Engineer Visa for Cool Japan & Content Industries | Anime, Games & Fashion

Japan’s anime, game, manga, music, and fashion industries attract global attention, and foreign talent wanting to work in these fields is increasing. Immigration guidelines have clarified how Cool Japan-related work is treated under the Engineer visa.

Reference: Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Clarification of Engineer/Specialist in Humanities/International Services” — Cool Japan section

Approved Work by Industry

Anime & Film

Animation production (key animation, direction) — Technology
CG creator — Technology
Video editing / Post-production — Technology
Planning / Producing — Humanities
Overseas licensing sales — International Services

Games

Game programmer — Technology
Game designer — Technology
Game planner — Humanities
Localization (translation, cultural adaptation) — International Services
International market marketing — Humanities/International Services

Music & Entertainment

Music production / Arrangement — Technology
Sound engineer — Technology
Artist management — Humanities

Fashion & Design

Fashion designer — Technology
Pattern maker — Technology
Graphic designer — Technology
International buyer negotiations — International Services

Denied Work

Work	Reason
Simple in-between animation	May lack specialized expertise
Voice acting / Performing	May fall under “Entertainer” visa
Retail staff (anime shops)	Simple labor
Factory sewing	Technical Intern / Specified Skilled Worker scope

Portfolio Importance

In content industries, a portfolio significantly strengthens the application.

Element	Point
Representative works (5-10 pieces)	Select works relevant to the job
Creative process	Show concept → design → completion
Tools used	Photoshop, Illustrator, Figma, etc.
Awards / Exhibition history	Objective proof of skill

Our Support

For Engineer visa applications in content industries, trust Kaneko Hidetaka Administrative Scrivener Office.

98% approval rate
Languages: Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese
Free initial consultation
Serving Chiba, Tokyo, and nationwide (online consultation available)