Life in Japan - Immigration Lawyer -

20/05/2026

News has emerged that a large number of visa brokers holding permanent residency have been arrested, and their permanent resident status has been revoked.

In response, immigration authorities in Japan are strengthening enforcement against illegal employment arrangements and visa brokers, particularly those operating on social media. In addition to traditional manual monitoring, AI-based analysis is now being utilized, making the detection of illegal activities more proactive and effective.

Going forward, enforcement is expected to focus not only on apprehending overstayers but also on those who provide employment opportunities to them, with stricter penalties being applied.

08/05/2026

Maintaining a Business Manager Visa has become extremely difficult in the current environment.

At first, we predicted that the number of applications would decrease by around 90%. However, the actual decrease now appears to be as high as 96%.

These numbers clearly show that many people have given up on obtaining a new Business Manager Visa, while many existing business owners have chosen to stop operating their businesses and switch to other visa categories.

Why are so many making this decision?
Because in many cases, if the application is denied, they may be forced to leave Japan within 30 days. The risk is extremely high.

However, the law is not rejecting all business owners.
With proper preparation and the right strategy, it is still entirely possible to obtain and maintain a Business Manager Visa.

If you are concerned about your Business Manager Visa status, please feel free to consult with us.

06/04/2026

3,175 Permanent Residents Arrested Last Year

As a new development regarding crime among permanent residents in Japan, the police have, for the first time, publicly announced the number of arrests involving permanent residents. According to this data, 3,175 permanent residents were arrested or charged with crimes last year.

The cases include activities such as allowing overstayers to work illegally and involvement in criminal infrastructures, including so-called visa broker operations. Based on this, there is a growing view that, for certain nationalities, a notable number of permanent residents may be involved in illegal activities.

In addition, there are a certain number of cases where individuals obtain permanent residency through sham marriages. In such cases, revocation of permanent resident status is possible. As enforcement becomes stricter, it is expected that the number of permanent residents may decrease in the future.

Furthermore, past illegal activities are increasingly being uncovered over time. In Japan, information sharing among authorities has advanced, meaning that even past actions can later have serious consequences.

The fact that the police have now publicly disclosed arrest figures for permanent residents is highly symbolic and reflects a significant shift in Japan’s immigration and public security policies.

https://www.sankei.com/article/20260402-6YE65VMHNZMMRCIXQ2RTRWET3U/

05/04/2026

Latest update regarding Japan’s work visa.

The requirements for the status of residence “Engineer / Specialist in Humanities / International Services” are becoming stricter. While Japanese language ability was not previously a formal requirement, it is now expected that a level equivalent to JLPT N2 or higher will be required in practice.

It is strongly recommended to take the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) as soon as possible and pass it in advance.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/992157b137cee0bd8989bb36ff5e68e10cf0ea0e

政府関係者によると、改定指針では、語学力の国際標準規格「CEFR（セファール）」で「B2」レベルの日本語能力を証明する書類の提出を求める。日本語能力試験では「N2」が相当する。

　専門的な知識を生かした職業向けの在留資格「技術・人文知識・国際業務」（技人国）の取得要件について、政府が、日本語を使う業務に就く場合は原則として日本語能力の証明を求める方針を固めたことが3日、政府

15/12/2025

A man who had been detained by Immigration for 12 and a half years has finally been deported.
He claimed that he was ill, but Immigration did not accept his explanation.

The government has started a plan to reduce illegal stay and fraudulent residency to zero.
KARIHOUMEN (provisional release) and KANRISOCHI (supervision measures) are not visas,
so sooner or later they will be canceled and deportation will follow.

People who are currently in an illegal status should take some kind of action as soon as possible,
such as applying for a shortened procedure or taking other appropriate steps, before it is too late.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/689e1f12b9e4d907f2f49fcd7e60bac30fb24577

14/12/2025

Notice to those planning to apply for a change of status from “Student” to a work-related status of residence

Immigration advises students who plan to start working in April to apply early for a change from a Student visa to a work visa.
Because applications increase significantly from January to March, late submissions or incomplete documents may delay the review process.
To avoid delays, applications should be submitted between December 1 and the end of January, although approval by the desired date cannot be guaranteed if additional review is required.

11/12/2025

Number of Illegal Overstayers as of July 1, 2025
The number of foreign nationals illegally overstaying in Japan as of July 1, 2025, was 71,229. This represents a decrease of 3,634 individuals (4.9%) compared to the figure of 74,863 as of January 1, 2025.
By gender, males accounted for 43,244 individuals (60.7% of the total) and females for 27,985 individuals (39.3% of the total). Compared to the figures as of January 1, 2025, the number of males decreased by 2,292 (5.0%), and the number of females decreased by 1,342 (4.6%).
Regarding the top 10 countries/regions of nationality, Turkey replaced Cambodia to become the 9th highest as of July 1, 2025, compared to the ranking as of January 1, 2025. Furthermore, all top 10 countries/regions showed a decrease in the number of overstayers compared to the figures from January 1, 2025.

11/12/2025

https://youtube.com/shorts/ioP9YAPOBwo?si=Nx5tPnQfyFZHkxQC

・使用フリー動画pixabayPexelsMotionElements使用音声VOICEVOX:青山龍星 #海外の反応

26/11/2025

If you have any unpaid medical bills of 10,000 yen or more, your visa will no longer be issued, so please be careful.

　外国人制度の適正化に関する自民党のプロジェクトチーム（PT）の初会合が26日、党本部で開かれ、政府が現在検討中の対応パッケージを提示した。 　訪日外国人による医療費不払いをなくすため、入国審査厳

25/11/2025

Tokyo Surpasses New York to Become the “World’s Largest Economic City”!

In 2025, Tokyo claimed the top position as the wealthiest city in the world.
According to the U.S. business magazine CEOWORLD, the city’s GDP reached 2.55 trillion dollars, placing it first in a ranking otherwise dominated by American cities.
The magazine analyzes that decades of technological innovation have formed the foundation of Tokyo’s economic strength.

＜米誌が発表した2025年版「世界で最も裕福な都市」ランキングで、東京が米ニューヨークを抑えてトップに。アジアの各都市が上位に名を連ねる結果となった＞ 2025年、東京が「世界で最も裕福な都市」として...