April 26, 2026

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

A bill to revise the Immigration Control Act that focuses on a drastic increase in immigration procedure fees was approved at a meeting of the House of Representatives Judicial Affairs Committee on April 24.

Foreign nationals residing in Japan need to renew their visas in accordance with the duration of their current status. For example, if the status is valid for six months, it must be renewed every six months, if for one year, it must be renewed every year. A fee is required for this process.

Currently, foreign residents pay a 6,000-yen fee for renewing or changing their visas and a 10,000-yen fee for a permanent residence permit. The Immigration Services Agency says that if the bill is enacted, the fee for extending and changing a visa status will climb to 10,000 yen for a three-month or less stay, 30,000 yen for a one-year stay, and 70,000 yen for a five-year stay, and the fee for a permanent residence permit will increase to 200,000 yen.

Under the government proposal, for example, the amount of renewal fees paid by a four-member family with one-year visas will jump to 120,000 yen from the current 24,000 yen.

Foreign residents who have difficulty in paying such high residence procedure fees may become overstayers even though they wish to continue living in Japan. It is likely that the law revision will play a role in destabilizing the legal status of foreign nationals living in Japan, financially depriving them of their visas, and forcing them to leave Japan.

The government, as the reason for higher fees, explains that from the viewpoint of the “beneficiary pays” principle, the cost of improving the environment for accepting foreigners should be borne by themselves. However, considering that foreign workers are now needed to support Japanese society, it is the government responsibility to provide a better environment for them, which benefits society as a whole. The bill aimed at imposing heavier burdens on foreign nationals in Japan to maintain their visas without any legitimate reason should be scrapped after thorough discussions at the House of Councillors.