Japan
Location: East Asia
Currencies
Currency: Japanese Yen (JPY)
Q. Do payments need to be in whole amounts, when dealing with JPY?
A. Yes. Payments must be sent in whole amounts, as the currency does not support cents.
Q. Is there a minimum payment in place to send money to Japan?
A. No, there are no limits.
Q. Can I send inward and outbound payments?
A. Yes, there are no restrictions on sending money into or outside of Japan.
Q. How much can I send?
A. There are no restrictions on what you can send into Japan. However, if you are a resident in Japan and you would like to send over JPY 30 million, you are required to report this to be the Bank of Japan. Non-residents do not have to follow this procedure.
Q. How long will it take for my funds to be received?
A. Standard international payment times. Please note, due to the international time zones, this will be received one day later than expected.
Q. Who can I send JPY to?
A. Both individuals and businesses can receive funds.
Q. Is sending JPY expensive?
A. Not if you use the right currency broker, who will be able to offer you bank-beating exchange rates and significantly lower payment charges.
Q. Can you do forward contracts with JPY?
A. Yes. With the right currency broker, you can book a JPY exchange rate forward. However, expert advice is strongly recommended.
Information courtesy of Currencies Direct.
Film Commissions
Tokyo Film Commission
Further Information
There are currently more than 100 film commissions and film offices in Japan. Details of these can be found in the database links below, both of which have regional search filters.
Visas & Permits
Visas & Work Permits
Entry is subject to regulations from country of origin. Crew travelling on Western passports can enter as business or tourist travellers, for stays of up to 90 days.
Please contact a local embassy, consulate or representative for more information. Alternatively, there are specialist companies that provide visa and immigration support to the media industry, and may be able to assist.
Film Location Permits
Filming in Tokyo can be very restricted. Small shoots looking to capture b-roll of public locations can get away with more.
Separate permits are required for each location. These usually take about three days to process. More complicated shoots (e.g. controlling traffic) are much more difficult to permit and require more lead time.
Popular locations, such as Shibuya Square and Sensoji Temple, are very difficult to permit.
Some areas require additional permission from the neighbourhood association.
Customs
For productions looking to bring in film equipment, Japan is an ATA carnet country.
When to Film
When to Film
Japan’s north-south geography means there is significant seasonal variation. Where Northern Hokkaido has long, snowy winters and short, mild summers, the southern island of Okinawa has a sub-tropical climate.
Generally speaking, Japan has a four season climate. Winters (December to February) are cold and dry, with snow in the mountains. Spring (March to May) is warm with cherry blossoms in full bloom. Summers (June to September) are hot and rainy. Autumn (October to November) is mild with colourful leaves.
Japan is a majority Shinto country, so those holidays are observed.
Public Holidays
Public holidays may affect timing, availability and costs. See here for public holiday dates in Japan.
Costs & VAT
Japan is a relatively expensive place to shoot, certainly compared to the rest of Asia.
When it comes to payment, make sure to have plenty of cash handy. Few places outside of tourist areas accept credit cards. 7-Elevens are the most reliable place to withdraw cash.
In Japan, the equivalent of VAT is known as CT (Consumption Tax). At the time of writing, it is set at 10%.
Funding & Tax Incentives
Agency for Cultural Affairs
Tax Incentives
At the time of writing, this country does not have any filming incentives. However, up-to-date information on global filming incentives may be found on the Entertainment Partners' Production Incentives Map.