Japan to establish new foreign resident policy by March 2027

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has committed to establishing a new basic policy for the acceptance of foreign residents by March 2027. The government aims to balance the increasing necessity for foreign workers due to a declining domestic population with concerns regarding the pace of immigration and its impact on local communities.

The upcoming strategy will incorporate future population projections and simulations to address demographic trends, particularly under the assumption that efforts to reverse the declining birth rate may fail. While discussions regarding potential numerical limits on immigration are underway, no general cap on the total number of foreign residents has been officially approved.

Currently, Japan lacks legislation imposing a general limit on its foreign population, though specific quotas exist for certain residency statuses, such as the Specified Skilled Worker program. During parliamentary sessions, political leaders have pressured the administration to introduce specific limits on the annual net flow of foreigners and their overall share of the population.