Japan Significantly Increases Residency Fees and Requirements for Foreign Nationals

Japan has implemented a substantial increase in fees for foreign nationals seeking to reside in the country, including a twenty-fold rise in the cost for permanent residency to 200,000 yen ($1,270; £955). These changes, which took effect on October 1, are part of broader immigration policy adjustments under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, designed to manage the nation's rapidly expanding foreign population.

Alongside the increased fees, applicants for permanent residency must now meet new requirements related to income, pension contributions, and Japanese language proficiency. The income threshold has been set at or above the Japanese average, which was 5.75 million yen for households as of 2024. Tighter requirements, including basic Japanese language proficiency, are set to be introduced from April of next year. Applicants' expected pension benefits must also be equivalent to those of someone who has contributed to the employee pension system for 30 years, though financial assets can be considered to offset any shortfall.

Before the recent adjustments, the cost for non-permanent residents to apply for status changes or extensions was 6,000 yen per application. The new fee structure, varying by the duration of stay sought, ranges from 10,000 yen for stays of three months or less to 75,000 yen for stays of five years or more. Provisions for discounts exist for applicants facing financial hardship or those designated as refugees.

The fee increases follow a five-fold hike in visa fees for all foreigners implemented in July, the first such increase in 50 years, which authorities attributed to inflation and exchange rate fluctuations. These policy shifts occur as Japan grapples with an aging population and a growing reliance on foreign labor to address labor shortages.

Japan's foreign resident population reached a record high of over 4.12 million at the end of 2025, a 9.5% increase from the previous year. This growth has reportedly fueled public anxieties regarding immigration and social changes. Prime Minister Takaichi has prioritized managing immigration since taking office in October of the previous year. She acknowledged in a social media post that the government recognizes potential public concerns about fairness and security as the foreign resident population expands, and stated that policies are being developed to ensure an orderly system for both Japanese citizens and foreign residents.

Anticipating the stricter requirements, particularly for language proficiency, there has been a notable surge in enrollment at Japanese language schools and sign-ups for the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, according to local media reports. Long queues were observed outside immigration offices earlier this week, with some applicants attempting to submit their applications before the fee hikes took effect, leading to wait times exceeding seven hours at Tokyo's main immigration bureau.