Visa Applications, Naturalization and International Services

“Japan’s immigration rules are changing, and screening is becoming stricter. We protect your ‘life in Japan’ with a carefully considered strategy.”

Japan’s rules on residency status and nationality are changing significantly right now.

◆Permanent Residence

Under the 2024 revision of the Immigration Control Act, from April 1, 2027, failure to comply with obligations under the Act, or intentional non-payment of public dues such as taxes, pension contributions and health insurance premiums, will become grounds for revoking permanent resident status. Ahead of this, the Immigration Services Agency revised its “Guidelines on Permission for Permanent Residence” on October 1, 2026. The revised guidelines apply in full to applications filed on or after April 1, 2027, but the income-related considerations apply earlier, including to applications already under review. The main points are as follows:

• Whether household income has continuously reached a level above the average income of Japanese households of the same size
• The projected future pension benefit (the benchmark being the amount equivalent to 30 years of Employees’ Pension Insurance enrollment; financial assets may be taken into account to cover a shortfall)
• Japanese language ability at CEFR B1 level or above, understanding of Japan’s systems and rules, and the school attendance of school-age children
• Long absences from Japan without reasonable grounds (a single absence of six months or more, or a total of two years and six months or more within the past ten years) are, in principle, evaluated negatively
• The special provision for spouses of Japanese nationals and permanent residents has been revised to “marriage of five years or more and residence in Japan of three years or more”

◆Naturalization

The residence requirement in the Nationality Act (“continuously residing in Japan for five years or more”) has not changed. However, since April 1, 2026, the Ministry of Justice has applied stricter screening practices. In judging whether an applicant has “integrated into Japanese society,” a residence of ten years or more is now required in principle, and payment records are checked for the past five years for taxes (such as resident tax) and for the past two years for social insurance premiums. These practices are applied with consistency with permanent residence screening in mind, so careful advance review of tax, pension and health insurance payments and of your residence history is more important than ever.

◆Residence Procedure Fees

Fees have been significantly revised for applications accepted on or after October 1, 2026. The fee for permission for permanent residence has risen from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen. The fee for change of status or extension of period of stay, previously a flat 6,000 yen, now ranges from 10,000 yen to 75,000 yen (for over-the-counter applications), depending on the period of stay granted.

◆Business Manager

Since October 16, 2025, applicants have been required to have capital of 30 million yen or more, to employ at least one full-time employee, to meet a Japanese language requirement (B2 level), and to have their business plan reviewed by a qualified professional, among other requirements.

◆Employment for Skill Development and Specified Skilled Workers

The new Employment for Skill Development (Ikusei Shuro) system, which replaces the Technical Intern Training Program, will start on April 1, 2027.

Because of these changes, there are more and more cases where the expectation that “this would have been approved under the old standards” no longer holds true. Our office keeps track of the latest laws, guidelines and screening practices, checks your income, pension, tax payments and residence history in advance, and proposes an application timing and preparation plan suited to each individual.

◆Support for Foreign Entrepreneurs

To help you realize your dreams in Japan.

For entrepreneurs who want to start a business in Japan: the October 2025 revision made the requirements for the Business Manager status much stricter, including capital of 30 million yen or more, the employment of full-time staff, Japanese language ability, and professional review of the business plan. From company establishment and business plan preparation through to application and renewal, we build a residency strategy suited to each stage of your business.

◆Support for Employing Specified Skilled Workers

Support for companies facing labor shortages, from application to post-arrival support.

We support your hiring of Specified Skilled Workers, from the application procedures through to support after acceptance. On April 1, 2027, the Employment for Skill Development system will begin, marking a major shift from the Technical Intern Training Program. We are also happy to advise on medium- to long-term workforce planning that takes the transition to Specified Skilled Worker status into account.

◆Support for Family Stay and Long-Term Residency

Giving solid form to your “family bonds” in Japan.

In addition to Dependent visa and Long-Term Resident visa applications, we help you prepare for future permanent residence and naturalization. For permanent residence, household income, pension, tax payments, Japanese language ability and absences from Japan are now checked in concrete terms; for naturalization, the length of your residence and your record of tax and social insurance payments are. We will give you a realistic outlook based on your family’s circumstances and advise you on when to apply.

◆Comprehensive Support for Global Talent

Bringing out your full potential across borders.

We provide specialized support for all types of visa applications, including Work visas, Student visas and Highly Skilled Professional visas. We also offer long-term career planning advice with an eye toward permanent residence and naturalization, including your period of stay, income, enrollment in pension and social insurance, tax payments, and management of your absences from Japan.

◆A Commitment to Speed and Care

We listen carefully to your situation and propose solutions that reflect laws and screening practices as they are updated. Because the standards and fees that apply depend on when you file, we recommend consulting us early.

The content of this text is based on publicly available information as of October 2026. The timing of implementation and the actual operation may change in the future, so we will provide the latest information when you consult with us individually.