Tokyo.- Japanese authorities proposed this Tuesday new criteria for obtaining permanent residency, including maintaining an income above the country’s average or having a pension equivalent to 30 years of contributions.
The Immigration Services Agency of Japan detailed the new criteria in a public consultation that will be available for one month, until next September 4th.
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The revision of the rules is part of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s plan to respond to the unprecedented increase in the foreign-born population in Japan, which has generated criticism in some sectors of society for what they consider to be excessive permissiveness by the authorities.
In its explanation of the new requirements, the immigration agency detailed that “it is explicitly required to have economic conditions equal to or greater than those of Japanese citizens, both in the present and in the future,” so the candidate will be considered “if income consistently exceeds the average of Japanese households according to household size.”
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In addition, the new rules require maintaining a level of Japanese that allows for independent living, understanding Japanese systems and rules, and maintaining good conduct, among other aspects.
Permanent residency allows a foreign citizen to live and work in Japan indefinitely without renouncing their original nationality, and it is different from naturalization, which is also possible in the country.
According to Japanese media, slightly more than 940,000 people held permanent residency in Japan at the end of last year, out of more than 4 million foreign residents.
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In January, the Takaichi government proposed a series of measures to tighten immigration laws and promote “coexistence” with foreigners, including tightening requirements for obtaining permanent residency or restricting the purchase of property by foreign citizens.
The plan also includes support and integration measures, such as the implementation of consultation centers.
