Needs review: Approval, visa/tax/legal, availability, and campaign terms are not guaranteed. Confirm on the official or partner page.
¥30 million
At least one full-time employee who is a Japanese national or permanent resident
JLPT N2 or equivalent Japanese proficiency (by the applicant or a full-time employee)
A master's degree or 3+ years of verifiable management experience
A certified business plan
Japan Times reported a significant drop in Business Manager visa applications following the announcement. An estimated 96% of existing visa holder companies do not meet the ¥30M capital threshold.
If you hold a Business Manager visa: Confirm your company's capital status and renewal requirements with an immigration attorney before your next renewal. The full implications of the new criteria are still being worked out in practice.
Sources: KPMG Flash Alert 2025-195; Japan Times (May 2026)
2. Permanent Residency — 5-Year Visa Now Required
Effective: February 24, 2026
The ISA revised its permanent residency screening guidelines. Key changes:
Applicants must hold a 5-year visa (previously a 3-year visa was often accepted) at the time of application
Payment dates are now examined, not just totals — pension or tax payments settled after the original due date count as negatively evaluated, even if the balance was eventually cleared
ISA cross-references data with the National Tax Agency and Japan Pension Service
Transition provision: Those already holding a 3-year visa as of March 31, 2027 may still apply under previous screening practices. Check with an immigration attorney.
Sources: ISA guideline revision Feb 24, 2026; visajapan.jp
3. Naturalization — General Track Now Requires ~10 Years
Effective: April 1, 2026 (applies to decisions issued on or after this date)
The Ministry of Justice tightened administrative screening standards for naturalization (帰化). The general residency track now typically requires:
Approximately 10 years of continuous residence (was 5 years)
5 years of tax records (was 1 year)
2 years of social insurance payment records (was 1 year)
Note: This is a revision to internal screening standards, not to the Nationality Act itself. Special tracks — including the married-to-Japanese-national track (with a 3-year residence minimum) — retain their shorter pathways. The change primarily affects single foreign nationals without Japanese ties seeking naturalization on the standard track.
Sources: MOJ announcement March 27, 2026; english.visajapan.jp
4. Divorce — Joint Custody Now Available
Effective: April 1, 2026
Japan's Civil Code was revised for the first time in postwar history to allow joint parental authority (共同親権) after divorce. Previously, only sole custody was available.
Divorcing couples can choose joint or sole custody by mutual agreement
If no agreement, family court decides based on the "best interests of the child"
Courts must award sole custody in cases involving domestic violence or harm to the child
Retroactive petitions (for pre-April 2026 divorces) are allowed
Foreign nationals are eligible — the law contains no nationality restrictions.
Sources: Japan Times (March 2026); Library of Congress Global Legal Monitor
5. Driver's License Conversion — 50-Question Written Test
Effective: October 1, 2025
Converting a foreign driver's license to a Japanese one is now significantly harder:
Written test expanded from 10 true/false questions to 50 questions (no illustrations)
Passing score: 90% (45/50 correct required)
Written test pass rate dropped from ~93% to approximately 43% in the first months after the change
Practical test pass rate: approximately 13%
New requirement: A 住民票 (Certificate of Residence) is now mandatory — tourists and short-term visitors can no longer convert a foreign license
Tip: Study Japan's road rules thoroughly before attempting the test. The new format covers edge-case situations and requires genuine knowledge of Japanese traffic law.
Sources: National Police Agency (NPA) official PDF; Japan Today (pass-rate data)
6. Visa & PR Application Fees — New Ceilings Passed Into Law
Law passed: May 29, 2026 | Actual fee amounts: pending Cabinet Order
Japan's parliament passed a revision to the Immigration Control Act raising the statutory fee ceilings:
Fee type
Old ceiling
New ceiling
Status of residence change / renewal
¥10,000
¥100,000
Permanent residency application
¥10,000
¥300,000
Current fees are still ¥10,000 for both. The ceilings are legal maximums; the actual fees must be set by a separate Cabinet Order, which had not been issued as of June 2026. The ISA has indicated the expected PR application fee will be approximately ¥200,000.
Additionally, JESTA (Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization) — a pre-entry travel authorization similar to the US ESTA — was established in law, targeting implementation around FY2028 for travelers from 74 visa-exempt countries.
Sources: Nippon.com (Diet passage); Japan Today; visajapan.jp
7. Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) — Food Service New Applications Suspended
Effective: April 13, 2026
For the first time since the Specified Skilled Worker program launched in 2019, a sector quota was reached. The food service (restaurant) sector hit its 50,000-worker cap, and the ISA suspended all new Certificate of Eligibility (COE) issuance for overseas applicants in this sector.
Renewals for existing food service SSW workers: not affected
Domestic status changes (in-Japan applicants switching sectors): not affected
New overseas applications in the food service sector: suspended indefinitely until the quota is reset
Meanwhile, three new fields were announced for SSW inclusion: linen supply, warehouse logistics, and resource circulation (Cabinet decision January 2026). Practical rules and ordinances for these sectors are still being finalized.
Sources: ISA quota announcement; VisaVerge; Tommy's Legal
8. New Integrated Residence + My Number Card
Effective: June 14, 2026 (voluntary)
Japan launched the Specified Residence Card (特定在留カード) — a new IC chip-based card that combines the Residence Card and My Number card into a single document.
Key differences from the existing card:
Sensitive immigration details (period of stay, status type, approval dates) are stored in the IC chip rather than printed on the card surface
Personal information is less visible to others who see the physical card
Voluntary: Existing Residence Cards remain valid until their printed expiration date — you do not need to switch immediately
You can opt in to the new card during any normal immigration procedure: visa renewal, status change, permanent residency application, or card reissuance.
Official source: ISA (moj.go.jp/isa/tokutei.html); Fragomen; Erickson Immigration Group
9. Income Tax — Deductions Increased, More Low-Income Residents Tax-Exempt
Effective: 2026 tax year (affects 2027 local inhabitant tax)
As part of Japan's FY2026 tax reform package:
Basic deduction raised: ¥580,000 → ¥620,000
Employment income deduction minimum raised: ¥650,000 → ¥690,000
Combined minimum taxable income threshold raised: ¥1.6M → ¥1.78M
Practical effect: Residents earning under approximately ¥1.78M/year will pay zero income tax (up from ¥1.6M). All employed residents receive a modest deduction increase.
Coming in 2027: A new "defense tax" of approximately 1% additional income tax takes effect from January 2027 to fund Japan's defense budget increase.
Sources: EY Japan Tax Alert (Dec 2025); NTA materials
10. NHI — New Residents May Face 12-Month Upfront Premium
Effective: April 2026 (municipality-by-municipality option)
Based on an MHLW notification (October 2025), municipalities may now require up to 12 months of National Health Insurance (NHI) premiums paid upfront at enrollment for residents who were not registered in Japan as of January 1 of the previous fiscal year — typically targeting newly arrived residents.
This is a municipal option, not a national mandate. Whether your city or ward implements this depends on the local government.
Background: MHLW data showed foreign resident NHI payment rates of approximately 63%, compared with 93% overall, driving this policy.
Check with your ward office when enrolling in NHI — ask whether your municipality requires upfront payment and what the enrollment process is for newly arrived residents.
Sources: MHLW notification Oct 2025; Unseen Japan; visajapan.tokyo
11. Medical Fees — Copays Rise Slightly
Effective: June 1, 2026 (consultation fees); August 2026 (monthly caps)
The government implemented a +3.09% revision to medical service fees:
Initial consultation fee: up approximately ¥57/visit for 30% copay patients
Follow-up visit: up approximately ¥21/visit
New ¥20/visit "inflation surcharge" applies to all patients
Monthly out-of-pocket caps (高額療養費) for high-cost medical care will increase 4–7% across income tiers from August 2026. A new annual cap of approximately ¥530,000 is introduced for middle-income earners.
Impact: Modest cost increase for routine medical care. If you make frequent doctor visits, the new monthly and annual caps still protect against catastrophic costs.
Sources: Government fee revision announcement; Realgaijin substack
12. Visa Renewal Linked to Social Insurance — Coming June 2027
Announced in 2025–2026 | Effective: June 2027
Perhaps the most significant upcoming change: the ISA is building a system to cross-check NHI and National Pension payment records at the time of all visa renewals and status changes. Foreign residents with unpaid social insurance or pension premiums will, in principle, be denied visa renewal.
The system database integration is being constructed through FY2026. Permanent residency revocation for willful insurance/pension evasion is also added to law, effective April 2027.
Action now: If you have any outstanding NHI or National Pension payment gaps, address them before 2027. This change affects all mid-to-long-term visa holders — not just PR applicants. See our pension exemption guide if you cannot afford premiums: Can't Pay Japanese Pension? Apply for Exemption
Sources: Tokyo Weekender; GaijinPot; visajapan.jp
FAQ
Q1. Which 2026 changes affect me most if I'm on a standard work visa (技術・人文知識)?
The most impactful are #2 (if you're planning to apply for PR — your pension/tax record matters more now), #9 (modest tax savings), #10 (if you just arrived — ask your ward about NHI enrollment), and #12 (start paying all social insurance on time now to avoid visa denial risk from 2027).
Q2. I'm planning to apply for permanent residency this year. What do I need to check?
See change #2: you need a 5-year visa and at least 2 years of clean pension/tax/NHI payment records (no late payments). Fees are still ¥10,000 for now but could rise to ~¥200,000 once the Cabinet Order is issued.
Q3. I converted my foreign driver's license last year — am I affected by change #5?
No. Change #5 affects new conversions from October 1, 2025 onward. If you already hold a Japanese license, nothing changes for you.
Q4. I work in a restaurant on a Specified Skilled Worker visa. Am I affected by change #7?
If you are already in Japan with SSW status in food service: your existing status and renewals are not affected. The suspension targets new overseas applicants only. Continue your work as normal; your renewal rights are unchanged.
Q5. Do I have to switch to the new integrated residence card immediately?
No. Change #8 is voluntary. Your existing Residence Card remains valid until its expiration date. You can opt in to the new combined card the next time you visit immigration for a renewal, status change, or reissuance — or you can wait.
Lost Your Residence Card or Passport in Japan? Do This
Y
Yushi Yamamoto
CEO / Japan Life Expert
Updated on: July 27, 2026
Disclaimer
※ The information in this article is accurate as of the time of writing. Laws and regulations may change, so please always check official sources for the latest information. We assume no liability for any damages resulting from the content of this article.
