Living and working in Japan indefinitely is now twenty times more expensive

Japan has implemented a significant increase in visa and residency application costs, with fees for some permits rising twenty-fold to 200,000 yen. Alongside the price hikes, authorities have introduced stricter financial requirements, mandating that applicants prove they possess a stable income comparable to the national average and hold pension assets equivalent to thirty years of contributions. Starting next April, proficiency in the Japanese language will also become a mandatory requirement for applicants, leading to a surge in interest for language courses. Existing fees for extending or modifying residency statuses have also seen increases. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi introduced these measures amid rising anti-immigration sentiment and concerns regarding social security and public safety as the foreign population in Japan continues to grow. These policy shifts occur while the nation simultaneously grapples with a rapidly aging demographic and a shrinking labor force, creating significant economic pressure on the country's social welfare systems.