Moving to Japan from Afghanistan

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Afghanistan to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Afghanistan to Japan, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from Afghanistan to Japan, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
704 ↓ 51% vs 2022

people moved from Afghanistan to Japan · OECD (latest data available)

Who's moving to Japan?

Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Afghanistan to Japan.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

AF
4.0
JP
0.2
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

AF
24.1
JP
2.7

Japan performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

AF
$330
JP
$5,365
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2020

affects wait times and access to care

AF
2.5
JP
26.1

Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

AF
143.0
JP
12.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

AF
0.3t
JP
7.8t

Afghanistan generally does better on environment, though Japan leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

AF
0.1
JP
37.2
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

AF
54.8%
JP
36.0%

Japan performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

AF
14.4%
JP
2.6%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

AF
$2,000
JP
$46,300

Japan generally does better on employment & economy, though Afghanistan leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

AF
53.6 yrs
JP
84.8 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

AF
104.9
JP
1.9

Japan performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all family life metrics.

Data: Afghanistan Revenue Department, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Kabul Rain: 12.3 in/yr (312 mm)
67° / 40°F

Avg. annual high / low

Tokyo Rain: 62.9 in/yr (1598 mm)
69° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Kabul Tokyo
Jan–Mar 45°/25°F (8°/-4°C) 53°/37°F (12°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 76°/48°F (25°/9°C) 73°/58°F (23°/14°C)
Jul–Sep 88°/56°F (31°/13°C) 85°/72°F (30°/22°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/31°F (15°/-1°C) 63°/49°F (17°/9°C)
View all months
Month Kabul Tokyo
Jan 40°/19°F (4.5°/-7.1°C) 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C)
Feb 42°/22°F (5.5°/-5.7°C) 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C)
Mar 54°/33°F (12.5°/0.7°C) 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C)
Apr 67°/43°F (19.2°/6.0°C) 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C)
May 76°/48°F (24.4°/8.8°C) 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C)
Jun 86°/54°F (30.2°/12.4°C) 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C)
Jul 90°/60°F (32.1°/15.3°C) 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C)
Aug 90°/58°F (32.0°/14.3°C) 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C)
Sep 83°/49°F (28.5°/9.4°C) 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C)
Oct 72°/39°F (22.4°/3.9°C) 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C)
Nov 59°/30°F (15.0°/-1.2°C) 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C)
Dec 47°/24°F (8.3°/-4.7°C) 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C)

Data: Japan Meteorological Agency Japan Meteorological Agency

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Afghanistan and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.

Afghanistan passport

Afghanistan passport holder visiting Japan

Visa Required
Afghanistan passport holders need a visa to enter Japan.
Japan passport

Japan passport holder visiting Afghanistan

Visa Required
Japan passport holders need a visa to enter Afghanistan.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I work remotely from Japan?

Internet is rarely the blocker — Japan has 37.2 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

Is Japan safe for expats?

Japan performs significantly better than Afghanistan across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.0 in Afghanistan.

How is healthcare in Japan compared to Afghanistan?

Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Afghanistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 2.5 in Afghanistan. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Afghanistan: 41).

What's the weather like in Japan compared to Afghanistan?

The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 67°F in Kabul. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Kabul gets 12.3 in.

What language do they speak in Japan?

The official language in Japan is Japanese. In Afghanistan, the official languages are Dari, Pashto and Turkmen.

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At a Glance

AF JP
Population 38,346,720 124,214,766
Currency Afghan Afghani (AFN) Japanese Yen (¥)
Languages Dari, Pashto, Turkmen Japanese
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +93 +81
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 110