Japan was home to a record 4.12 million foreign residents as the end of 2025, an increase of 9.5% from a year earlier. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/28/japan/society/japan-foreign-resident-population-record/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #immigration #immigrationservicesagency #foreignworkers #jobs #expats

Foreign residents in Japan holding the country's specified skilled worker status totaled a record 390,296 at the end of 2025, the Immigration Services Agency said Friday. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/03/27/japan/specified-skilled-workers-number/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #foreignworkers #immigration #jobs #immigrationservicesagency

Japan’s immigration agency has tightened guidelines for permanent residency applicants as part of efforts to take a tougher stance on foreign nationals. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/02/25/japan/society/permanent-residency-guideline/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #society #immigrationservicesagency #immigration #visas

Amid an acute labor shortage, foreign workers in Japan hit a record high in 2025, totaling 2.57 million as of the end of October. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2026/01/30/japan/foreign-workers-record-high/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #immigration #immigrationservicesagency #mhlw #foreignworkers #expats #tourism #china #vietnam

I’d love dual citizenship, but the reality is that permanent residency just isn’t enough for this naturalized Japanese citizen. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2025/10/17/japan/choosing-japanese-citizenship/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #commentary #japan #visas #immigration #expats #foreignworkers #immigrationservicesagency #immigrationbureau #citizenship

The requirements for foreign nationals seeking business manager visas will become stricter starting next Thursday, such as requiring visa applicants to now have ¥30 million in capital, up from ¥5 million. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/10/10/japan/stricter-business-management-visa/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #immigrationservicesagency #immigration #visas #foreignworkers

The number of foreign residents in Japan under the Specified Skilled Worker visa status, meant to fill severe labor shortages in certain sectors, reached a record high as of the end of June. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/09/30/japan/japan-skilled-foreign-workers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #foreignworkers #immigration #visas #justiceministry #immigrationservicesagency

Concerns over Japanese nationality being easier to obtain than permanent residency came up in parliament talks last month, raising the question of how to make naturalizing more difficult. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/20/japan/politics/naturalization-permanent-residency/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #politics #foreignworkers #expats #diet #immigration #immigrationservicesagency #livinginjapan

A Tokyo court has ordered the government to pay ¥1.2 million in damages to two overstayers who got sick while they were held at a detention center. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/06/18/japan/crime-legal/court-rules-government-compensate-overstayers/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #immigrationservicesagency #japanesecourts #refugees #un

The family of a Sri Lankan woman who died in immigration custody plans to sue the Japanese government as early as May, demanding the full release of surveillance footage documenting her detention. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/04/04/japan/crime-legal/sri-lankan-woman-family-lawsuit/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=mastodon #japan #crimelegal #immigration #srilanka #immigrationservicesagency #nagoya #wishmasandamali