Sanae Takaichi says "may feel a sense of concern" about new residency fees

The Japanese government has increased the cost of obtaining long‑term residence status for non‑citizens, raising the fee to roughly 200,000 yen and adding requirements for income, pension contributions and basic Japanese language ability. The change, announced by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as part of a broader overhaul of immigration rules, follows a recent five‑fold rise in visa charges and is intended to manage the country’s expanding foreign‑resident population, which reached a record 4.12 million at the end of 2025. Applicants now face longer queues at immigration offices, higher fees for status changes ranging from 10,000 to 75,000 yen, and stricter financial thresholds tied to the national average household income. The policy has prompted criticism from some foreign workers and a surge in enrollment in language courses.