Japan Immigration News

Japan Continues Cracking Down on Foreigners, for Some Reason

Release Date: 2025-12-08
Media: Unseen Japan
Summary: The article argues that Japan is tightening restrictions on foreign residents and foreign investment despite facing far more urgent challenges such as rising prices, labor shortages, and population decline. The government is considering new measures to track the citizenship of all property buyers, potentially leading to higher taxes and stricter rules on foreign-owned real estate, driven partly by nationalist fears rather than clear evidence of harm.

At the same time, Japan is moving to make immigration more difficult by raising visa and permanent residency fees, tightening conditions for permanent residence, extending the path to naturalization, and more strictly penalizing foreign residents who fall behind on health insurance or pension payments. These steps come even as foreign residents make up only about 3% of the population, though some areas exceed 10%, and as businesses struggle severely with labor shortages.

The article frames these policies as populist responses to growing public anxiety about tourism and immigration, fueled by media coverage and right-wing rhetoric, rather than data-driven solutions. It warns that portraying immigrants as suspect risks deterring much-needed foreign workers, weakening businesses, and undermining Japan’s long-term economic stability, even if such tough stances currently boost political approval ratings.
Tags: Immigration Policy

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