alt Hacker NewsJapan only requires leaving for converting a tourist/digital nomad visa and some Working Holiday Visas to a normal working/spouse visa. And WHV to normal status is really dependent on the partner country. For example Australians don't need to leave, but Canadians and Brits do, and I've heard that immigration will sometimes just grant the change of status anyways. So that seems to indicate that Japan doesn't really care.
Needing to leave to convert a normal working/spouse status to PR is not the norm anywhere.
> . So that seems to indicate that Japan doesn't really care.
Additionally, Japan has a very clear and straightforward process to convert HSP Visa (Highly skilled visa) to a permanent residency.
It can be done in 3years for most and to 1year for the high level candidatures (PhD profiles).
This is very far from the current H1B shitshow.