Overview
- The government has signalled it will revise permanent residency guidelines to tighten eligibility by adding explicit income, pension and integration tests that applicants must meet.
- Under the reported plan applicants would need annual incomes above the Japanese household average and projected pension benefits equal to 30 years of employees' pension coverage, with shortfalls payable by savings or other assets.
- The proposals would make language ability and knowledge of Japan's rules a formal factor when deciding whether residency is in Japan's 'best interests'.
- Spousal routes would face higher hurdles under the plan, with marriage and residency minimums reported to rise from three years' marriage and one year residency to five years' marriage and three years' residency.
- Officials plan to issue the revised guidelines on Oct. 1 and, in principle, apply them to applications filed from April 2027 as part of a broader tightening of naturalisation and residency screening under the current administration.