Claims extracted
20
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
10%
2 of 20 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans right
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
68/100
BBC News's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
- Published
Japan has raised fees for foreigners looking to reside in the country, with the cost of permanent residency going up 20 times to 200,000 yen ($1,270; £955).
asserted
cost → publish → yen
Those seeking permanent residency must now also meet new income, pension and Japanese-language requirements.
asserted
Those → seek → requirements
Long lines formed outside immigration offices earlier this week as applicants sought to beat the fee hikes, with Tokyo's main immigration bureau reporting wait times of over seven hours.
asserted
bureau → form → hours
The fee increases are part of a series of changes to Japan's immigration policy under Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, which aim ito manage its rapidly growing foreign population.
asserted
which → aim → population
In July, Japan implemented a five-fold increase in visa fees for all foreigners – its first visa fee hike in 50 years.
asserted
Japan → implement → years
Authorities said this was meant to "reflect inflation and exchange rate fluctuations".
asserted
this → say → inflation
Although immigration remains politically sensitive and restrictive in Japan, the nation's ageing population is increasingly relying on foreign workers to plug a labour shortage.
asserted
population → remain → shortage
Japan's foreign resident population surpassed 4.12 million at the end of 2025, marking a record 9.5% increase from the previous year.
asserted
population → surpass → increase
This however has led to growing anxieties over immigration and social change.
asserted
This → lead → immigration
Takaichi has made managing immigration one of her key priorities since she took office in October last year.
asserted
she → make → October
In an X post days before the residency permit hikes set in, Takaichi wrote that her government recognises that "some members of the public may feel a sense of concern or unfairness" as Japan's foreign resident population grows.
uncertain
population → set → concern
"To address these concerns, [the government] is working to ensure that its policies toward foreign nationals are orderly, and that both Japanese citizens and foreign residents can live safely and securely," she wrote.
asserted
she → address → nationals
Before the hikes, it would cost non-permanent residents in Japan 6,000 yen each time they applied to change their residency status or extend their period of stay.
asserted
they → cost → stay
From 1 October, the fee varies according to the duration of stay sought – from 10,000 yen for three months or less, to 75,000 yen for five years or more.
uncertain
fee → vary → years
Applicants who face financial hardship or are designated as refugees would be granted discounts.
asserted
who → face → discounts
Aspiring permanent residents must now also earn a stable income at or above the Japanese average.
asserted
residents → aspire → average
Latest data released in July puts average household income at 5.75 million yen as of 2024.
asserted
data → release → 2024
From April next year, permanent residency applicants will face even tighter requirements, including basic Japanese language proficiency.
asserted
applicants → face → proficiency
This has led to a surge in enrollments at Japanese language schools as well as people signing up to take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test, local media reported.
asserted
media → lead → Test
Applicants' expected pension benefits must also be equivalent to that of someone who has enrolled into the employee pension system for 30 years, although the value of one's financial assets can be considered if their expected pension benefits fall short.
asserted
benefits → expect → assets
The Aporia
