I was turned down a couple of times last summer when I appplied after coming back to Japan after living abroad for a long time. They did not share with me the reason for it but I suspect it had something to do with the fact I had been out of the country for 20 years and did not have any track record whatsoever here in Japan.
My current job is my first "real" job I have ever had in Japan so I will wait a few more months and establish myself here, so to speak, and apply again.