Reference · Japan · Free to read
We wrote it in English because it did not exist in English.
Permits, the 50% rebate, withholding tax, payment cycles and the 2026 crew-hour rules — the practical reference for producers planning a shoot in Japan.
Most guides to shooting in Japan are written by companies selling their own services. These three facts change budgets, and none of them are covered elsewhere in English.
Until this year the location incentive ran on a single fiscal-year clock, so reportable spend had to close by the end of January. From fiscal 2026 it allows multi-year claims of up to two years — which finally makes it possible to shoot across two Japanese seasons and still claim.
The industry's own working-conditions guideline was revised in April 2026. Days over eleven hours are now permitted as an exception, but capped on a weekly basis. Your Japanese partner is scheduling against this whether or not it is mentioned in the bid.
The Japanese default closes invoices at month end and pays at the end of the following month. It is not net-days-from-delivery. Foreign productions routinely sign assuming net 60 and then discover they have agreed to something structurally different.
Every existing directory tells you a company exists. None tell you what you can actually do in English. We are building the index that does, rated on one axis.
Excellent work, but you will need an interpreter for every exchange. Budget for one.
Written English is fine. Calls and set communication still need support.
Can take a briefing call and run a client meeting unassisted.
Runs an English-language set end to end, including the Japanese crew around them.
We are building the index now, one profile at a time. Applications are reviewed individually — not auto-published — and listing is free while we build. You keep the client relationship; we do not sit between you and the work.
日本の映像・撮影クリエイターの方へ。海外案件の窓口として掲載しています。掲載は無料、案件は直接やり取りいただけます。まずはご連絡ください。
Free, no signup, no email wall. Sources linked at the foot of every page.
Thresholds, the Japanese-applicant rule, the four application windows, and what changed for 2026.
READ → 02There is no national film permit. Wards, police, railways, temples and Kyoto each run a separate track.
READ → 03The qualified invoice system, withholding on non-resident talent, and when money actually moves.
READ → 04The 2026 guideline revision, the weekly cap, and why the scheduling assumptions you carry are out of date.
READ → 05Production company, production service, freelance, studio. Four different things, priced four different ways.
READ → 06The Japanese words that signal a decision is being made, with what each one means for your budget.
READ →Whether you are planning a shoot, curious about a guide topic, or a Japan-based creator wondering about listing — pick the category that fits on the next page.
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