34 yen per US dollar on 9 October 2026, the latest daily rate in the release. Used to convert yen amounts: 10 million yen is about US$63,000 and 30 million yen about US$189,000.
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Japan: 86 out of 100 (2023).
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Japan, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 64.87 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Japan ranks 10th of 163 countries.
- [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Japan ranks 24th of 31 countries.
- [W1] Climate normals 1991–2020 (monthly values), Tokyo, Japan Meteorological Agency. Checked 16 October 2026. Average daily high 9.8 to 31.3 °C; monthly rain 56.5 to 234.8 mm; 2 comfortable months (April, May). Normals period 1991–2020 (30 years), read from the agency's page (in Japanese) on 16 October 2026.