Leave of Absence from University
According to the Immigration Control Act (Article 22-4 of the Immigration Control Act), if a foreign student with the status of residence “Student” does not continue their studies or research activities for more than three months for reasons such as a leave of absence, they must leave Japan promptly unless there is a legitimate reason (such as hospitalization)* to stay in Japan. In such cases, the “Student” visa status will, in principle, be temporarily relinquished even if the period of validity remains, and the student will be required to apply for a “Student” visa again at the Japanese embassy or consulate in their home country upon their return to study in Japan. Information on documents required for visa application should be obtained from the Japanese embassy or consulate in your country. If you wish to continue your stay in Japan for justifiable reasons, you will need to change your status of residence to one that corresponds to the reason for your stay.
*The Immigration Bureau does not recognize a leave of absence for financial reasons as a valid reason.
If you continue to stay in Japan in violation of the Immigration Control Act, your status of residence will be subject to revocation.