New Japan Permanent Residency Requirements Could Mean Earning ¥479,000 A Month

Under proposed updates to Japan permanent residency requirements, foreign residents could soon face a monthly earning baseline of ¥479,000. Japan may soon require many permanent residency (PR) applicants to meet a household income benchmark. Many foreign residents—and even many Japanese people—do not meet it.

The proposed changes are part of a broader immigration policy overhaul under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s administration. As part of the overhaul, the Immigration Services Agency (ISA) is revising its Permanent Residency Permit Guidelines.

If implemented, the new rules would significantly change how many foreign residents qualify for permanent residency. Here’s what has been proposed, why people are reacting so strongly and what it could mean for you.

Note: This story is still developing. Anything could change. We will keep this post updated.

1. What’s Changing?
2. New Pension Requirement
3. Higher Fees and Changes for Spouses
4. How Foreign Residents Are Reacting
5. How Japanese People Are Reacting
6. What You Should Do Next

What’s Changing?

The proposed revisions introduce several new requirements that would be phased in over the next year.

A Household Income of ¥5.75 Million

Perhaps the biggest talking point is the proposed income requirement. It has also become one of the most controversial parts of the draft changes. Under the proposal, applicants would need to show a total household income of about ¥5.75 million per year (roughly ¥479,000 per month).

For comparison, the average annual salary for an individual worker in Japan is about ¥4.78 million (around ¥398,000 per month, including bonuses). More than half of Japanese households say they already find current economic conditions difficult.

For dual-income households, reaching ¥5.75 million is relatively straightforward. A couple earning ¥3 million each would qualify. Single applicants, however, face a much steeper challenge.

Those working in education, hospitality, or regional small businesses often earn between ¥2.5 million and ¥3.5 million a year. Without a partner’s income or significant assets, many would struggle to meet the proposed benchmark.

New Pension Requirement

The proposal would also require applicants to show their projected retirement income matches that of someone who contributed to Japan’s Employees’ Pension (Kosei Nenkin) for 30 years at that income level.

If an applicant falls short, they may be able to make up the difference with savings or other liquid assets held in Japan.

Supporters say the proposal measures long-term financial stability rather than current income alone. Critics argue it could unfairly disadvantage people who moved to Japan later in life or spent time outside the workforce.

Higher Fees and Changes for Spouses

Beginning October 1, 2026, the permanent residency application fee is expected to increase:

• Current fee: ¥10,000
• Proposed fee: ¥200,000

Your eyes aren’t wrong. That is indeed 20 times higher than before. The draft guidelines would also revise the fast-track route available to spouses of Japanese nationals.

Current eligibility

• Three years of marriage
• One year of residence in Japan

Proposed eligibility

• Five years of marriage
• Three years of residence in Japan

If approved, the broader pension evaluation system and other compliance measures are expected to take effect on April 1, 2027.

How Foreign Residents Are Reacting

Go onto subreddits r/japanresidents right now, and the mood is ranging from exhausted cynicism to existential dread. Between high earners reconsidering their future and long-term residents facing the realities of math, the community’s reaction spotlights several concerns.

Older Folks Need Not Apply

Foreign workers who moved to Japan in their 30s or 40s say the proposed pension requirement puts them in an impossible position. Many mid-career arrivals, including university professors and specialized professionals, simply don’t have enough working years left to match 30 years of Kosei Nenkin (Employees’ Pension) contributions.

Unless they earn an exceptionally high salary or have substantial savings, many feel the proposal effectively locks them out of permanent residency despite years of paying taxes.

• “It seems like PR is out of the question. At my age and with my income, I just can’t cut it. The 30-year pension contribution rule would mean I would need to expect to work until 70.”
  
• “On the one hand, countries have the right to set immigration standards, but on the other hand, that’s a pretty high income threshold for many people outside the Tokyo/Osaka economies… I’m quite concerned about some friends who are freelancers or small business owners…”

The Pension Paradox

For many foreign workers, strict PR requirements and limited pension refunds create a painful trap: keep paying into the system with no guarantee of permanent status, or leave Japan and surrender years of payroll contributions.

Under current rules, non-citizens who leave can claim a maximum of five years of lump-sum pension refunds (Datsuzei Ichijikin). Those who spend 10, 15 or 20 years in Japan risk losing decades of accumulated wealth without securing a path to settlement or retirement benefits.

“Why am I paying into the Japanese pension system if the rules are engineered to ensure I can’t stay long enough to collect it?”

The Visa ‘Gacha Game’

To apply for PR, applicants must already hold a maximum 3-year or 5-year visa for their category. However, visa length allocation often feels like an unpredictable lottery:

• “Japan’s PR system isn’t a legal process; it’s a gacha game. You can have a higher salary, pay every tax on the exact second it’s due, and immigration will still hand you a 1-year extension because the officer’s local fax machine jammed that morning.”

Revolving-Door of Essential Workers

Regional workers, English teachers and small-business owners point out that median salaries in cities like Osaka or Fukuoka sit closer to ¥370,000 a month. A rigid ¥479,000 baseline, critics warn, risks shutting out the essential foreign workforce keeping Japan’s logistics, elder care and schools running.

Still, there is a silver lining. Clearer rules are better than vague guesses.

Setting a ¥479,000 monthly benchmark completely ignores the reality of regional Japan. If you’re an English teacher or care worker in Fukuoka or Sendai making ¥350,000, you’re living comfortably and paying taxes, but under these guidelines, you’re effectively barred from permanent residency forever.

Misconception vs. Reality

Users also point out the dark irony of how conservative policy discussions frame immigrants versus how foreign residents actually operate:

The government is raising PR fees to ¥200,000 and locking out lower earners to catch freeloaders, yet foreign residents are the only demographic in the entire country who check their pension accounts monthly like hawks out of sheer existential terror.

Tech-Bros Getting Off Easy?

With rumblings that immigration will soon add Japanese language benchmarks (like N2/N1) or stricter integration checks:

• “They want us to pass N2, make ¥5.75M, have 30 years of projected pension history and pay ¥200k… while the Highly Skilled Professional (HSP) fast-track lets tech bros who can’t even read the hiragana on a Lawson bento box get PR in 12 months?”

How Japanese People Are Reacting

On the other side of internet commentary is the Yahoo! Japan News comments section (Yafukome), which is a bit like wading into The Never Ending Story’s Swamp of Sadness. But instead of causing emotional despair and apathy, it’s…actually, it’s exactly like wading into the Swamp of Sadness.

Regardless, Yahoo! Japan comments tend to lean hard right, representing the fringe end of Japan’s political spectrum.

Rookie Numbers

While expat forums reacted to the 20x fee increase with shock, domestic comments argued it should be far higher to serve as a strict financial filter.

• “The fundamental misconception that permanent residency is a right rather than something granted by the state is wrong… Considering the burden on welfare, healthcare, and education, much higher hurdles should be set.”
  
• “Some analyses suggest that an annual income of less than 8 million could become a net burden on public finances… Wouldn’t it be just right to set an annual income of 10 million or more as one of the criteria for permanent residency permits?”

‘Freeloadin’ Under The Rising Sun

A common recurring theme among Yahoo! Japan News comments is the belief that foreign residents seek permanent status specifically to exploit national health insurance and public welfare systems without lifelong contributions:

• “Every visa renewal should require an interview with the relevant officer… Each time, proof of tax and social security payments should be checked. Those who haven’t paid should be sent back to their home countries.”
  
• “It’s not permanent residency; it’s a permanent residency permit. Don’t get it wrong. Since it’s a permit, there needs to be a system in place to re-examine them every five years or so and immediately deport them if they are deemed unsuitable.”

Zero Administrative Excuses

Many commentators reject the idea that tax or pension slip-ups could be accidental or administrative oversights, arguing that managing basic obligations on time is the baseline requirement for holding permanent status.

• “If you can’t pay your taxes or social security contributions on time, you simply don’t meet the minimum standards to live here as a foreigner. Even if it was an oversight, if you can’t manage basic administrative tasks, you shouldn’t hold PR.”

No Long-Term Plan

Not all domestic feedback targets foreign residents—some Japanese commentators direct their frustration back at the government, criticizing the reforms as a superficial distraction from Japan’s severe labor shortages and economic decline.

• “The government keeps bringing in low-wage foreign labor without a long-term plan, and then tries to patch up public anger with strict PR revocation laws. It feels like a quick political fix rather than fixing our actual economic structural problems.”

Foreigners Speaking Up

Quite a few foreigners also weighed in, saying they’ve adapted to Japanese culture and society like anyone else and don’t appreciate being lumped together with those who cause problems. Considering they are engaging with commenters on Yahoo! Japan, I believe them.

• “I am married to a Japanese man and have lived here for years… Most foreign residents want to pay their taxes properly, but administrative errors or changing jobs can cause unexpected gaps. Treating every delay as grounds for deportation creates constant anxiety for families.”
  
• “Coming from Venezuela, I came to Japan legally, [worked hard and paid] into the system… Blanketing all foreign residents as tax dodgers ignores those of us who came here to contribute and build a stable life.”

What You Should Do Next

If these proposed changes have you worried, don’t panic just yet. They’re still draft guidelines, and Japan’s policy process often includes revisions, exceptions, or transition periods before new rules take effect.

Rather than stressing over the worst-case scenario, here are a few practical steps you can take now:

• Review your finances: If your income falls below the proposed benchmark, your savings and other assets may carry more weight. Check your tax certificates (Nozei Shomeisho) and pension records (Nenkin Net) to make sure every payment was made on time. Resolve any gaps or missed deadlines before you apply.
  
• Consider professional help: An immigration administrative scrivener (Gyoseishoshi) can spot potential issues before you submit your application. Demand has surged, however, so contact one sooner rather than later if you plan to use their services.
  
• Make your voice heard: The government publishes draft guidelines to gather public feedback. Public comments submitted through e-Gov have influenced immigration policy in the past.
  
• Apply sooner rather than later: If you already meet the current requirements, consider applying before October 1, 2026. Doing so could help you avoid the proposed fee increase and apply under the existing rules.
  
• Consider a career change: If your current salary falls well below the proposed income benchmark, it may be worth looking for higher-paying opportunities. You can browse the latest openings on GaijinPot Jobs to see what’s available.

What do you think about Japan’s new permanent residency requirements? Will you be affected? Do you still plan on staying in Japan long-term? Let us know in the comments below.