Fee increases and application surge

Japan raised its application fee for permanent residency from 6,000 yen to 200,000 yen ($1,271) on 1 October 2026, a twentyfold increase. The reform also restructured fees for renewing temporary residence permits, which previously carried a uniform charge of 6,000 yen. Under the new tiered schedule, renewals cost 10,000 yen for durations of three months or less, rising to 75,000 yen for permits of five years or more. Discounts are established for applicants facing financial hardship or recognized as refugees. In the days preceding the price adjustments, long lines formed outside immigration centers nationwide, with waiting times exceeding seven hours at the main immigration bureau in Tokyo.

Stricter economic and language criteria

Alongside the revised fee schedule, the government introduced restrictive eligibility standards for applicants seeking permanent status. Candidates must now prove stable earnings at or above the national average, which official data recorded at 5.75 million yen per household in 2024. For families, the calculation requires total household income to exceed that of an average Japanese household of identical size. Applicants must also show that their future pension entitlements match those of a Japanese citizen with 30 years of contributions, or supply sufficient financial assets to cover the shortfall. In addition to economic benchmarks, mandatory Japanese language testing will take effect in April 2027.

There are citizens who feel anxiety and a sense of unfairness.

Visa overhaul and political background

The measures form part of a broader regulatory overhaul led by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who took office in October 2025. In July 2026, the government raised general visa fees fivefold in the first adjustment in 50 years, increased certain tourist visa costs by over 400%, and raised capital requirements for business manager visas from $31,000 to $188,000. These policy adjustments followed electoral gains by the right-wing Sanseito party, which won 14 seats in upper house elections under a "Japanese first" platform. Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Taku Yamazoe argued that Takaichi was exploiting domestic anxieties rather than addressing structural problems.

To address these concerns, the government is working to ensure that its policies toward foreign nationals are well organized and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents have a safe and secure life.

Demographic pressures and labor shortages

The new barriers arrive as Japan contends with persistent demographic decline. Between 2020 and 2025, Japan's population fell by more than three million people, leaving multiple economic sectors dependent on overseas labor. The foreign resident population reached 4.12 million at the end of 2025, an increase of 9.5% over the previous year fueled by a weak yen and business recruitment to fill vacancies. The elevated income thresholds present severe obstacles for approximately three million temporary permit holders, particularly workers from Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Nepal who occupy lower-wage roles across the country.