Japan's half-year immigration statistics, released on 16 October 2026, show a record 4,281,026 foreign residents at the end of June, a 4,034-holder drop in the Business Manager status, and overstayers down 4.8 per cent.
A Cabinet Secretariat working group is designing a two-course Japanese and daily-life learning programme for mid-to-long-term residents, with the trial set to begin from April 2028 and completion checks proposed at renewal, permanent residence and naturalisation.
From 1 April 2027 one support staffer may cover fewer than 50 Specified Skilled Worker (i) workers and, at a registered support organisation, fewer than 10 client employers, while organisations whose registration expires by 31 July 2027 must file renewals before that date to be judged under the current rules.
A cabinet-level basic policy on how many foreign nationals Japan accepts is due in March 2027, preceded by a population strategy at the end of 2026 that will set the labour-force figure it has to fit.
The Immigration Services Agency has consulted on adding a five-year period of stay to Specified Skilled Worker (ii), with the government planning a January 2027 start, while the five-year cumulative cap on Specified Skilled Worker (i) stays where it is.
The enacted 2026 immigration law sets no start date for Japan's electronic travel authorisation, only an outer limit of 31 March 2029, and the same provisions stop the Trusted Traveler Program card being issued.