People's Republic of China or Japan
Two countries side by side across the same rows as the full comparison. A dash means the value is missing: fields are not filled with guesses. about the data
| People's Republic of China | Japan | |
|---|---|---|
| Salary in IT | — | $ 24 467 |
| Citizenship | — | 5 years |
| Partner can work | — | — |
| Parents | doable | no |
| Pets | difficult | difficult |
| Pet limit | 1 | no limit |
| Quarantine | no | 180 days |
| Residence permit fee | — | — |
| Rent, 2 bedrooms | $ 1 118 · estimate | $ 1 606 · estimate |
| Basket | $ 26,7 | $ 34,9 |
| Life expectancy | 78.02 | 84.04 |
| Homicides/100k | 0.5 | 0.23 |
| Natural hazards, 0–10 | 7.8 | 8.3 |
How the two sets of routes differ
Long-stay routes in this reference: People's Republic of China — 24, Japan — 88. Types present in both: work, study, family, startup, talent and repatriation. Japan adds: remote work, investment, retirement, job seeking and working holiday.
Fees, thresholds and deadlines
People's Republic of China: the fee is 1,500 CNY wherever it is published. Routes with a published decision deadline: 6; the shortest is 15 days. Japan: fees range from 6,000 to 10,000 JPY. Routes with no fee: 72. Routes with a published decision deadline: 87; the shortest is 14 days.
Beyond the first permit
Permanent status: People's Republic of China after 4 years, Japan after 10 years. Citizenship: Japan after 5 years; the other country publishes no term. Neither recognises a second citizenship. Bringing your own parents: People's Republic of China — yes, Japan — no.
People's Republic of China in brief
The PRC builds entry around qualifications: besides the ordinary Z work visa there is an R visa for occupations in acute demand and, introduced on 1 October 2025, a K visa for young scientists and technologists. The constraint is the longer-term outlook: dual citizenship is not allowed, and official sources do not disclose the conditions for naturalisation.
Japan in brief
Japan combines low crime, good healthcare and a fast route to permanent residence through the Highly Skilled Professional points system with high natural hazards (earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, volcanoes), a ban on dual citizenship and practically no route for parent reunification outside a narrow HSP exception.
Other comparisons
People's Republic of China or… Taiwan · South Korea · Thailand · Kazakhstan · Lebanon · Uzbekistan · Malaysia · Azerbaijan
Japan or… Philippines · Bangladesh · Kuwait · Iraq · Mongolia · Oman · Sri Lanka · Singapore
More on each: People's Republic of China · Japan. Build your own comparison — up to four countries
This material is for reference and is not legal, tax or immigration advice. Visa rules, tax thresholds and prices change. Before deciding anything, check the official sources and consult a licensed professional in the relevant country.