Japan has significantly increased the cost and requirements for foreign nationals seeking to reside in the country, implementing a 20-fold hike in the permanent residency fee.

• The permanent residency fee has risen to 200,000 yen (approximately $1,270 USD).
• New requirements include meeting Japanese-language proficiency, income, and pension standards, overseen by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
• The changes follow a five-fold increase in visa fees earlier this year and come amid growing anxieties about Japan's rapidly increasing foreign population, which surpassed 4.12 million in 2025.