1. Japan's government is planning to implement stricter rules for foreign residents, denying residency renewal or change to those who fail to keep up with public health insurance and pension contributions.
2. The new rule, set to start in June 2027, will use payment records as a screening tool for residency applications. Foreign residents are currently required to join these programs after living in Japan for three months or more.
3. In the fiscal year through March 2025, foreign residents only paid approximately 49.7% of their due pension contributions and on average 63% of health insurance premiums, as of last year's end. The government also noted instances where individuals left Japan with unpaid health insurance bills despite using medical services. To address this issue, the ministry plans to allow newcomers to pay for health insurance in a lump sum starting from April 2026.