⚖️ Draft Rules to Revoke Permanent Residency

❓ What's Changing?

On August 4, 2026, Japan's Immigration Services Agency opened public comment on a draft titled Guideline on the Revocation of the Status of Residence of Permanent Resident (e-Gov case No. 315000141; comments close at 0:00 on September 4). The 2024 (Reiwa 6) amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act added three new grounds for revoking the Permanent Resident status (Article 22-4, Paragraph 1, Items 8 and 9). Until now the status could only be revoked if the permanent residence application itself contained falsehoods. The new grounds are: (1) intentionally failing to pay public dues; (2) breaching obligations under the Immigration Act; and (3) being sentenced to imprisonment as an intentional offender for certain crimes such as theft, fraud, extortion, murder, or dangerous driving causing death or injury. This revocation system takes effect on April 1, 2027. The draft guideline clarifies how the law will be interpreted and applied and lists concrete examples, so that foreign residents can foresee the consequences, dispositions stay fair, and national and local authorities report appropriately. A supplementary Diet resolution attached to the amendment had called for careful operation and for a guideline to be drawn up and publicized. The adoption date is still left blank — this remains only a draft.

👥 Who's Affected?

• ●Foreign nationals holding the Permanent Resident status of residence in Japan (the new revocation system starts April 1, 2027)
• ●Those who know they owe income tax, resident tax, corporate tax, or public medical and pension insurance premiums yet deliberately do not pay, where it is clear they have no intention of paying going forward
• ●Those who fail to renew the validity period of their residence card, do not carry it, refuse to present it, or forge, alter, or use someone else's card (cases amounting to deportation grounds are excluded)
• ●Those sentenced to imprisonment as an intentional offender for certain crimes such as theft, fraud, extortion, murder, or dangerous driving causing death or injury — regardless of the length of the term, and including suspended sentences
• ●[Not covered] People with unavoidable circumstances and no fault of their own, such as illness, disaster, or unemployment; and people who responded to a demand notice, showed willingness to pay, and are on an installment or deferral arrangement

🌏 Impact on Foreign Residents

Revocation is not automatic. The amendment set up provisions for national and local government officials to report to the Immigration Services Agency (Article 62-2), but reporting is not an obligation — information is provided within the necessary and possible scope when a case appears to fall under the revocation grounds. A report is only a starting point: the Agency then investigates the facts and holds a hearing, and the Minister of Justice decides whether revocation is warranted. Even where a ground applies, unless continued residence in Japan is deemed inappropriate, the Minister changes the status ex officio to another one such as Long-Term Resident (Article 22-6), with the situation reviewed at the next period-of-stay renewal. For unpaid public dues, revocation is limited to cases where the amount, period, and frequency are hard to overlook by social norms and it is clear there is no intention to pay going forward — being on an installment or deferral arrangement does not qualify.