Thought I'd write up my story here for the future reference of anyone trying to obtain a tourist visa through the consulate in Osaka. This probably applies to Tokyo as well, but don't know. I'm an American and I'm traveling in Japan at the moment getting ready to go to Thailand and intend on staying longer than 30 days. So I went to the consulate here in Osaka to inquire about bending the rules stated on their website, which are incredibly strict for getting the visa. They basically dragged it out and had me sitting and waiting in between questions, but it basically came down to me not being able to fulfill the requirements of this list.

①Employee of Company : Certificate of employment (original in Englishl) signed and sealed by employer.

②Owner of Company: Business registration

③Student: Certificate of enrolment ( original in English) signed and sealed by principle of school.

④Preschool Child: Copies of parents’ passport and an original of family register.

⑤Other types of applicant: - Bank Statement of Applicant’s account(issued by banks in Japan), - Guarantee Letter(download from this website), - Copy of passport(or driver’s license) of a guarantor with his/her original signature. (A guarantor must be an adult who remains in Japan. An alien without the permission of permanent residence in Japan cannot be a guarantor. If a guarantor is a family member of the applicant, please prepare original of family register, too.)

I was of course unable to fulfill them because they all require Japanese articles, but they seemed willing to alter the rules to allow American versions of the above. Anyway I walked out of there without a visa so I'll be stuck with a 30 day landing permission and a visa run to the border.

Will you have a return ticket within 30 days?

The requirement for visa exempt entry is onward ticket/documentation - not return.

Yes, I told them I had a plane ticket out of Thailand also and it was still a no go. I am self employed but do all my business in my own name so didn't have any proof of a business registration.

Just a note here, I didn't actually apply. But the consulate employee said (paraphrase) "Because you don't have the proper documentation, if you applied we wouldn't be able to guarantee a visa, so it's best if you just stay for 30 days"

Japan based Thai Consulates have been reported to be very tight on visa issue although have seen some positive reports for those with legal or quasi-legal status there.

You might find it better to fly to Singapore or Kuala Lumpur and obtain a tourist visa there prior to entry into Thailand. It should not be a problem at either location. Believe another traveler stopped in Seoul to obtain.

What kind of visa were you trying to get? a tourist visa ?

We feel that Japanese embassy / consulates are either retaliating against the insane complexity of the Japanese system (rules, rules, rules) with their own spiteful strictness, or that it's an attempt to prevent yakuza members from easily lurking in Thailand, at least directly from Japan. Whatever the reason, it's well known amongst the Japanese that there is no need to bother even trying, even for the 30-day tourist visa.

There is no 30 day tourist visa for Japanese. A tourist visa entry to Thailand for them is for 60 days. Japanese get the same 30 day visa exempt entry that most first world countries get.

There is no 30 day tourist visa for Japanese. A tourist visa entry to Thailand for them is for 60 days. Japanese get the same 30 day visa exempt entry that most first world countries get.

I guess I was thinking if the party in question planned to cross by land into Thailand. Wouldn't that give them just a 15 day visa? But yes, getting a 30 day visa, pulled that out of my hat, so sorry for the bad example.

No it would give them a 15 day visa exempt entry which is not a visa and is what most visa exempt entry countries get at a land entry; but do not see any mention of 15 days in your post.