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US–Japan SOFA — member of the United States armed forces

JapanFree movement

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Explore pathways in Japan Read the five questions ↓

Which citizenship, status or regional agreement creates the person's right to move/reside?

The Agreement under Article VI of the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between Japan and the United States of America allows the United States to bring members of the US armed forces into Japan, subject to the provisions of the Article.

See recorded sources

Under which circumstances can the person reside: worker, self-employed, student, jobseeker, self-funded person or another recognised basis?

Members are personnel on active duty in the land, sea or air armed services of the United States of America when in the territory of Japan.

See recorded sources

What entry, registration or residence-document formalities remain?

Members of the US armed forces are exempt from Japanese passport and visa laws and from Japanese alien registration and control laws. On entry and departure they must carry a personal identity card (name, date of birth, rank and number, service, photograph) and an individual or collective travel order; the ID card must be shown on request to Japanese authorities.

See recorded sources
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    2. Members of the United States armed forces shall be exempt from Japanese passport and visa laws and regulations.
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    Members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents shall be exempt from Japanese laws and regulations on the registration and control of aliens,
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    3. Upon entry into or departure from Japan members of the United States armed forces shall be in possession of the following documents: 1. personal identity card showing name, date of birth, rank and number, service, and photograph; and 2. individual or collective travel order certifying to the status of the individual or group as a member or members of the United States armed forces and to the travel ordered. For purposes of their identification while in Japan, members of the United States armed forces shall be in possession of the foregoing personal identity card which must be presented on request to the appropriate Japanese authorities.

Which non-member-country family members can accompany or join, and what broad rights do they receive?

The United States may bring qualifying dependants of its armed-forces members or civilian component into Japan under Article IX. Article I defines them as a spouse and children under 21, plus parents and children over 21 who depend on the member or civilian for more than half their support. They must hold appropriate US-authority documentation allowing Japan to verify their status on entry, departure or during their stay. Article IX exempts these dependants from Japanese alien-registration and control rules, while expressly conferring no right to permanent residence or domicile. Its separate passport/visa exemption is stated for armed-forces members and is not extended to dependants by this answer.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • Broader rights to work or study are not established by the cited admission provisions; no unrestricted work or study permission is inferred.
  • Article I distinguishes children under 21 and over 21; treatment at exactly age21 is not clarified in this English text.
  • https://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/q%26a/ref/2.html
    3. "dependents" means (1) Spouse, and children under 21; (2) Parents, and children over 21, if dependent for over half their support upon a member of the United States armed forces or civilian component.
  • Japan–US SOFA Article IX(1)
    1. The United States may bring into Japan persons who are members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents, subject to the provisions of this Article.
  • Japan–US SOFA Article IX(2)
    2. Members of the United States armed forces shall be exempt from Japanese passport and visa laws and regulations. Members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents shall be exempt from Japanese laws and regulations on the registration and control of aliens, but shall not be considered as acquiring any right to permanent residence or domicile in the territories of Japan.
  • Japan–US SOFA Article IX(4)
    4. Members of the civilian component, their dependents, and the dependents of members of the United States armed forces shall be in possession of appropriate documentation issued by the United States authorities so that their status may be verified by Japanese authorities upon their entry into or departure from Japan, or while in Japan.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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