Can Japanese nationals purchase the Japan Rail Pass under the new eligibility requirements?

BARCELONA, Spain - June 1, 2017 - PRLog -- Japanese nationals, who have resided permanently outside of Japan for at least 10 years, will now be able to purchase and exchange their Japan Rail Pass. They  will need to have a valid Japanese passport and written proof — obtained from the embassy or diplomatic representative office of Japan in the foreign country where they live — that they have been living legally in the country for at least 10 years.

What documents do Japanese nationals residing overseas need to purchase JR Pass?

From June 1, 2017, Japanese nationals residing overseas can once again purchase the JR Pass, provided they meet the eligibility requirements. They need both a valid passport and written proof they have been residing outside of Japan for at least 10 years. To prove the latter, they will need to show one of the following documents:

1. Copy of your Overseas Residential Registration issued by the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where you live (limited to an Overseas Residential Registration with a date of acceptance at least 10 years earlier)

2. Certificate of Overseas Residence issued by the embassy or legation of Japan in the foreign country where you live (limited to a Certificate of Overseas Residence with a date at least 10 years earlier as the date on which your address (or place of temporary residence) was established as your present address)

3. As a special case limited to the USA, Brazil, and Canada, the Permanent Resident Card issued by these 3 countries can be used as written proof until further notice (limited to a Permanent Resident Card confirming your stay in the relevant country for 10 years or more).

Please keep in mind:

a) In regard to (1), if a single copy of your Overseas Residential Registration verifies that any family members living with you in the country have stayed for 10 consecutive years or more, such a document is valid for those family members.

b) Concerning children (under 12 years of age) whose stay in the country is less than 10 years at the time of purchase of an Exchange Order, if a single copy of the Overseas Residential Registration stated in (1) verifies that they live together with the applicant whose stay in the country is 10 consecutive years or more, and if they also use the JAPAN RAIL PASS together with that applicant, their eligibility requirements are satisfied.

c) The copy of the Overseas Residential Registration and the Certificate of Overseas Residence are only valid for 6 months after the date of issue.

d) You cannot use a photocopy of your written proof to purchase an Exchange Order or to exchange your Exchange Order for a JAPAN RAIL PASS. e) Definition of "10 years or more": At the time of purchase of an Exchange Order, a date in the same month 10 years earlier or before is valid. (Example) In the case of the purchase of an Exchange Order on June 1, 2017, a date any time in June 2007 or earlier is valid. (A date between June 1 and June 30, 2007 is deemed as "June 2007" and valid.) f) You can purchase an Exchange Order and exchange it for a JAPAN RAIL PASS only if you can present any one of the written proof described in the above (1) to (3).

More information on the website https://www.jrailpass.com