Jim Magell wrote:
> The answer is if you have a valid visa and a re-entry permit (which will run
> up to the last day of your visa) you can leave Japan the next day and stay
> away till the day before your visa expires (in theory but you might want to
> make it back a couple of weeks before)
 >
> For example. Three year spouse visa with multiply re-entry granted today -
> you can leave tomorrow  and come back in two years, 11 months and whatever
> weeks and your re-entry will still work.

Fine in theory, but not quite in practice. In the case of any form of 
work visa (which is what Hendrik is referring to), an absence from Japan 
of longer than 6 months (it will vary depending on the whims of each 
Immigration Bureau) may cause problems. The sponsoring company will need 
to submit a riyusho explaining why the individual concerned is not 
working in Japan (since that it why the visa was issued in the first 
place. For a small company with 5 or less foreign employees, it will 
also make it more difficult to hire in the future.

In most cases the absences are 1 off, due to illness, family reasons 
etc. Aftet a long absence such as the 2 years 11 months example you 
gave, re-entry would be accompanied by some questions with right of 
entry determined by Immigration at the airport. There would also be 
problems with extending the visa.

And in the case of a spouse visa, since it is issued on the premise that 
the holder is married to and living with a Japanese national, an 
extended absence would result in the eventual termination of the visa - 
the only exceptions being where the Japanese spouse was also absent for 
the same/similar period.


> Hendrik wrote:
> 
>>Hi (and to some, 'ohisashiburi'),
>>
>>it's midnight and "nyuukan" is not open, so i'll try my luck with a
>>certain always well-informed collective brain (aka fj.life.in-japan):
>>has anyone here ever hired someone from outside Japan, where that
>>person later took a longish leave of absence abroad (in their home
>>country or elsewhere) without losing their visa? If so, how long was
>>that person allowed to stay away from Japan? Hw was the visa/re-entry
>>permit kept valid?
>>
>>Thanks: Hendrik


-- 
"Oh don't give me none more of that Old Janx Spirit/ No, don't you give 
me none more of that Old Janx Spirit/ For my head will fly, my tongue 
will lie, my eyes will fry and I may die/ Won't you pour me one more of 
that sinful Old Janx Spirit"