Japan adopts ordinance to raise foreign nationals’ residency fees from October

What it is about

Who published it, and when

How it spread - 26 original reports

1. Tue, 25 August 2026

   1 report
   • Japan Times04:19first to report
     Japan adopts ordinance to raise foreign nationals’ residency fees from October

     The fee hikes were included in the revised immigration control and refugee recognition law enacted in May.

2. Mon, 7 September 2026

   1 report
   • South China Morning Post21:30
     Japan must reckon with how it views foreign workers

     Japan will substantially raise its fees for residence permits next month. Depending on the period of stay applied for, renewing or changing one’s residency status could cost as much as ¥75,000 (US$480). The application fee for permanent residency will rise to ¥200,000 from ¥10,000. The government is also tightening the requirements for permanent residency. Applicants are already expected to be able to support themselves. New criteria proposed include an above-average household income,...

3. Fri, 11 September 2026

   1 report
   • newsonjapan.com20:30
     China Raises Visa Fees for Japanese Travelers Sevenfold

     China will sharply raise visa fees for Japanese nationals entering the country from September 14, with the cost of a single-entry visa increasing to 16,750 yen, about 7.4 times the current level.

4. Sat, 12 September 2026

   2 reports
   • bne IntelliNews00:08
     China ups visa fees sevenfold for Japanese nationals

     Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press briefing on September 11 that the adjustment had been made in line with the principle of reciprocity.

   • Japan Times02:05
     China to raise visa fees sevenfold for Japanese visitors

     The decision came after Japan introduced higher visa fees for foreign nationals in July.

5. Tue, 15 September 2026

   1 report
   • Japan Times22:00
     Amid Japan’s immigration squeeze, foreign residents ask: Should we stay?

     Tighter visa rules and a weak yen have many foreign nationals pondering whether it's time to leave their adopted country.

6. Fri, 25 September 2026

   1 report
   • Al Jazeera English05:59
     Japan moves to tighten rules for foreigners, throwing futures into doubt

     Tokyo is raising the bar for permanent residency amid a broader rightward shift in the Asian nation's politics.

7. Mon, 28 September 2026

   1 report
   • Japan Times05:18
     Tokyo immigration bureau swamped ahead of residency fee hikes

     Visa applicants faced waits of over seven hours at the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau, just days before permanent residency fees rise twentyfold.

8. Tue, 29 September 2026

   1 report
   • Japan Times05:30
     Japan’s Specified Skilled Worker visa holders rise to record numbers

     The number of foreign workers in the country on the visa reached a total 444,256 at the end of June, up 13.8% from six months earlier.

9. Wed, 30 September 2026

   3 reports
   • Bloomberg Politics09:13
     Foreigners in Japan on Skilled Worker Visa Hit Record High

     The number of foreign nationals in Japan working under a government program aimed at stemming staff shortages in certain sectors hit a record high, according to data released by the government on Tuesday.

   • Japan Times15:15
     Japan officially overhauls permanent residency rules

     The country finalized sweeping rule changes for its most coveted immigration status on Thursday, including higher income and language requirements.

   • Google News - Top Stories22:56
     Japan officially overhauls permanent residency rules

     Japan officially overhauls permanent residency rules The Japan Times Japan raises permanent residency fees for foreign nationals by twenty-fold BBC Japan Raises Residency Fees 2,000 Percent Amid ‘Anxiety’ Over Foreigners The New York Times Japan’s Takaichi Touts Sweeping Changes in Immigration Rules Bloomberg.com Japan toughens guidelines for granting permanent residency Japan Wire by Kyodo News

10. Thu, 1 October 2026

    7 reports
    • Channel News Asia01:16
      Japan tightens rules for foreigners wanting permanent residency
    • BBC News World02:11
      Japan raises permanent residency fee by 20 times

      The hikes are part of immigration policy changes introduced to manage Japan's growing foreign population.

    • Euronews04:31
      Japan's Sanae Takaichi announces new tightened measures for foreigners seeking permanent residency

      The measures come as the country’s conservative leader Sanae Takaichi looks to deliver on election promises, which were spearheaded by vast immigration reforms, in her historic supermajority election victory in February.

    • NYT World04:39
      Japan Raises Residency Fees 2,000 Percent Amid ‘Anxiety’ Over Foreigners

      Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is making it harder for immigrants to stay in the country. Critics say she is hurting Japan’s ability to address labor shortages.

    • Google News - Top Stories04:39
      Japan Raises Residency Fees 2,000 Percent Amid ‘Anxiety’ Over Foreigners

      Japan Raises Residency Fees 2,000 Percent Amid ‘Anxiety’ Over Foreigners The New York Times Japan raises permanent residency fees for foreigners by 20 times bbc.com Japan raises permanent residency fee 20-fold as foreign population hits record The Times of India Japan officially overhauls permanent residency rules The Japan Times Takaichi tightens rules for foreigners seeking permanent residency euronews.com

    • Index.hr (Croatia)04:48
      Japan dvadesetostruko povećao naknadu za boravak strancima. Moraju i učiti jezik

      JAPAN je dvadesetostruko povećao naknadu za stalni boravak za strance i uveo strože kriterije za prihode, mirovinu i poznavanje jezika.

    • Google News - Top Stories10:02
      Takaichi tightens rules for foreigners seeking permanent residency - euronews.com

      Takaichi tightens rules for foreigners seeking permanent residency euronews.com Japan Raises Residency Fees 2,000 Percent Amid ‘Anxiety’ Over Foreigners The New York Times Japan officially overhauls permanent residency rules The Japan Times Japan’s Takaichi Touts Sweeping Changes in Immigration Rules Bloomberg.com Japan raises permanent residency fees for foreigners by 20 times bbc.com

11. Fri, 2 October 2026

    1 report
    • France Info (France)05:10
      Le Japon durcit ses règles pour les étrangers… tout en cherchant désespérément de la main-d’œuvre

      Résider et travailler au Japon va désormais coûter beaucoup plus cher aux étrangers. Un durcissement paradoxal alors que le pays, confronté au déclin démographique, manque fortement de travailleurs.

12. Sat, 3 October 2026

    1 report
    • South China Morning Post04:00
      No more welcome mat? Japan’s tough visa rules spur foreign businesses to look elsewhere

      Five years ago, Sarah and her husband were optimistic about Japan’s economic future and were expanding their small businesses across several sectors. Today, that optimism has been replaced by concern over a sense of hostility towards two hard-working foreigners who feel they have contributed to the society that they have worked hard to fit into. New regulations that took effect on Thursday mean the two Britons, who have been in Japan for more than 10 years, now face significantly higher costs...

13. Wed, 7 October 2026

    1 report
    • Japan Times03:01
      Japan’s real wages rise again, aided by Takaichi’s relief

      Real cash earnings — adjusted for inflation, excluding rents — climbed 1.5% in August from a year earlier, the labor ministry said.

14. Thu, 8 October 2026

    1 report
    • Japan Times05:27
      The West wants newcomers on its own terms. So does Japan.

      Japan and other wealthy countries are increasingly selecting foreign workers while making permanent settlement more difficult.

15. Sun, 11 October 2026

    1 report
    • Japan Times09:00edited after publishing
      The do’s and don’ts when applying for permanent residency in Japan

      previouslyThe do’s, don’ts and pitfalls when applying for permanent residency in Japan

      What to know about income requirements, pension payments and the all-important statement of reasons.

16. Tue, 13 October 2026

    1 report
    • Japan Times07:41
      Takaichi to finalize Japan’s foreign resident policy by March

      The policy will consider future population projections, as the country seeks to balance a reliance on foreign workers with a shrinking population.

17. Fri, 16 October 2026

    1 report
    • ibtimes.com15:09
      Japan survey records 9.6-point drop in foreign home-care worker concerns

      The NTT survey finds Japanese-language ability ranks highest for reassurance as Japan expands foreign workers' access to home-based care.