English-Speaking Immigration Lawyers in Japan [2024 Guide]

As a foreigner residing in Japan, you’ll have to navigate immigration law.

Whether dealing with visa or residence permit issues, there may come a time when you need an immigration lawyer. Because of the complexity of Japanese immigration law and potential language barriers, we’ve listed some of the best English-speaking lawyers and law offices in the largest cities in Japan.

Here are our top immigration lawyer recommendations from Japan, starting with the capital, Tokyo.

The Best English-Speaking Immigration Lawyer Tokyo

If you’re in Tokyo or have easy access to the metropolis, you’ll find a variety of great English-speaking lawyers here. 

Here are some of our recommendations.

ACROSEED

ACROSEED positions itself as the leading company in foreigner legal affairs in Japan, with a mission to contribute to the growth of a diverse and globalized society. 

The company specializes in providing foreigners with the necessary legal care to help them stay in the country. So, visa procedures and acquiring citizenship are among their specialties. You can call them directly or message them via the website, which is available in English.

Meguro Law Office

Meguro Law Office is an international law office that aims to “provide legal help to anyone, regardless of nationality.”

Among the law firm’s specialization areas are immigration, family, and criminal law. For immigration specifically, the office provides legal assistance in visa applications, refugee applications, administrative litigation, and special permissions of residence. 

You can call the number on the website or fill out the contact form to request an appointment.

VERYBEST Law Offices

VERYBEST Law Offices is a country-wide operation. With 76 offices, the law firm has over 350 lawyers at your service and provides support in English and Chinese.

VERYBEST has many focus areas, one of which is immigration law. The office provides assistance in permanent residence permit cases, highly skilled worker visa processes, and re-entry permits. It also acts as a defense attorney in international cases. 

You can request an appointment on the website by filling out the contact form or by calling. The initial 30-minute consultation is free of charge.

Setagaya International Law Office

Setagaya International Law Office is an international law-focused law firm that provides services exclusively to foreigners living in Japan. 

Founded by Seiyo Sato, who has international law experience in both his student and professional life, the firm specializes in international family law, immigration law, as well as criminal and labor law.

You can contact the company by phone or by filling out the contact form on their English website. The initial 30-minute consultation is offered completely free of charge. 

Yayoi Law Office

Yayoi Law Office is the collaborative effort of four attorneys, one of whom speaks English.

Noriko Seki became a lawyer in 2006 and has worked in a wide range of legal fields since. She also provides consultations to international citizens and foreign residents on all aspects of immigration law. Ms. Seki even has experience as a defense attorney in international criminal cases.

You can make an appointment by filling out the form on their site, and phone reservations are possible too. In fact, the website explicitly states that emergency appointments should be done on the phone.

Japan Immigration Lawyer Consultation in Osaka

While it may not house as many foreign residents as Tokyo, Osaka remains a popular destination for foreigners living in Japan. You won’t have any difficulty finding an English-speaking lawyer to assist with immigration matters, so here are our top recommendations.

Ohara & Furukawa Law Office

Operating since 1979, Ohara & Furukawa Law Office in Kita-ku has a reputation to uphold. 

O&F specializes in immigration law services related to visas, naturalization, residence permits, and overstaying, but also offers services in family law, debt collection, intellectual property, corporate law, and even entertainment law. All services are offered in both Japanese and English.

You can make an appointment at Ohara & Furukawa by calling or filling out the form on their website, which is fully available in English. 

Lale Law Office

Lale Law Office is located in Kita-ku and is run by attorney Chiharu Urata, who speaks both English and Japanese. 

While the Lale Law Office’s focus isn’t solely on immigration law, the office provides services on nationality issues and the status of residence alongside other legal services for foreigners in criminal and civil cases. Urata also specializes in drafting English contracts, corporate law, and real estate law.

While the official website isn’t in English, you can call Lale Law Office directly to book an appointment. 

The Best Immigration Lawyer Nagoya

Nagoya, located in the Aichi Prefecture, is another popular destination for foreigners living in Japan, especially for foreign retirees. 

Here are a couple of recommendations for the best English-speaking lawyers in the area.

Nagoya International Law Office

Located in Naka-ku, Nagoya International Law Office is a partnership of four attorneys with international study or work experience. 

The office handles immigration-related cases and provides consultancy for visa and residence permit issues. They also take on international transactions, divorce, and inheritance-related cases. All services are provided in English.

Nagoya International Law Office offers both video and in-person appointments, which you can book through the form or phone number you’ll find on their English website.

Nagoya International Center Free Legal Consultations

This one isn’t a law office but a service offered by the Nagoya City municipality to help make foreign residents’ lives easier. 

If you’re a Tokai region resident, you can fill out a form to request a free legal consultation appointment on the official Nagoya International Center’s website. Alternatively, you can go directly to Nagoya International Center to schedule an appointment in person.

The service is provided by the Aichi Bar Association in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and Chinese and covers not only immigration-related topics but other legal issues as well. To guarantee your spot, be sure to make your request at least two weeks in advance of your desired date.

Fukuoka’s Best Immigration Law Offices

Fukuoka is another major Japanese city with a large foreign population, so several English-speaking lawyers can be found in town. Here are a couple of good options.

O.K. International Law Firm (Otsuka Law)

Otsuka Law Firm is an international law firm from Chuo-ku, Fukuoka. The office was founded in 1978 and has since been offering services to foreigners in English, Korean, Chinese and Japanese.

Among the law firm’s specialties are cross-border disputes, immigration law, and Japanese civil and criminal law. In terms of immigration law, the office handles cases related to visas, residence status, and naturalization, and a long list of other services for foreigners are available as well.

Appointments are possible by phone or email, which you can find on their fully English website. 

Mokuren Management Law Office, Norihiro Matsuzaka

Norihiro Matsuzaka is a Japanese and English-speaking attorney from Fukuoka. His office is located in Chuo-ku and offers services to both foreigners and Japanese citizens.

The law office isn’t immigration law-focused, so the official website is sadly not in English. However, if you fill out the contact form on the website or reach out online, they will reply in less than a day (it’s their promise!). 

The office specializes in employment and labor law, transportation law, defamation and libel, and, of course, immigration law. 

The Best Immigration Lawyer in Sapporo 

Sapporo, located in Hokkaido, is the largest city in its prefecture and is another major hotspot for foreigners living in Japan. Here are a couple of good English-speaking law offices in Sapporo that offer services to foreign residents.

Sapporo International Law

Sapporo International Law is a partnership of three accomplished attorneys – a part-time lecturer at Hokkaido University Law School, an experienced English interpreter, and a member of two Sapporo Bar Association Committees.

With a fully English website, the law firm offers legal services to foreigners living in the Sapporo area. Thanks to the varying fields of expertise of the three attorneys running the firm, you can get consultancy on pretty much all things legal.

Their practice areas include contract law, labor law, international disputes, and immigration law cases. You can visit Sapporo International Law for routine immigration cases related to visa and residence status, as well as more serious cases such as deportation and refugee matters.

You can book an appointment via phone or by filling out the contact form on their site.

Awao Law Office

Located in Kita-ku, Awao Law Office is the legal practice of Takeshi Awao. Awao himself speaks English and offers legal services to foreigners about all-things-immigration.

The law office's main practice areas are debt collection, inheritance law, criminal cases, divorce and family law, and corporate law. So, you can get much more out of Awao’s services in addition to consultation about your immigration-related issues.

While the Awao Law Office offers consultations in English, interpreter support for Chinese, Russian, Korean, and any other language is also available upon request. You can contact the office by calling the phone number on the website. 

Oita’s Best Immigration Lawyer Japan: Oita Flower Law Office

Another area that houses a large number of foreign residents is the Oita Prefecture. In its capital, Oita City, the prefecture’s residents have access to the brilliant Oita Flower Law Office.

The office has a fully English website and provides foreign residents with a wide range of legal services entirely in English. Oita Flower Law Office excels at immigration law, but they also practice family, internet, and criminal law, handle traffic accident-related claims, and provide corporate legal services.

You can schedule an appointment via the contact form on the official website or by phone. You can also use the website for a brief written consultation to decide whether you need an appointment in the first place. 

The Best Immigration Lawyer in Okayama: Sakka Law Office

The capital of its namesake prefecture, Okayama City is another desirable destination for foreigners who’d like to experience some of the very “bests” Japan has to offer. 

Naturally, in this “land of the sunshine” (Okayama’s nickname), you’ll also find good lawyers who provide English services in immigration law. One of the best among these is, undoubtedly, Sakka Law Office.

Located in Kita-ku in Okayama City, Sakka Law Office is Mr.Sakka’s (Attorney at Law) legal practice. Sakka himself speaks both Japanese and English, and has experience working abroad. 

Their website has a small English section that includes basic information about the office, where you’ll also find a contact by e-mail button that directs you to a contact form. Alternatively, you can call them or schedule a Skype consultation.

The Bar Association: Japan Immigration Lawyer Consultation For Foreigners

So far, we’ve covered some local examples of the best law offices and lawyers that provide legal services to foreigners in English. However, there’s an alternative, and it’s a service provided by the Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA).

You don’t have to be a resident to benefit from the JFBA’s services, so any foreign person can apply for consultation here. Unfortunately, it’s not free, but it is quite affordable. If you can’t afford it, the JFBA even offers free legal consultations upon request. 

The downside of this service is that it’s not nationwide. Currently, legal consultation for foreigners is only available in:

• Tokyo

• Kanagawa

• Saitama

• Aichi

• Osaka

• Fukuoka

Also, keep in mind that while some centers, like the ones in Tokyo, may offer services in English, Spanish, Korean, and Chinese, this might not be the case for all centers, so make sure to call them in advance.

The Alternative: Gyosei-Shoshi (行政書士) Offices

While a lawyer may be necessary in some cases, not all visa or residency-related issues require one. Some people just need a professional to oversee their application processes at government offices.

For this purpose, another alternative to hiring a lawyer might be working with a Gyosei-Shoshi office. A gyosei-shoshi (legal consultant or administrative scriveners) is a certified professional in Japan who can carry out legal procedures, prepare documents for government offices and other documents related to rights, obligations, or fact certification, and provide consultation regarding the preparation of documents. The only thing they can’t do is represent clients in court.

Gyosei-shoshis are often focused on one legal area, such as immigration. So, if all you need is someone who can follow administrative tasks and procedures or provide consultation for your visa process, a gyosei-shoshi can be a good alternative.

In fact, unless you’re in legal trouble with the immigration office and need representation in court, you can use a gyosei-shoshi for all your other immigration-related legal needs, such as:

• Filing visa application documents

• Changing your visa status

• Renewing your visa

• Obtaining a certificate of eligibility

• Applying for permanent residence 

Our Gyosei-Shoshi Recommendations

While we’re at it, let’s go ahead and introduce a few good gyosei-shoshi offices that focus on immigration and naturalization.

Minori Legal Counseling Office

Minori Legal Consulting Office located in Tokyo has ten years of experience in its field. With a completely English website, the office provides assistance in visa and immigration procedures, citizenship applications, and matters related to starting a business in Japan. You can call or fill out the contact form to book an appointment.

Watabe Immigration Law Office

Watabe Immigration Law Office (BEYOND) is another excellent immigration-focused gyosei-shousi office. The office provides visa, citizenship, and document translation services in addition to marriage and divorce registration. You can book an appointment via phone call or by filling out the contact form on their site. 

Legal Office Cosmopolitan

Located in Shibuya, Legal Office Cosmopolitan provides a wide range of legal services for citizens and foreign residents. 

The company’s areas of expertise include corporate visas, work visas, naturalization and citizenship procedures, and visa procedures. The company website has an English version where you’ll find a contact form to make an appointment.

Akazawa Office

Akazawa Office offers Japanese visa and immigration services in Minato-ku, Tokyo. The owner of the office has experience studying and working abroad and has dealt with thousands of immigration applications so far, so you’ll be in good hands here.

Among the services provided at Akazawa Office are work-based statuses and visas, issues regarding the highly skilled professional system, residency, and naturalization.

Administrative Attorney Noriko Akazawa accepts clients by appointment, and the initial written consultation is free of charge. All you need to do is fill out the form on the office’s website, which is fully available in English.

In Control Legal Support Services

Located in Minato-ku, In Control Legal Support Services provides specialized services to foreign enterprises seeking to open a business in Japan and individuals looking to live and work in the country.

The firm offers visa-related services, focusing on corporate visas such as investor visas, engineer visas, and intra-company transferee visas, as well as corporate law for international businesses and international inheritance law. The company website is available in English, and you can call or email to make an appointment.

Oak Admin Office

Oak Admin Office is located in Meguro-ku and specializes in international legal consultancy for both personal and corporate matters.

Their services include visa and naturalization services, consultation for the highly skilled worker visa, support in obtaining a certificate of eligibility, and guidance in acquiring business licenses and permits for foreigners. 

You can book an appointment via phone or using the form on their detailed and fully English website.

In addition to the recommendations above, you can also receive a Gyosei service from the Japan Federation of Certified Administrative Procedures Legal Specialists Associations, but it requires some Japanese knowledge. Each association in nearly all prefectures provides free consultations. You can learn more about this service on the federation’s website.

Closing Notes: Do You Even Need an Immigration Lawyer?

As we conclude this guide, let's consider when professional assistance might be necessary for your immigration process.

As we mentioned above, most people don’t need an immigration lawyer for simple visa procedures, and hiring a gyosei-shoshi (legal consultant) will suffice. Gyosei-shoshi will take care of preparing and providing advice on how to fill out your forms, and even help you submit your application. However, if your immigration case is specific and requires special attention, you might need to consult with a lawyer instead.

Either way, while managing the visa application process yourself can be cost-effective, hiring a professional can save you time and effort, which may be valuable depending on your situation.

Furthermore, if you're in Japan for employment, many companies provide assistance with the work visa process. This often includes legal services arranged and funded by the employer.

While this is all we have on immigration lawyers, our guides on getting permanent residence in Japan and getting a Japanese visa as an engineer might also interest you.