Japan drastically tightens conditions for obtaining permanent residence

You will now have to pay the “modest” sum of 200,000 yen, or around 1,130 euros, compared to 10,000 yen so far, to become a resident of Japan. According to the BBC, Tokyo announced this Thursday, October 1, that it would tighten its conditions for obtaining a permanent residence permit. A decision which is part of the country's objective of limiting immigration in the face of the increase in the number of foreign inhabitants. In one year, the foreign population residing in Japan increased by 9.5%, reaching 4.12 million people according to the Japan Immigration Services Agency.

The fight against immigration, Takaichi’s priority

Faced with these figures, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi decided to tighten the country's migration policy. The Japanese government has not only increased permanent residency fees twenty-fold. He also noted those for requests for change of status and extension of stay. Until now, foreigners without permanent residence paid a single rate of 6,000 yen (around 34 euros), regardless of the duration requested. Since October 1, the amount depends on this duration: from 10,000 yen (around 56 euros) for a stay of three months or less, up to 75,000 yen (around 423 euros) for five years or more.

Candidates for permanent residence must also meet new conditions. They must demonstrate an income higher than the average for Japanese households, which is around 7.85 million yen per year, or 44,000 euros according to the official statistical body of the Japanese government. From April 2027, they will also have to have a sufficient retirement pension and a required level of Japanese, as reported by the media The Japan Times. In July, the Empire of the Rising Sun had already made the decision to quintuple the cost of a simple entry visa to the territory. The first revision in almost 50 years, which clearly illustrates the authorities' desire to curb the arrival of foreigners.

Since taking office almost a year ago, Sanae Takaichi has decided to take up the issue of immigration. “To address these concerns, [the government] strives to ensure that its policies towards foreign nationals are orderly and that Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely,” wrote the head of government in a message published a few days ago on the social network X.