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When applying for permanent residence using Highly Skilled Professional points, how are omitted past notifications of the accepting organization and the "corresponding author / first author" status of papers treated?

Foreigners Employment Support Organization (FESO)　／　Published 26 October 2026　／　Supervised by 瀬戸了輔行政書士

This article is a translation of the Japanese original. Where the two differ, the Japanese version prevails. Read the Japanese original（日本語版を読む）

Who this article is forAn enquiry from the applicant themselves about an application for permanent residence using the Highly Skilled Professional points system.

Answer

Submit the notifications about your accepting organization, including all past ones, as early as possible before applying. We think permission is possible, but submitting them does not erase the past violation of the notification obligation, so you need to fully understand the risk of denial. Our understanding is that journals are checked mainly through Scopus (Elsevier), and you attach the database search screen as a supporting document. Also, when the authors are not listed in alphabetical order, the person listed 1st is basically treated as the corresponding author.

What is this enquiry about?

An enquiry from the applicant themselves about an application for permanent residence using the Highly Skilled Professional points system.

Enquiry type: Permanent residence
Application type: 永住許可申請 (Application for Permanent Residence) (Highly Skilled Professional points system: 高度専門職1号イ (Highly Skilled Professional (i)))
Situation: The applicant works at a university under the status of residence 「教授」 (Professor) and has stayed in Japan for 8 years. In the past the applicant changed jobs under the same status of residence but did not submit the notification of the change of accepting organization. The applicant is considering earning points for "research achievements" (academic papers). The applicant has published several academic papers as first author in the past, and in every one the co-author, the academic supervisor, is stated in the paper as the Corresponding Author. In each paper the applicant is listed 1st in the order of authors (not alphabetical order).
Questions: (1) If the notifications about the accepting organization have not been made, is it better to submit them, including the past ones, as early as possible before applying? Even then, is permission still possible? (2) Which database does the 出入国在留管理庁 (Immigration Services Agency of Japan) use to check whether a journal is one "listed in an academic paper database"? (3) In the papers the academic supervisor is the Corresponding Author, but the applicant is listed 1st in the order of authors (not alphabetical order); which standard will be used to judge the applicant as the "corresponding author or first author"?

If I have not notified my accepting organization, should I submit the notifications before applying?

Submit all of them, including the past ones, as early as possible.

Submit all of them, including the past ones, as early as possible. Considering that the decision is made on a comprehensive basis, I think permission is possible. However, submitting them does not erase the past violation of the notification obligation, so please apply only after fully understanding the risk of denial.

Which database is used to check whether a journal qualifies?

The 出入国在留管理庁 mainly uses 3 sources, Clarivate Analytics, Elsevier and PubMed, but our understanding is that it is mainly Scopus (Elsevier).

The 出入国在留管理庁 mainly uses 3 sources, Clarivate Analytics, Elsevier and PubMed, but our understanding is that it is mainly Scopus (Elsevier). In any case, attach the database search screen as a supporting document. I think it is fine for the applicant to prepare and submit the search screen materials personally. In the most recent case handled by the 行政書士, the one from Clarivate Analytics was used.

By which standard does the applicant qualify as the "corresponding author or first author" of a paper?

When the authors are not listed in alphabetical order, the person listed 1st is basically treated as the corresponding author.

Frequently Asked Questions

If I forgot to notify the change of my accepting organization, should I submit it before applying for permanent residence?

Submit all of them, including the past ones, as early as possible. However, submitting them does not erase the past violation of the notification obligation, so you need to fully understand the risk of denial.

Which database is used to check academic papers for Highly Skilled Professional points?

Our understanding is that it is mainly Scopus (Elsevier). In any case, attach the database search screen as a supporting document.

If I am listed 1st among the authors of a paper, am I treated as the corresponding author?

When the authors are not listed in alphabetical order, the person listed 1st is basically treated as the corresponding author.

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This article provides general information. Immigration rules change, and outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Please check the Immigration Services Agency website or consult a qualified specialist.
This page is a translation of the Japanese original. Because it is a translation, the meaning may differ from the original in places. Where something affects a decision you are making, please check the Japanese version or ask us. The supervision by a 行政書士 is of the Japanese version.