Japan’s Permanent Residency Fee Jumps 20-Fold

Japan has tightened permanent residency requirements for foreign nationals, raising application fees by 20 times and adding new tests for income and Japanese language ability as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes to strengthen immigration controls.

The changes, which will be introduced in stages, require applicants seeking to live in the country permanently to demonstrate that their annual income is above the national average. They will also need to show they can hold casual conversations in Japanese.

Higher Fees for long-term Status

Application fees for permanent residency will increase from Thursday to 200,000 yen (US$1,275), up from 10,000 yen. The Ministry of Justice said the fee rises will take effect immediately alongside the start of the new process, and people queued at one immigration office in central Tokyo visited by AFP in an effort to complete procedures before the price increase.

At the same time, the previous guidelines did not specify set thresholds for income, pension levels or language proficiency.

New Checks on Social Rules and Pensions

Under the new rules, candidates must also show “understanding” of Japan’s social rules. They will have to demonstrate expected pension benefits equivalent to those of a person who has paid into the pension insurance system for 30 years.

Chono, a 22-year-old university student who has lived in Japan for a decade, said he waited for more than five hours to submit his paperwork ahead of the fee change. He said he understood the concern that taking in too many foreigners could harm Japan’s culture, but argued that the country also needs immigrants to help address demographic pressures.

Immigration Debate Intensifies

Opposition to immigration has grown in Japan despite the country’s ageing population and labour shortages. Takaichi has framed the policy as a way to achieve “orderly coexistence” with foreign residents.

She said in a post on X on Sunday that as the number of foreign residents increases, the government faces anxiety and a sense of unfairness among some people. Her remarks reflected concerns that public programmes aimed at attracting international workers have contributed to unease.

Anti-immigration sentiment has spread online, with false claims circulating, including allegations that a significant portion of welfare payments in Japan go to foreigners and that foreigners make Japanese streets less safe. Experts and many business leaders have warned, however, that Japan needs more foreign workers to sustain its economy.

The Nikkei business daily said in a recent editorial that Japan should welcome more long-term settlement rather than treating foreign residents solely as temporary labour. It called for expanding Japanese-language education and improving how foreign workers are treated.

Wider Crackdown on Visas

The tightening of permanent residency rules follows other government efforts to restrict certain pathways for foreign nationals. Last year, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party pushed to tighten regulations for business manager visas, meaning entrepreneurs could have to leave Japan if they failed to meet the updated conditions.

Foreign residents often seek permanent residency to secure long-term stability and freedom of employment. Those without it can face barriers such as difficulty obtaining mortgages.

Still, the government said the changes may prevent some people from applying but should not immediately force anyone already in Japan to leave. In the debate over immigration, Chono said momentum for promoting cultural diversity had stalled and that it might not fully return.

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1 October 2026