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📅 2026 Japan Policy Changes Timeline

All law changes affecting foreign residents and tourists, sorted by date

29 issues8 categories
2020-05-20
🚄
🚦 Traffic

Shinkansen Oversized Luggage Requires Reservation!

Oversized luggage (over 160cm total) on Shinkansen requires advance reservation. ¥1,000 fee without reservation. Easy booking via SmartEX app.

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2025-01-01
💰
💰 Tax

Income Tax Threshold: ¥1.03M→¥1.78M!

Basic deduction raised from ¥480K to ¥950K, tax-free threshold from ¥1.03M to ¥1.78M. Part-time workers' take-home pay increases significantly.

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2025-10-01
🪪
🚦 Traffic

Foreign License Conversion Tightened! 10→50 Questions

Effective October 1, 2025. Foreign license conversion test expanded 10→50 questions, pass mark 70→90%. Residence certificate required; tourists cannot convert.

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🏠
🏠 Housing

Housing Safety Net Law Revised! Foreigners = Priority Housing Support

Effective October 1, 2025. Foreigners are now explicitly listed as "Housing Support Priority Persons." Launching the MLIT-certified rent guarantor company system and supportive housing certification — expected to reduce rental refusals.

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2026-01-01
💳
🛒 Daily

Next-Gen My Number Card Arrives!

Next-gen My Number Card in 2026. New design, gender removed from face, 10-year validity. My Number Insurance Card function built in.

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🌊
🌊 Disaster

Earthquake Preparation Guide for Foreigners

Complete earthquake preparation guide for foreigners in Japan. Essential apps, emergency bags, and shelter locations explained in multiple languages.

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🗑️
🛒 Daily

Complete Garbage Sorting Guide

Complete guide to Japanese garbage sorting rules. Categories, collection days, and penalties for violations explained.

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2026-03-01
🏨
💰 Tax

Kyoto Accommodation Tax Surge!

From March 2026, Kyoto's accommodation tax increases significantly. Luxury stays taxed up to ¥10,000/night. 3-tier system for all accommodations.

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🏯
🛒 Daily

Himeji Castle Dual Pricing

Himeji Castle introduces dual pricing. Himeji residents ¥1,000, others ¥2,500. Residence card with Himeji address gets resident rate.

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2026-03-31
🏥
🏥 Health

Paper Health Insurance Cards Abolished!

Paper health insurance cards fully abolished on March 31, 2026. Transition to My Number Insurance Card. Qualification certificates available for those without My Number Card.

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2026-04-01
🚲
🚦 Traffic

Bicycle "Blue Ticket" — All 113 Violations

Effective April 1, 2026. Traffic fine system introduced for bicycles. Smartphone use: ¥12,000, running red lights: ¥6,000.

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🛂
🛂 Visa

Naturalization Rules Tightened! 10yr Residence, 5yr Tax

From April 1, 2026, naturalization requirements tightened significantly. ~10 years residence, 5 years tax records, 2 years social insurance payments effectively required.

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💴
💰 Tax

Pension Lump-Sum Withdrawal Rules Changed!

From April 2026, foreigners who departed with re-entry permits cannot claim pension lump-sum withdrawal during the permit validity period.

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👷
💼 Work

Social Insurance Coverage Expanded!

From April 2026, part-timers working 20+ hours/week at companies with 51+ employees must join social insurance (health insurance + pension).

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💸
🛂 Visa

Immigration Fees Hiked Massively

From April 1, 2026, visa renewal fees increase from ¥6K to up to ¥100K, permanent residency applications from ¥8K to ¥300K.

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⚡
🛒 Daily

Energy Subsidy Ends

Energy subsidy ended with March 2026 usage. ¥3,000+/month increase from April. Renewable surcharge hits record ¥3.98/kWh.

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🛂
🛂 Visa

Permanent Residency Requirements Tightened

From April 2026, permanent residency minimum stay extends from 3 to 5 years. MyNumber links social insurance verification. Grace period until March 2027.

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🔧
💼 Work

3 New Fields Added to Specified Skills

From April 2026, linen supply, logistics warehousing, and resource recycling added to Specified Skills. Total 19 fields, 5-year cap expanded to 1.23M.

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📋
🛒 Daily

April 2026 Price Hikes Summary

April 2026: electricity (+¥450/month), gas (+¥170/month), 200+ food items, and social insurance all going up simultaneously.

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🏥
💼 Work

Dependent Status Criteria Changed

From April 2026, dependent status based on projected income instead of past income. Temporary spikes won't disqualify. ¥1.3M wall remains.

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📱
🛒 Daily

Mobile Contract ID Verification → My Number Card Only

Effective April 1, 2026. Online mobile contract ID verification is unified under Public Personal Authentication (JPKI) via My Number Card. Those without one must sign up in person.

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2026-04-13
🍽️
🛂 Visa

Specified Skilled Worker "Food Service" Frozen! 50,000 Cap Reached

From April 13, 2026, new applications for Specified Skilled Worker (i) "Food Service" field are frozen. Resident count has reached the 50,000 cap. Skills tests also suspended domestically and overseas.

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2026-06-14
💳
🛂 Visa

Residence Card + My Number Card Combined

From June 14, 2026, a "Specified Residence Card" combining residence card and My Number Card into one starts. Switching is voluntary.

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2026-07-01
✈️
💰 Tax

Departure Tax Triples! ¥1,000→¥3,000

From July 1, 2026, Japan's departure tax increases from ¥1,000 to ¥3,000. Applies to everyone aged 2+.

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2026-08-01
💊
🏥 Health

High-Cost Medical Expenses Cap Raised

Effective August 1, 2026 (Phase 1). Monthly out-of-pocket cap raised 4–38% by income bracket. New annual cap of ¥530,000 for those earning ¥2–7.7M/year. Multiple-occurrence reduction kept as-is.

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2026-09-01
🚗
🚦 Traffic

Residential Road Speed Limit Cut to 30km/h!

From September 2026, speed limit on residential roads without center lines drops from 60km/h to 30km/h. Applies to all vehicles for pedestrian safety.

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2026-11-01
🛍️
💰 Tax

Tax-Free Shopping Overhaul! Store→Airport Refund

From Nov 1, 2026, tax-free shopping changes to refund system. Pay 10% tax at stores, get refund at airport.

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2027-01-01
✈️
🛂 Visa

eVisa + JESTA (Japan's ESTA) Coming Soon

eVisa expansion and upcoming JESTA (Japan's version of ESTA) launching in 2027. Online pre-screening required before travel.

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2027-04-01
👷
🛂 Visa

Technical Intern Training Abolished → Training Employment

From April 2027, "Technical Intern Training" abolished, replaced by "Training Employment". 2026 is preparation period. N5 Japanese required, voluntary transfers allowed, can transition to Specified Skilled Worker (i) after 3 years.

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