If you were planning to apply for Japanese permanent residency “someday,” someday just got more expensive and harder to pass. On October 1, 2026, Japan began applying tougher permanent residency (PR) screening under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s immigration-control agenda: the application fee rose twentyfold to ¥200,000, and applicants must show above-average income, pension records equal to 30 years of contributions, and the ability to hold casual conversations in Japanese. Reports of a rush at Tokyo immigration offices before the deadline suggest plenty of people saw this coming. Here is what is confirmed, what is only reported, and how to prepare.
📋 Quick Navigation: What is confirmed · What is only reported · How to prepare · Why PR is not permanent · FAQ
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See TIFE Events →What is confirmed (reported consistently by major outlets)
- Start date: October 1, 2026, with the changes rolling out in stages rather than all at once.
- Fee: ¥200,000 per application, up from ¥10,000. See our guide to the full residence permit fee schedule for the other fees that changed the same day.
- Income: applicants must show annual income above the average.
- Pension: applicants must show pension benefits equivalent to 30 years of insurance contributions.
- Japanese ability: applicants must be able to carry casual conversations in Japanese and show an understanding of Japan’s social rules.
Takaichi framed the policy around “orderly coexistence,” saying the government faces the fact that some citizens feel anxiety and a sense of unfairness as the number of foreign residents grows. Business leaders and the Nikkei editorial board have argued the opposite direction would suit Japan’s labor shortage better, so expect the debate to continue.
What is only reported (treat as unconfirmed)
Some details appear in only one outlet we found, or conflict between outlets, so do not budget around them yet:
- An exact income number. Tokyo Weekender reports a threshold of over ¥4.5 million a year for single applicants (up from roughly ¥3 million), but Japan Today says specific thresholds have not been finalized. Until the Immigration Services Agency publishes the figure, assume “above average” is the only rule you can rely on.
- Spousal routes. Tokyo Weekender reports the marriage requirement rising from 3 to 5 years and the required residency from 1 to 3 years. We could not confirm this from a second source.
- Integration programs. Tokyo Weekender also reports applicants must complete programs showing understanding of Japanese civil law, culture and community rules. Ask your immigration office how this is evidenced.
⚠️ Do not file on a guess
A ¥200,000 application is not the place to find out the rules the hard way. Before you file, ask your local immigration office or a gyoseishoshi (administrative scrivener) to confirm the current checklist for your visa category.
How to prepare (practical steps, not official rules)
- Pull your pension record now. The 30-year equivalence test makes gaps in Employees’ Pension or National Pension payments a problem. Check your contribution history on the Nenkin Net portal or with your pension office, and fix unpaid months before you apply.
- Tidy your tax and insurance payments. Late or unpaid resident tax, income tax or health insurance premiums are the easiest way to sink an application.
- Document your income. Collect several years of withholding slips or tax certificates so you can show income against the national average.
- Plan your Japanese evidence. Casual conversation ability is vague on paper; decide how you will show it, and ask the office what they accept.
- Budget ¥200,000. The fee is per application, so a family applying separately multiplies the cost.
💬 Make Tokyo feel like home while you wait
Casual Japanese conversation is now part of PR screening. TIFE language exchanges and social events are a low-pressure way to practice with locals.
Become a TIFE Member →Why PR is not permanent
Tokyo Weekender also reports the government will strengthen penalties for residents who fail to pay taxes, pension contributions or health insurance premiums, potentially including revocation of permanent residency. Our guide to PR revocation in 2026 explains the existing rules, and our PR language requirement guide covers the Japanese-ability side in more depth.
Japan permanent residency 2026 FAQ
When did Japan’s new permanent residency rules start? October 1, 2026, with the changes rolling out in stages.
How much does a permanent residency application cost now? The application fee is ¥200,000, up from ¥10,000.
What income do I need for Japanese permanent residency? Applicants must show annual income above the average. One outlet reports a figure of over ¥4.5 million for single applicants, but exact thresholds have not been confirmed.
What is the pension requirement? Applicants must show pension benefits equivalent to 30 years of insurance contributions.
Do I need to speak Japanese to get permanent residency? Yes. Applicants must be able to carry casual conversations in Japanese and show an understanding of Japanese social rules.
Can permanent residency be taken away? Yes. PR can be revoked in certain cases, and reports say penalties for unpaid taxes, pension contributions and health insurance premiums are being strengthened.
Quick reference
- Start date: October 1, 2026 (staged rollout)
- Fee: ¥200,000 (was ¥10,000)
- Tests: above-average income, 30-year pension equivalence, casual Japanese, social-rules understanding
- Unconfirmed: exact income figure, spousal period changes, integration programs
- Related: Japan Immigration Fees 2026 Bill Passed | Japan Work Visa 2026 guide | Moving to Japan — TIFE Community Hub
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