Can I leave Japan while my work visa is still under review?

Hi everyone,

I was an international student in Japan and left my studies midway in October 2025. My residence card is still valid until August 2026.

In January 2026, I applied for a change of status to a work visa, and my application is currently still under review.

My question is: Can I travel back to my home country while the visa decision is still in process, and return to Japan before my current residence card expires?

Has anyone been in a similar situation or knows how this works in practice? I just want to make sure I don’t risk my application or my re-entry.

Thanks in advance!