The procedures to negatively affect someone in Japan are not very different from the procedures in other countries. In Japan, there are three main credit institutions.

When bills accumulated without payment, negative information is recorded in these institutions. To the letter, this process is called accidental information (Jiko Jouhou / 事故 情報) that are inserted between the trusted information (Shinyou Jouhou / 信用 情報) of the user.

In most cases, you can seek a lawyer, negotiate the debt and pay it in a few months or years. However, even after the full settlement of the amounts, the negative information remains recorded for at least five years. That is, if you pay back the payment in three years, you will still have the dirty name for another two years.

Only in the case of financial loans is there the possibility of clearing the name earlier. If you get it right you can have the negative information taken from your record after one year from the end of the payment. However, if the debt is credit card, forget that because your name will remain dirty in the next five years or more, depending on the case.