{
  "id": 11077939,
  "title": "Japan tightens rules for foreigners wanting permanent residency",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/japan-tightens-rules-for-foreigners-wanting-permanent-residency-11077939",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T01:13:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Malaysia Today",
    "slug": "free-malaysia-today",
    "url": "https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/world/2026/10/01/japan-tightens-rules-for-foreigners-wanting-permanent-residency"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Japan has tightened the rules for foreigners seeking permanent residency, as part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's efforts to tighten immigration controls, to address concerns over a rapidly aging population and labor shortages.\n\nForeign residents will now need to demonstrate an annual income above the average and prove they can hold basic conversations in Japanese. Application fees will also increase 20-fold from Thursday, causing long lines at immigration offices across the country.\n\nAmerican university student Yujie Chono, who was among those waiting in line for five hours, expressed concern about Japan's declining birth rate and aging population, emphasizing the need for foreign workers to sustain the economy.\n\nDespite the country's labor shortages and the need for foreign workers, opposition to immigration is growing. Takaichi acknowledged the anxiety and sense of unfairness among some citizens, but she remains committed to promoting \"orderly coexistence\" with foreign nationals.\n\nWhile programs to attract international workers have raised concerns on social media, experts and business leaders warn that Japan must accept more foreigners to maintain its economic stability. The Nikkei business daily recently argued that Japan should go beyond viewing foreigners as temporary laborers and focus on their long-term settlement by improving Japanese-language education and treatment.",
  "summary": "Under new rules taking effect in stages, foreign residents must prove above-average annual income and can carry casual conversations in Japanese.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 4,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Japan tightens rules for foreigners wanting permanent residency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/japan-tightens-rules-for-foreigners-wanting-permanent-residency-11083754",
        "published": "2026-10-01T01:13:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Japan tightens rules for foreigners wanting permanent residency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/japan-tightens-rules-for-foreigners-wanting-permanent-residency",
        "published": "2026-10-01T01:16:21.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Mainichi",
        "title": "Japan toughens guidelines for granting permanent residency",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/japan-toughens-guidelines-for-granting-permanent-residency",
        "published": "2026-10-01T02:00:11.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}