Japan moves to tighten rules for foreigners, throwing futures into doubt

Japan is tightening the path to permanent residency by introducing income, language and pension-asset thresholds that take effect in phases from October 1 and will be applied retroactively to applications filed since April. Applicants must show household earnings above the national average, demonstrate Japanese-language ability and hold a pension pot equal to 30 years of payouts. The Immigration Services frames the changes as ensuring foreigners “live independently” and avoid becoming a fiscal burden. Long-term residents interviewed say the rules threaten settled lives: a Bangladeshi engineer is preparing to look abroad if his applications fail, and an American in the entertainment industry fears she may have to renounce US citizenship to naturalize if denied residency.

The policy shift comes amid a rightward turn in politics and rising anti-immigrant sentiment. An economist warns the government’s selective, conditional approach clashes with acute labour shortages as Japan’s foreign-born population reached 4.12 million (about 3 percent) at the end of 2025 while Japanese nationals fell by over 900,000 between 2025 and 2026. Political signals include Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s remarks on cultural fit, a coalition pact with the Japan Innovation Party and gains by the far-right Sanseito party. Public opposition to accepting more foreigners has jumped from 35.6 percent in 2024 to 56.3 percent, and many residents report growing discrimination, undermining Japan’s appeal to skilled migrants.