<p>Several years ago, when company established a certain number of  visas, replacing staff returning to Japan was not a problem. It was  almost automatically granted. At the present time it is not automatic  for staff replacement visas to be issued and sometimes a replacement  visa is treated like a new case. At the American Embassy in Japan,  whether a replacement visa will be treated in the old manner or will  scrutinized is totally arbitrary and cannot be known until the actual  application is made.</p>