Japan's two new filing rules for foreign founders and property owners

The ledger

Three dated changes, in the order they took effect

Each entry below states the rule, its effective date, who it affects, and the one-line consequence. Where the timing has an internal sequencing detail, it is stated exactly as the firm published it on 6 October 2026 — confirm current status against the primary source before filing.

1. Oct012026 Rule 1

   Revised Guidelines for Permission for Permanent Residence 永住許可に関するガイドライン（令和8年10月1日改定）

   Effective

   1 October 2026 — the income requirement hardens immediately.

   Who it affects

   Foreign nationals applying for, or planning to apply for, permanent residence (永住許可) in Japan.

   What changed

   For the first time the guidelines set explicit benchmarks rather than leaving them to case-by-case judgment:

   • Household income — in principle, the applicant's household income must continuously exceed the average income of a Japanese household of the same size.
   • Public pension — the applicant's estimated future pension entitlement is a new consideration.
   • Japanese language — B1-equivalent ability under the framework of reference for Japanese-language education, with exemptions that include highly skilled foreign professionals and their family members, applicants with six or more years of primary or secondary education in Japan, and children of permanent residents in defined cases.
   • Obligations — compliance with notification duties and proper payment of taxes, public pension, and public health insurance.
   • Residence history — in principle 10 or more continuous years in Japan, five of them under a work or residence status, and currently holding the maximum period of stay available for that status.

   Timing detail

   As stated in the firm's 6 Oct 2026 note: the revised guideline applies to applications filed on or after 1 April 2027; its income requirement applies from the revision date to applications filed on or after 1 Oct 2026. Separately, the guideline for permanent residence for persons recognised as contributing to Japan is abolished 31 March 2027.

   So whatPermanent residence is now screened on an income floor, a pension outlook, language, and compliance — not on years served alone. Confirm the sequencing above against the current 出入国在留管理庁 guideline before any filing.
2. Oct052026 Rule 2

   Nationality added to the real-property registration record 不動産登記規則の一部を改正する省令（2026年3月31日公布・10月5日施行）

   Effective

   5 October 2026 — the Ministry of Justice ordinance amending the Real Property Registration Rules (promulgated 31 March 2026) takes effect.

   Who it affects

   Natural persons who become the registered owner through a preservation, transfer, or correction registration — Japanese and non-Japanese alike.

   What changed

   Nationality information is added to the registry search-information record (検索用情報) when ownership of real property is newly registered. It is not printed on the registry certificate; it is recorded in a separate internal search-information management file, to establish the actual state of foreign-held real property and to support mandatory inheritance registration.

   What it is not

   It creates no general restriction on foreign ownership of Japanese real property — sector- and area-specific regimes apply separately. Owners already registered have no new obligation and may file the information voluntarily. The former requirement that a filer hold a domestic address has been removed, so owners resident abroad are covered. Corporations are outside this rule and fall under separate regimes, such as the Act on Special Measures concerning the Review of the Use of Land and the National Land Use Planning Act.

   So whatBuying and registering Japanese property as an individual now includes declaring your nationality. It changes disclosure and record-keeping — not your right to buy.
3. Oct012026 Fee

   Residence-permission fees rise 在留許可に係る手数料の改定

   Effective

   1 October 2026 for applications filed on or after that date; applications filed on or before 30 September 2026 pay the previous amounts.

   Who it affects

   Anyone filing for permission to change or extend a status of residence, or for permanent residence.

   What changed

   The fee for permanent-residence permission rose from 10,000 yen to 200,000 yen. Fees for permission to change or extend a status of residence now scale with the period granted — from 33,000 yen for one year to 75,000 yen for five years or longer.

   So whatBudget the filing fee as a line item, and note the date cut-off: the amount depends on the filing date, not the decision date.

Questions we are actually asked

Short answers

Do I need to do anything about the Oct 5 rule if I already own Japanese property?

No. Owners already registered have no new obligation. They may file the nationality information voluntarily. The rule attaches when ownership is newly registered.

Does the Oct 5 rule stop foreigners from buying property in Japan?

No. It creates no general restriction on foreign ownership of real property. It changes what is recorded in the registry's internal search-information file. Sector- and area-specific regimes apply separately.

Does the Oct 1 permanent-residence revision affect the Business Manager visa?

No. The revision governs permanent residence only. It does not change the Business Manager visa, or the incorporation route a founder uses to enter Japan.

Can I still incorporate a Japanese company without living in Japan?

Yes. Registration-only incorporation with no residency at entry remains available. The practical requirements are a registered address, a registry filing, and a bank relationship — coordinated, in a bilingual practice, end to end.

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