A Boris™ postcard from Japan: the Jack Russell terrier in sunglasses eating a bowl of ramen with chopsticks at a wooden table, with a red lantern, Mount Fuji, a torii gate and a pagoda behind him, under the greeting 日本から こんにちは! — Greetings from Japan!
PCS TO JAPAN

Your move to Japan.
A plan you can follow.

Start with the Japan topics and community resources below. Local checklist content exists, but Japanese destinations are not yet available in the verified fresh app setup.

Download Boris™ on the App Store Get Boris™ on Google Play

Free on iPhone and Android. No account required.

Find your first useful step
YOUR FIRST STEP

Less searching.
A clearer next step.

Start with what helps your move to Japan today. Website resources and app destination access are checked separately.

  1. Start with the country topics.

    Get familiar with the local questions to ask before you move. Start here →

  2. Check your local requirements.

    Use your sponsor and the responsible office to confirm what applies to your status, household and timing. How to confirm requirements →

  3. See your plan in Boris.

    Preview the checklist and shared household plan. Fresh setup currently starts with the KMC; wider destination access is still being verified. Explore the app →

WHERE BORIS™ STANDS IN JAPAN

Eight Japanese communities are planned.

Each appears only after it passes review.

  • Planned — in review

    Yokota Air Base · Camp Zama / NAF Atsugi · Yokosuka · Misawa Air Base · MCAS Iwakuni · Sasebo · Kadena Air Base · Camp Butler (Marines). Local detail is reviewed community by community before it appears.

  • Two realities

    Japan guidance is maintained by community. Mainland and Okinawa are not assumed to be interchangeable, and gaps stay visible.

Checklist content and selectable app destinations are different. New app setup currently offers KMC; additional destination access is being verified.

FIND YOUR COMMUNITY

The Japanese communities, one by one.

A Boris™ community is the area families actually live and work across — not a single gate. Mainland and Okinawa are maintained separately rather than assumed to be interchangeable.

MORE TO COME

Your community is not listed? Tell Boris where you are moving and what would help.

Suggest the next base
A JAPANESE ASSIGNMENT

Two tours, one country.

A Yokota arrival and an Okinawa arrival share a flag and very little else. Guidance is written per community, not per country.

01 / SCRIPT

Know which document you need.

Forms, signs and contracts may be in Japanese. Use community-specific guidance and confirm unfamiliar documents with the responsible office.

02 / TRANSIT

Transit shapes the move.

In many mainland communities, rail and local transit can materially affect housing and car decisions. Boris™ keeps that guidance tied to the community you choose.

03 / HOUSING

Start with your housing office.

Housing options and processes depend on your installation and circumstances. Start with local housing guidance and the responsible office.

04 / OKINAWA

Choose your Okinawa community.

Choose the community you are moving to. Okinawa and mainland guidance are maintained separately, with detail tied to your destination.

05 / AFTER ARRIVAL

After arrival.

Settled and Discover cover weekends, seasons and everyday life beyond the gate — the part of a long tour that keeps mattering.

WHAT FAMILIES WILL ACTUALLY DEAL WITH

The practical stuff, per community.

Local detail is maintained community by community; depth varies and grows over time.

03

Everyday life

Utilities, waste separation, phone and internet, and the paperwork that arrives in Japanese.

04

Healthcare

On-installation care and the local system beside it, and what to arrange in the first weeks.

06

Family resources

Schools and childcare, spouse employment routes, and the support offices at that specific community.

Ready to put your plan in your pocket? Start with the app preview and check which destinations are available in setup.

Explore the app
OFFICIAL GUIDANCE

Confirm the steps that apply to you.

Boris™ complements official resources. It never replaces your sponsor, your command or the responsible office.

Driving and licensing

This official starting point covers Yokota. If you are assigned elsewhere, choose your own installation in MilitaryINSTALLATIONS before following licensing or vehicle-registration instructions.

Yokota: licensing and vehicle registration
GUIDES AND ANSWERS

Questions families ask about Japan.

Which Japanese communities does Boris™ cover?

This website lists Yokota Air Base, Camp Zama / NAF Atsugi, Yokosuka, Misawa Air Base, MCAS Iwakuni, Sasebo, Kadena Air Base, Camp Butler (Marines). Listing a community here does not mean it is selectable in a new app installation.

Will mainland and Okinawa be treated separately?

Yes. Guidance is maintained by community, and mainland and Okinawa are not assumed to be interchangeable. Gaps stay visible where local detail is not ready.

Can I use Boris™ today if I am PCSing to Japan?

You can download Boris, but new app setup currently offers KMC. Japan destination access is being verified. Start with your sponsor and the official offices for your assigned installation.

Is Boris™ free?

Yes. Boris™ is free to download and use, and the core experience does not require creating an account.

DISCOVER YOUR NEW HOME

Discover your new home.

Browse local services by community. Published listings and local guides vary by destination; check the directory before relying on a service.

Weekends

What is reachable by train or a short drive from your installation, in each season.

Events

Local calendars and neighborhood events that rarely surface in English.

Everyday services

The practical list for the first month: clinics, repairs, a vet, somewhere that will sort a phone contract.

GET BORIS™

See how Boris shapes your plan.

Explore the app before downloading. Fresh setup currently starts with the KMC; Japan access is being verified separately.

Download Boris™ on the App Store Get Boris™ on Google Play

Check Japan directory availability

Boris™ is independently built and operated and is not affiliated with, endorsed by or funded by the U.S. Department of Defense or any government agency. Depth of local guidance varies by community and by topic; the app shows an honest gap where a local fact is still unverified.

FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES

Partners help keep Boris free—and get found when it matters.

Paid placements are clearly labeled and never change Boris guidance.

Japan directory status

For businesses →