■What is a Guarantor When Starting a Job or Changing Jobs?

Hello, this is lawyer Yuki Shimizu from the Legal and Care Channel.

Today, I’d like to talk about the topic: “What is a guarantor for foreigners when getting a job in Japan? What should you do if you don’t have one!?”

I’m a lawyer and also run a company called Akari Guarantee!

This company mainly provides identity guarantee services for people who live alone.

Recently, an American individual consulted with us as follows:

“I’m trying to get a job in Japan, but the company is asking me to provide a guarantor.

However, my family is in the U.S., so I can’t rely on them. Would you, Akari Guarantee, be able to act as my guarantor?”

So, what exactly is an identity guarantor when getting or changing jobs?

An identity guarantor for employment refers to a third-party agreement requested by a company hiring an employee. It ensures that in case the employee causes any damage to the company due to misconduct or mistakes during work, the guarantor will take responsibility.

It is a system designed to provide a minimum level of security for the company—such as when the employee causes damage to company vehicles or equipment, or suddenly becomes unreachable.

If you cannot find a guarantor, you may not be able to get the job. Many people ask their family to be the guarantor. For those without such support, many rely on services like ours that act as proxy guarantors.

Employment-related guarantors are based on the Act “Guarantees in Employment Relationships”. In most cases, the guarantee period is 3 years, with a maximum of 5 years.

The guaranteed amount (maximum liability) varies by company, but it is often around 1 million yen.

■What Kind of Support Does Akari Guarantee Provide?

We provide support for employment-related guarantees, hospital or facility admissions—acting as a guarantor in place of family members—not only at the time of admission but also by maintaining regular contact, monitoring health status, and handling funeral and administrative procedures after death.

Details
https://www.akarihosho.jp/business/

For this particular case, we are also acting as the guarantor and providing support.

Together with a team of professionals including lawyers, judicial scriveners, nurses, and care managers, we aim to provide the trust and reassurance that family would typically offer.

As for fees, for employment-related identity guarantor services for foreigners, it starts at 110,000 yen (including tax) per year depending on the job type, guarantee period, and maximum guarantee amount.

Some clients request lifelong support, including acting as a guarantor in case of hospitalization and support until the end of life. For such cases, our enrollment fee is 880,000 yen (including tax).

　

Other lifelong support service providers or family substitute agencies often charge over 1.5 million yen for enrollment fees. In contrast, we offer our services at a relatively reasonable price of 880,000 yen.

This is because other companies usually have to outsource to lawyers, which increases costs. As we are lawyers ourselves, no outsourcing is necessary, keeping costs lower.

We at Akari Guarantee hope to be of assistance to anyone who is struggling with these concerns. Please feel free to consult us using the form in the description!

■What is a Guarantor Under the Immigration Law? [Visa]

Another frequently asked question from foreign clients is about guarantors under the Immigration Control Act, especially when applying for a residency status.

A guarantor under the Immigration Control Act is someone who promises the Minister of Justice to support the foreigner in achieving their intended purpose of stay in Japan by providing financial support and ensuring compliance with Japanese laws if necessary.

Unlike employment-related guarantors, a guarantor under the Immigration Control Act does not bear any legal or financial liability. Their role is purely moral. They are expected to provide lifestyle guidance and support as needed to help the foreigner maintain a stable life in Japan.


Source: Ministry of Justice
https://www.moj.go.jp/ONLINE/IMMIGRATION/16-3-25.pdf

■’Akari Guarantee’ as a Trusted Provider

Every family’s situation is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. However, we at Akari Guarantee hope to help anyone who is facing difficulties. Please feel free to contact us via the inquiry form!

Akari Guarantee is one of the few lifelong support service providers operated by professionals such as lawyers and judicial scriveners. All contract explanations and service execution are handled by these licensed professionals.

Because our organization is run by professionals, we can prepare notarized documents and other documents in-house without outsourcing, allowing us to provide services with a simple and affordable fee structure.

Additionally, clients’ deposits are managed in trust accounts, ensuring safe storage even in unforeseen circumstances. Unlike major identity guarantee providers, Akari Guarantee does not accept any donations.

We fully comply with all items in the government guidelines and work in collaboration with monitoring service providers and care providers. Our nurses and care managers work closely with clients to propose a wide range of personalized services.

For consultations about family substitutes, family closure, or identity guarantees, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Consultations are free and handled by our lawyers and judicial scriveners.

Supervisor

■Yuki Shimizu, CEO and Lawyer at Akari Guarantee Co., Ltd.
Passed the Preliminary Bar Examination in November 2016 (at age 21, while in his 4th year at university). Graduated at the top of his class from Ritsumeikan University Law Faculty in March 2017. Registered as a lawyer in 2018 (Osaka Bar Association).

Part-time lecturer at Osaka Jogakuin University and Junior College (2021–2023), part-time lecturer in Civil Procedure at Ritsumeikan University (2022–2023), and currently teaching at Ritsumeikan Law School. Also serves as an external auditor for AirTrip Corp. (Tokyo Stock Exchange Prime Market) and as an external member of the Ethics Review Committee of Iseikai International General Hospital (since 2024).

Founded Akari Guarantee with the vision of transforming the identity guarantee industry and becoming the most trusted provider of secure services for elderly individuals without family.