🇲🇽 Mexico vs 🇯🇵 Japan
Tax residency, treaties and PE risk compared.
| Dimension | 🇲🇽 Mexico | 🇯🇵 Japan |
|---|---|---|
| Residency rule | Permanent home in Mexico OR center of vital interests | Jusho (domicile) + 1-year presence |
| Day threshold | 183 days | 365 days |
| Warning band | from 90d | from 183d |
| Tax range | 1.92–35% | 5–45% + 10% local |
| Tax treaties | 60+ | 85+ |
| PE risk | Medium | Medium |
| Digital nomad visa | No | Yes |
| Best for | RFC-registered freelancers using RESICO (1–2.5% flat) | Non-permanent residents (first 5 of 10 years) shielding foreign income |
| Common pitfall | Mexico uses 'permanent home' not days — owning property can make you resident. | Non-permanent resident status ends after 5 years — then worldwide tax kicks in. |
Verdict
Mexico and Japan carry similar residency risk on day-count alone — the deciding factor is usually treaty coverage (60 vs 85) and your specific income mix.
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🇲🇽 Mexico residency rules →
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🇯🇵 Japan residency rules →
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