Japan's 20-fold residency fee rise takes effect as immigration queues swell

Japan’s steep increase in residency fees took effect on Thursday, Oct. 1, alongside tougher requirements for foreigners seeking permanent residency, as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pushes tighter immigration controls (CNA).

The permission fee for permanent residency soars 20-fold from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen (about $1,275), with the fee payable if permission is granted; the revised law raises the legal cap to 300,000 yen (CNA; GaijinPot). Fees for renewing or changing residence status rise from a flat 6,000 yen to a tiered scale of 10,000 to 75,000 yen depending on the period of stay granted — a five-year stay costs 75,000 yen at the counter (GaijinPot).

Under the new rules, permanent-residency applicants must show an annual income above the average for comparable Japanese households, be able to carry a casual conversation in Japanese, and demonstrate pension savings equivalent to 30 years of payments (CNA; Newswav).

Hundreds of foreign residents queued at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau in Minato Ward this week to file paperwork before the price spike, with some facing waits of more than seven hours (CNA; Newswav).

Takaichi wrote on X that the overhaul aims for “orderly coexistence” with foreign nationals, acknowledging citizens feel “anxiety and a sense of unfairness” over rising foreign residents (CNA). A University of Tokyo survey found 56.3% of respondents oppose accepting more foreigners, up from 35.6% in 2024, while a Mainichi poll found 71% back Takaichi’s tightening drive (Newswav).