With Japan tightening rules for foreign residents, some wonder if it’s time to say ‘sayonara’

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Zen gardens, futuristic cityscapes and a vibrant food scene, combined with a favorable exchange rate against the yen, have turned Japan into a tourist magnet that has been drawing in record numbers of visitors in recent years.

The number of people settling down for longer-term stays, including work and study, also hit an all-time high last year, likely due to the reliable safety and convenient infrastructure the world’s fourth-largest economy has to offer.

But recently, a series of tightened immigration policies imposed by the government has made those who’ve come to call Japan their second home wonder: Is it time to say “sayonara”?

Japan has a long history of strict immigration policies and a homogeneous population. However, gripped by a spiraling demographic crisis, the country gradually opened up to foreign workers as well as seeking more international tourists.

But such efforts did not wholly succeed.

Overtourism and reports — some true, others misconceived — of foreign residents flouting local rules have recently fueled the rise of “ Japan-first ” politics and reshaped the trajectory of what was becoming a more open, diverse and welcoming society.

Last month, the Japanese government, led by conservative Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi , said that a range of visa fees would rise in October — the latest in a series of stricter measures for foreigners.

Under the new rules, those looking to settle permanently in Japan will have to fork out 20 times more — 200,000 yen ($1,257) — to become a permanent resident.

Prices for other work and student visas will also rise.

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The purpose of the spike in fees is to forge “an orderly society in which foreigners and Japanese citizens coexist,” said Justice Minister Hiroshi Hiraguchi.

That left some foreign residents in Japan worrying whether it’s the start of a trend of tougher policies for newcomers.

The most drastic shifts impact those who plan to stay in Japan for the longest – those applying for permanent residency, a status that grants rights to work, unlimited entries, and infinite stay.

Effective from October, applicants are required to have an income level higher than that of average Japanese households. And from next April , aspiring permanent residents need to have a projected pension fund equivalent to 30 years of payouts. They also have to speak intermediate-level Japanese.

“Considering that permanent resident is the most stable status of residence, this revision makes necessary updates to the application of independent livelihood and national interest requirements to ensure applicants do not become a public burden,” said Hiraguchi during a press conference last month.

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Earlier this year, the government also tightened rules for foreign business owners, raising the capital requirement of a business manager visa popular among entrepreneurs from five million yen ($31,000) to 30 million ($126,000).

The number of foreign residents recached 4.1 million last year, a record high representing about 3.4% of the Japanese population. More than 930,000 Chinese nationals live in Japan, making it the largest group, while about 70,000 Americans also reside there.

The recent changes followed reports that some foreign residents had been driving up home prices or evading payments for their public health insurance. Japan has a national healthcare system which requires every resident to pay a monthly or yearly fee in order to access discounted medical services.

Others have been accused of exploiting the relatively affordable policies to acquire residency by creating shell companies, prompting calls to plug loopholes.

A surge in tourists has also annoyed some locals, who’ve accused them of causing a nuisance and increasing the cost of living– problems political pundits say were sometimes wrongly attributed to foreign residents.

The anger fueled the rise of Sanseito, a minor right-wing party that rallied against immigrants in recent elections, putting pressure on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party government.

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But the government’s new policies have sparked concerns among foreigners who have built a life in the country.

Some business owners have complained that the new capital requirement, which surged sixfold, significantly reduced their cash flow, rendering their business unsustainable.

Many Indian and Nepali restaurants were reportedly forced to close after their owners — most of whom came from their native countries to seek business opportunities in Japan — said their visa renewals had been rejected.

One of those affected by the new regulations is a transgender teacher from the US, who asked CNN for anonymity, fearing it could jeopardize her immigration status.

Although she and her American spouse have been living in Japan for nearly 10 years and she speaks fluent Japanese, she told CNN that her plans-in-progress to become a permanent resident are now more challenging.

“Our long-term goal is always to gain permanent residency, and that in particular is outrageously expensive under the currently proposed guidelines,” she said. “Obviously, it’s something that we could save up for, but it’s a wholly unpredicted expense.”

Her gender identity also adds levels of difficulty. Currently, her passport identifies her as a man and she is married to a woman. She can’t change it because Japan doesn’t recognize same-sex marriage. That would eliminate the possibility of using a spousal visa in Japan, which would have provided a backup option to staying in the country should her current work visa fall through.

Tokyo-based immigration lawyer Kazuki Yuda, from Touch Immigration Law Firm, said inquiries had spiked recently as people rushed to file their applications before the new changes came in.

He said the new rules were too strict and he expected the number of people qualifying for permanent residency to drastically drop.

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Takaichi’s government is walking a fine line between the need to calm public anger, on which its political foes ride, while addressing the urgent need to replenish the country’s workforce, at a time when its neighbors, from South Korea to Singapore, are loosening rules to attract young talent.

Japan’s fertility rate — the average number of children a woman is expected to have during her lifetime — plunged to the lowest in a decade last year at 1.14, although there appeared to be a slight uptick in the first half of this year, according to official statistics.

A fertility rate of at least 2.1 is required to maintain a stable population without immigration. As a result, Japan finds itself in a precarious position, caught between a lack of locals to fill roles in the workforce and a distrust of immigrants who can provide labor.

For some, Japan was already losing its appeal as a destination for work, as the yen fell to 40-year lows against the dollar. Now worries about visa costs and the uncertainties are causing some to think twice.

“As a fresh graduate, fees like this would have been impossible for me. Even now, I’m barely scraping by,” a foreign student wrote on X.

“Looking at the Japanese market 10 years from now, I genuinely feel from the bottom of my heart that things are heading for serious trouble,” she wrote.

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禅意花园、未来主义的城市景观和充满活力的美食，再加​​上日元的有利汇率，使日本成为旅游胜地，近年来吸引了创纪录的游客数量。

去年，选择在该国长期居住（包括工作和学习）的人数也创下历史新高，这很可能是因为世界第四大经济体拥有可靠的安全保障和便利的基础设施。

但最近，政府实施的一系列收紧的移民政策让那些把日本当作第二故乡的人们不禁思考：是不是该说“再见”了？

日本长期以来奉行严格的移民政策，人口构成也较为单一。然而，随着人口危机日益加剧，日本逐渐向外国劳工开放，并积极吸引更多国际游客。

但这些努力并未完全成功。

过度旅游以及有关外国居民违反当地规定的报道（有些属实，有些是误解）最近助长了“日本优先”政治的兴起，并重塑了日本社会走向更加开放、多元和包容的轨迹。

上个月，由保守派首相高市早苗领导的日本政府表示，一系列签证费用将于10月上涨——这是针对外国人的一系列更严格措施中的最新一项。

根据新规，那些希望在日本永久定居的人将需要支付20倍的费用——20万日元（1257美元）——才能成为永久居民。

其他工作签证和学生签证的价格也将上涨。

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日本的天然温泉资源正在枯竭，过度旅游是罪魁祸首。

法务大臣平口博表示，提高费用的目的是为了打造“外国人与日本公民共存的有序社会”。

这让一些在日外国居民担心，这是否预示着日本将对新来者采取更严格的政策。

最剧烈的变化影响的是那些计划在日本长期居住的人——那些申请永久居留权的人，永久居留权赋予他们工作、无限次入境和无限期居留的权利。

自10月起，申请人必须拥有高于日本家庭平均收入水平的收入。从明年4月起，申请永久居留权的申请人需要拥有相当于30年养老金领取额的预计养老金储备。此外，他们还必须具备中级日语水平。

“考虑到永久居民身份是最稳定的居住身份，此次修订对独立生活和国家利益要求的适用进行了必要的更新，以确保申请人不会成为公共负担，”平口在上个月的新闻发布会上表示。

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今年早些时候，日本政府还收紧了外国企业主的规则，将企业家常用的企业经理签证的资本要求从 500 万日元（31,000 美元）提高到 3000 万日元（126,000 美元）。

去年，日本的外国居民人数达到410万，创历史新高，约占日本总人口的3.4%。其中，中国公民超过93万，是最大的外国居民群体；此外，还有约7万美国人居住在日本。

近期政策调整源于有报道称，部分外国居民推高了日本房价或逃避缴纳公共医疗保险。日本实行全民医疗保健制度，要求所有居民缴纳月费或年费才能享受医疗服务折扣。

另一些人则被指控利用相对便宜的移民政策，通过设立空壳公司来获取居留权，这引发了人们呼吁堵住这些漏洞。

游客激增也惹恼了一些当地居民，他们指责游客造成滋扰并增加了生活成本——政治评论员表示，这些问题有时被错误地归咎于外国居民。

这种愤怒助长了右翼小党三成党的崛起，该党在最近的选举中积极反对移民，给执政的自民党政府施加了压力。

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但政府的新政策引发了在该国安家落户的外国人的担忧。

一些企业主抱怨说，新的资本要求激增了六倍，大大减少了他们的现金流，使他们的企业无法持续经营。

据报道，许多印度和尼泊尔餐馆被迫关门，因为它们的店主（他们大多来自自己的祖国，来日本寻求商机）表示他们的签证续签被拒绝了。

受新规影响的人之一是来自美国的跨性别教师，她要求 CNN 匿名采访，因为她担心这会危及她的移民身份。

虽然她和她的美国配偶在日本生活了近 10 年，而且她能说一口流利的日语，但她告诉 CNN，她正在制定的成为永久居民的计划现在更具挑战性。

“我们的长期目标始终是获得永久居留权，而按照目前提出的指导方针，这笔费用尤其高得离谱，”她说。“显然，我们可以为此攒钱，但这笔开支完全无法预料。”

她的性别认同也给她带来了诸多困难。目前，她的护照上显示她是男性，但她已婚，妻子是女性。由于日本不承认同性婚姻，她无法更改护照上的性别信息。这将使她无法申请配偶签证，而配偶签证原本可以作为她目前工作签证失效后留在日本的备选方案。

东京移民律师事务所 Touch Immigration Law Firm 的移民律师 Kazuki Yuda 表示，由于人们争相在新规生效前提交申请，最近咨询量激增。

他表示，新规过于严格，预计符合永久居留资格的人数将大幅下降。

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这座白雪皑皑的日本小镇象征着爱情。但过度旅游正在让这份甜蜜变质。

高市政府正小心翼翼地平衡着两方面的需求：一方面要平息公众的愤怒（政治对手正是利用这种愤怒），另一方面又要解决国家劳动力短缺的迫切需求。与此同时，从韩国到新加坡等邻国都在放宽规则以吸引年轻人才。

根据官方统计数据，日本的生育率（即一名女性一生中预期生育的平均子女数）去年跌至十年来的最低点 1.14，尽管今年上半年似乎略有回升。

日本需要至少2.1的生育率才能在不依赖移民的情况下维持人口稳定。因此，日本陷入了进退两难的境地：一方面，本地劳动力短缺；另一方面，对能够提供劳动力的移民缺乏信任。

对一些人来说，由于日元兑美元汇率跌至40年来的低点，日本作为工作目的地的吸引力已经开始下降。如今，签证费用和各种不确定因素的担忧，让一些人重新考虑赴日计划。

“作为一名应届毕业生，这样的学费对我来说是不可能承受的。即使现在，我也只是勉强糊口。”一位外国留学生在X论坛上写道。

“展望未来十年的日本市场，我发自内心地感到，情况将会变得非常糟糕，”她写道。