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2026-04-01Traffic
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.
Ignorance is no excuse.
Must-know issues for anyone living in or visiting Japan, in 5 languages.
🇯🇵 日本語🇺🇸 English🇨🇳 中文🇻🇳 Tiếng Việt🇰🇷 한국어
Categories
Latest Issues
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2026-07-01Tax & Pension
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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2026-11-01Tax & Pension
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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2026-04-01Visa & Residence
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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2026-03-31Healthcare
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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2026-03-01Tax & Pension
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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2020-05-20Traffic
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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2026-09-01Traffic
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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2025-01-01Tax & Pension
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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2026-01-01Daily Life
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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2026-04-01Tax & Pension
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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2026-04-01Work & Labor
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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2026-01-01Disaster Prep
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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2026-01-01Daily Life
Complete Garbage Sorting Guide
Complete guide to Japanese garbage sorting rules. Categories, collection days, and penalties for violations explained.
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2027-01-01Visa & Residence
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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2026-04-01Visa & Residence
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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2026-06-14Visa & Residence
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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2026-04-01Daily Life
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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2026-03-01Daily Life
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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2026-04-01Visa & Residence
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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2026-04-01Work & Labor
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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2026-04-01Daily Life
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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2026-04-01Work & Labor
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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2025-10-01Traffic
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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2027-04-01Visa & Residence
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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2026-04-13Visa & Residence
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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2026-04-01Daily Life
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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2025-10-01Housing
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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2026-08-01Healthcare
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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2025-10-01Work & Labor
Minimum Wage Hits ¥1,121 Nationwide! All Prefectures Above ¥1,000
Effective October 2025. National weighted average reaches ¥1,121/hr (+¥66 YoY). All 47 prefectures surpass ¥1,000 for the first time. Directly impacts hourly wages for foreign part-timers and specified skilled workers.
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2026-04-01Tax & Pension
National Pension Premium Up ¥410/month (¥17,510→¥17,920)
From April 2026, National Pension premium rises from ¥17,510 to ¥17,920/month. Full Old-Age Basic Pension: ¥70,608/month. Directly affects all foreign residents enrolled as Category 1 insured.
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2026-04-01Daily Life
Child Care Support Levy Added to Health Insurance
From April 2026, a "Child Care Support Levy" is added to health insurance premiums (~0.23%, ~¥500/month). All insured persons — including single, childless foreigners — pay equally. Take-home pay decreases.
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2026-01-01Work & Labor
Freelance Protection Law + Subcontracting Law Expanded
Building on the 2024 Freelance Protection Act, the "SME Subcontracting Fairness Act" takes effect January 2026. Written contracts and on-time payment are now mandatory. Foreign freelancers working on contract in Japan are also protected.
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2026-05-01Daily Life
Renewable Energy Surcharge Breaks ¥4! Electricity Bills Rise Again
From May 2026 meter reading, the renewable energy surcharge rises from ¥3.98 to ¥4.18/kWh. ~¥52/month more for 260kWh usage. Winter heating costs increase further. Electricity bills have been rising continuously since 2024.
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2026-04-01Tax & Pension
National Health Insurance Premium Cap Raised to ¥1.1M
From April 2026, National Health Insurance premium cap rises from ¥1.09M to ¥1.1M. Medical portion up from ¥660K to ¥670K. Affects high-income foreign residents earning ~¥11.5M+.
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2026-10-01Tax & Pension
Invoice System Transitional Measure Reduced 80%→70%
From October 2026, input tax credit from tax-exempt businesses reduced from 80% to 70%. Affects foreign freelancers, sole proprietors, and businesses dealing with exempt vendors.
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2026-03-31Traffic
Vehicle Environmental Performance Tax Abolished (Up to ¥90K→¥0)
Vehicle Environmental Performance Tax fully abolished on March 31, 2026. Tax burden reduced by up to ~¥90,000 when purchasing new or used cars. Benefits foreign residents buying vehicles in Japan.
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2026-04-01Traffic
Highway ETC Night Discount Narrowed to 0–4 AM (Effective Price Hike)
Highway late-night ETC discount (30% off) narrowed from 10 PM–6 AM to 12 AM–4 AM. Effectively a price increase for rental car tourists and long-distance drivers.
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2026-05-01Disaster Prep
Linear Rainband "Imminent Forecast" Launches
From the 2026 flood season, a new disaster weather system will forecast linear rainband formation 2–3 hours in advance. Enables earlier evacuation prep during rainy/typhoon season. Check multilingual app notifications.
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2026-01-01Disaster Prep
Nankai Trough Earthquake Alert — Action Guide
80 years since the last Nankai Trough earthquake (1946). Guide to pre-evacuation actions when "Caution" or "Warning" alerts are issued. Multilingual leaflets available for foreign residents and tourists.
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2026-04-01Work & Labor
In-Service Old-Age Pension Cap Raised ¥500K→¥620K
From April 2026, the earnings threshold for pension reduction while working rises from ¥500K to ¥620K/month. Elderly foreign residents working and receiving pension may see higher payouts.
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2025-10-01Work & Labor
Flexible Work for Parents Now Mandatory (2+ of 5 Options)
Employers must offer 2+ out of 5 flexible work options (remote work, staggered hours, shorter hours, etc.) to employees with children aged 3 to pre-school. Foreign employees are also covered.
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2026-04-01Housing
Kyoto City Vacation Rental Regulations Tightened
Kyoto City is tightening vacation rental rules: "zero-day zones" where no rentals are allowed, late-night spot inspections, and business suspension orders for unregistered operators. Affects tourists using Airbnb and foreign property owners.
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2026-04-01Healthcare
Brand-Name Drug Extra Charge Expanded (775 Items)
From April 2026, 34 more brand-name drugs added to the "selected medical treatment" list (total 775). Patients choosing brand-name over generic pay 1/4 of the price difference out of pocket. Affects foreign residents with chronic conditions.
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2026-06-01Healthcare
2026 Medical Fee Revision — Consultation Fees Effectively Raised
From June 2026, new price-adjustment surcharges effectively raise initial consultation by ~¥20 and follow-up by ~¥30. Affects out-of-pocket costs for foreign residents at 30% copay.
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2026-04-01Healthcare
2026 Drug Price Revision — Prescription Drugs Generally Cheaper
From April 2026, drug prices cut by 0.86% (medical cost basis). Some items reduced by over 40% under market expansion reassessment. Lower out-of-pocket costs for foreign patients using prescription drugs.
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2026-04-01Tax & Pension
Low-Value Import Tax Exemption Under Review (<¥10K)
The Ministry of Finance is reviewing abolition/reduction of duty-free threshold for imports under ¥10,000. May affect foreign residents who shop from overseas sites (Shein, Amazon.com, etc.).
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2026-04-01Housing
Nationality Disclosure Required for Real Estate Registration
From FY2026, nationality and passport/ID documents must be submitted when registering real estate (land/buildings). Applies to everyone including Japanese nationals. Not shown on public registry — managed in government database.
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2025-12-31Tax & Pension
Gasoline Tax Abolished! ~¥25/L Cheaper
Japan's 50-year provisional gasoline tax ended Dec 31, 2025: gasoline ~¥25.1/L cheaper, diesel ~¥17.1/L from Apr 1, 2026. Subsidies phase the drop into pump prices—good news for foreign drivers.
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2026-04-01Tax & Pension
Heated Tobacco Tax Hike! Apr & Oct
Heated tobacco (IQOS, glo, Ploom) is taxed closer to cigarettes in two 2026 stages, then rises yearly to 2029—Terea ¥580 to about ¥700. A rising cost for foreign smokers and visitors in Japan.
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2025-10-01Tax & Pension
Furusato Tax Point Rewards Fully Banned!
From Oct 1, 2025, furusato-tax sites like Rakuten and PayPay can no longer add their own reward points, under a revised Soumu-sho standard. Gifts and the tax deduction stay, but the effective perk shrinks—relevant to tax-paying foreign residents.
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2026-04-01Daily Life
Childcare for All Children, Nationwide
In April 2026, Japan launches the Kodomo Dare-demo Tsuen system nationwide — part-time childcare with no employment requirement. Children aged 6 months to under 3 who are not enrolled in nursery can attend up to 10 hours a month for about ¥300 per hour.
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2026-04-01Daily Life
High School Tuition — No Income Cap
From April 2026, Japan removes the income cap on the High School Enrollment Support Fund, so households qualify regardless of income, and the private-school cap rises to ¥457,200/year. But foreign students must meet residence-status rules: Student status is excluded and Dependent status has extra conditions.
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2024-10-01Daily Life
Child Allowance Expanded to High Schoolers
From October 2024, Japan greatly expanded its Child Allowance (jido teate). The income cap was removed, and eligibility now extends from junior-high age up to high-school age (until the first March 31 after a child turns 18). Payments for a third or later child rise to ¥30,000/month, and are now made six times a year in even months instead of three. Eligible families who have not applied must do so.
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2025-07-01Daily Life
Mt. Fuji Now Charges ¥4,000 + Mandatory Web Booking
From July 2025, all four Mt. Fuji trails (Yamanashi's Yoshida and Shizuoka's Fujinomiya, Gotemba, Subashiri) require a ¥4,000 entry fee and advance web reservation. Entry is blocked 2pm–3am, and the Yoshida trail caps climbers at 4,000 per day to curb reckless overnight climbing.
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2025-10-01Daily Life
NHK Online Streaming Now Needs a Fee (¥1,100/mo)
The revised Broadcast Act of October 1, 2025 makes viewing NHK's new online service NHK ONE subject to the fee. With no TV and an internet-only viewing application, it costs ¥1,100/month (¥965 in Okinawa). Merely owning a smartphone creates no obligation, and TV license holders pay nothing extra.
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2025-04-01Daily Life
Water Bills Surge Nationwide (Up to 40%)
Since around 2025, water rate hikes have been spreading across Japan's municipalities, driven by aging pipes laid in the high-growth era and falling fee revenue as the population shrinks. A 2025 study by the Finance Ministry's Policy Research Institute estimates that utilities not covering renewal costs would need an average hike of about 80% to reach full cost recovery. All residents, foreigners included, are affected.
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2026-04-01Visa & Residence
Unpaid Medical Bills Bar Re-Entry
From April 1, 2026, Japan cuts the threshold for reporting foreign visitors' unpaid medical bills from ¥200,000 to just ¥10,000. Short-term visitors with unpaid bills are shared with Immigration and may be refused re-entry.
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2027-06-01Visa & Residence
Unpaid Insurance? Visa Renewal Denied
From June 2027, mid-to-long-term foreign residents who chronically default on national health insurance or pension premiums and ignore payment guidance will, in principle, be denied residence status renewal or change. Municipal and immigration systems link in FY2026 to reflect arrears automatically.
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2025-03-24Traffic
My Number Driver's License Launches!
From March 24, 2025, Japan launched the "My Number Driver's License," combining your license into your My Number Card. Excellent and general drivers can take renewal courses online, and address changes finish at the city office alone. Opt-in.
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2025-04-01Traffic
New-Standard Mopeds Arrive! 50cc Ends
From April 1, 2025, 125cc-class bikes with power capped at 4.0kW became "new-standard mopeds" you can ride on a moped license. Tighter emission rules make 50cc engines hard to build, so domestic 50cc production ends in late October 2025. Traffic rules stay the same as before.
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2025-06-01Work & Labor
Mandatory Workplace Heatstroke Measures
From June 1, 2025, a revised Industrial Safety and Health Regulation makes workplace heatstroke measures mandatory with penalties. It covers work at WBGT 28°C+ or 31°C+ air temperature lasting over 1 continuous hour or 4 hours a day. Employers must set up detection/reporting systems and worsening-prevention procedures; violations bring up to 6 months in prison or a ¥500,000 fine.
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2024-04-01Disaster Prep
Heatstroke Special Alert & Cooling Shelters Begin
Japan's 2024 Climate Change Adaptation Act created the Heatstroke Special Alert (WBGT 35 prefecture-wide) and cooling shelters anyone can use — summer heat safety for foreign residents and tourists.
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2025-04-01Daily Life
Free University Tuition for Families With 3+ Kids
From April 2025, families supporting three or more dependent children get free university tuition and entrance fees, with no income cap — up to about ¥700,000/yr + ¥260,000 at private universities. Certain residence statuses only; student-visa holders excluded.
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2025-04-01Healthcare
Shingles Vaccine Is Now Routine (Age 65+)
From April 2025, the shingles vaccine became a routine Category-B immunization: mainly people turning 65, plus ages 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, and 100 through FY2029, with municipal subsidies. Choose one live dose or two recombinant doses.