TOKYO – A controversial proposal in Japan has sparked debate as it aims to revoke the residency of foreigners who evade tax payments, introducing a new regulation that has garnered attention nationwide.
Currently, under Japanese law, foreign nationals can attain residency after spending ten years in the country, including holding a work permit for five years. However, some individuals have the opportunity to expedite this process based on a points system evaluating various factors including age and language proficiency. Some of the foreigners can even get the residency within a span of one year.
As far as the cancellation of residency is concerned, Japanese authorities possess limited powers to revoke permanent residency, which are typically exercised in cases of severe violations. For instance, the authorities wield the power to revoke residency if a foreigner has been sentenced to prison for more than one year.
The proposed amendment, currently under discussion, would authorize authorities to cancel residents’ visas for both tax evasion and prison terms of less than one year.
Statistics reveal that Japan is home to approximately 880,000 permanent resident visa holders, constituting less than 1 percent of the total population. While the proposal surfaced last month, a final decision is pending.
Public opinion on the matter is still divided. Some argue that only those who breach regulations should fear repercussions, expressing concerns that the amendment may dilute the significance of permanent residency but only to a limited extent.
While tax evasion is considered a serious offense in many European countries, the proposal to link it with residency revocation presents a different approach for Japan. Interestingly, the proposals come when the country is grappling with a declining birth rate crisis. In 2023, Japan witnessed a record-low birth rate, with a 5.1 percent decline in births and a 5.9 percent drop in marriages.
With the birth crisis in place and labor shortage in the offing, some say that the country needs to ease the visa process for foreigners and immigrants who can drive the engine of growth, or else the country would have to face consequences.
