MMoving to Japan

10 years experience instead of bachelors?

  • March 23, 2026

Hey all,

Looking to understand the requirements for Visas with 10 years experience. Looking to potentially coach/manager in Tokyo as I am a competive youth rock climbing coach and Japan is actually has some of the strongest youth athletes and also top performing pros in the world cup circuit.

Next year, 2027, I will have been in the indoor rock and youth competition climbing industry for 10 years. My main roles where the following:

2017-2020: Youth coach/front desk

2020-2023: Youth program coordinator and assistant head coach of competitive team

2023-2025: Head coach and Head of youth Programs

2025-Now: Freelance private coaching for competive youth, potentially head coach position this summer/fall with another gym.

I also managed and worked at my university from 2014ish-2017 as well but it had 3-5 employees and super small (college went out of business actually). I never finished my degree, but it was in sports managment.

From what I've read I qualify for the following visas (please correct if wrong):

  1. "Specialist in Humanities / International Services”

  2. Highly Skilled Professional (HSP)

  3. coached several athletes to qualify for nationals (top 50)

  4. worked with youth national champions from Guatamala and Peru

  5. currently about to transition in a top 5 team in the country who has had athletes go to worlds and on the national team

My questions are:

  1. Because climbing is a niche business, does it still count? Currently there are 700 gyms roughly in the USA and around 770 in Japan (86 in Tokyo).

  2. How much documentation do you need to show you worked these years in these positions?

Thanks for any and all help! 🙏🏻

Also – Japanese I'm working on but is far from any N levels.

by SuuupaStrong