Wonders of wander: There are about 35 million digital nomads all over the world, according to A Brother Abroad website. — AFP
Richard Keil is German, but any place in the world can be his workplace as long as he has his laptop and WiFi. If there is also a room for online meetings, that would be perfect.
The 26-year-old software engineer, who works for an information technology company based in Germany, has travelled and worked remotely in countries such as Malaysia and Singapore.
“I would say the nice part (of this working style) is the flexibility. The option to see and experience a different country,” he said. “I am free to choose my workplace.”
People like Keil are called digital nomads. These are people who do remote work as they travel the world. The term first appeared in the late 1990s, but the Covid-19 pandemic prompted more people to adopt this way of living and working, according to the Japan Digital Nomad Association in Mitane, Akita prefecture.
The Japanese government is currently trying to attract more digital nomads as a part of efforts to boost regional economies and create business opportunities.
During a stay in Japan between August and September 2024, Keil worked remotely out of S-Tokyo, a co-working office in Chuo ward, Tokyo, that reopened in April and caters to digital nomads.
The office is open 24 hours a day, as most of its customers work for firms located outside Japan, and English-friendly staff are available. During his time there, Keil explored sightseeing spots at night in Tokyo and stayed in a shared-accommodation house in the city. He also travelled to rural areas on weekends, he said.
S-Tokyo also offers events to help digital nomads get to know one another and Japanese locals, and provides opportunities for digital nomads and key players such as company executives from various regions across Japan to exchange ideas.
“I feel comfortable staying in Japan because it offers good digital infrastructure,” he said.
According to US travelling information website A Brother Abroad, there are about 35 million digital nomads all over the world. As many of them are high-income earners and tend to stay in one country longer than tourists, they are believed to contribute to the expansion of local economies.
They are also expected to create new business opportunities by interacting with and fostering people with high-level IT skills.
The Japanese government and municipalities have also kicked efforts into gear to bring digital nomads to the country.
The Japan Tourism Agency has chosen five residency programmes offered by local municipalities and firms as pilot projects. The agency provided up to ¥10mil (RM288,100) for each project with plans to review the impacts they have on local economies and the points that need improvement.
Oct 1 saw the opening of Colive Fukuoka, an event to attract digital nomads to that city.
The event, which is expected to receive about 400 digital nomads from more than 50 countries and regions, features many tourist programmes, including stalls offering local foods – a popular option for visitors in the city – and an experience on a houseboat called a yakatabune.
It also offers meet-up events for digital nomads and people from local start-ups, as the city hopes that these kinds of interactions will lead to new business opportunities.
The city hosted the same event in October 2023. Some 49 digital nomads from 24 countries and regions participated and spent about ¥20mil in one month.
Toshio Haraguchi, head of the city’s tourism industry department, said: “We want to promote Fukuoka so that the city becomes a destination for digital nomads.”
The government has created a visa for digital nomads. If certain conditions, such as an annual income of more than ¥10mil, are met, individuals can obtain the visa, which allows them to stay for up to six months.
“It is a significant step that the government has recognised digital nomads through initiatives including the creation of this visa,” said Ryo Osera, an executive officer for the Japan Digital Nomad Association.
At the same time, there is still plenty of room for improvement, he said.
The visa has certain drawbacks, such as a shorter stay duration compared with similar visas in South Korea and Taiwan, and the inability of visa holders to sign employment contracts with domestic companies during the stay.
Osera, 41, said: “To bring more digital nomads, we need to create an environment that makes it easy for them to stay and work comfortably in.”
However, some foreign media outlets have reported that the influx of digital nomads has contributed to rising rental costs in countries such as Portugal and Mexico. Osera said this may happen in Japan.
“Tourism also increases land prices through development,” he added.
As Japan’s population is shrinking, “we have to do something for the economy in rural areas”, he said.
“I think rather than short-term tourists, it’s much better to attract digital nomads who have the potential to contribute to the economy in the long run, looking 10 or 20 years ahead.” — The Japan News/ANN
