14 Jun
Combined residence card and My Number begins
Japan started rolling out an integrated residence card and My Number card (特定在留カード) for foreign residents, merging two cards into one.
Japan Tax & Visa News
Short monthly updates on the changes that affect foreign residents.
June 2026
1 Jun
Calculator updated for the 2026 tax cuts
Japan's 2025 and 2026 tax reforms raised the basic deduction and the employment income deduction, lifting the tax-free income line to about ¥1.69 million and nudging up everyone's take-home pay. Our calculator now uses the new figures.
May 2026
29 May
Immigration fee ceilings raised
A law enacted on 29 May 2026 raised the legal caps on immigration fees (permanent residence up to ¥300,000; change or renewal up to ¥100,000). The actual amounts you will pay are still to be fixed by government order, so treat the caps as maximums, not the price.
April 2026
15 Apr
Language requirement starts for the Engineer/Specialist visa
From 15 April 2026, customer-facing roles under Japan's most common work visa require Japanese ability around CEFR B2, with extra paperwork for smaller (Category 3 and 4) employers. Purely technical roles are generally unaffected.
1 Apr
Joint custody becomes possible after divorce
A Civil Code reform in force since 1 April 2026 lets divorcing parents choose joint parental authority (共同親権), ending Japan's long-standing sole-custody-only system. A statutory minimum child-support scheme launched alongside it.
December 2025
19 Dec
Crypto tax reform takes shape
Japan set out plans to tax certain crypto assets like shares, at a flat rate of around 20% with loss carryforward, instead of the current up-to-55% income treatment. It is being phased in toward 2028.
October 2025
16 Oct
Business Manager visa overhauled
From 16 October 2025, the company-owner visa requires ¥30 million in capital (up from ¥5 million), at least one full-time employee, a real office, and JLPT N2 level Japanese. It is effectively closed to solo freelancers now.
1 Oct
Furusato nozei loyalty points banned
Since 1 October 2025, furusato nozei portals can no longer hand out their own bonus loyalty points on donations. The core tax benefit is unchanged; only the extra point campaigns are gone.