Japan Govt to Take Stricter Measures on Foreign Residents for Failing to Pay Taxes, Medical Expenses

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:21 JST, June 7, 2025

The government revised the comprehensive measures for the acceptance and coexistence of foreign nationals to include policies that would tighten the screening of foreign nationals’ residency status. The policies include not allowing foreign residents with a history of unpaid social insurance premiums or taxes to renew their residency status.

The revision was made at a meeting of relevant ministers held on Friday.

Currently, the government denies reentry for short-term visitors such as tourists for failing to pay medical expenses, but the new measures will allow reentry to be denied to mid- to long-term foreign residents who fail to pay medical expenses.

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who was at the meeting, announced the establishment of an executive office at the Cabinet Secretariat to address a range of issues on foreign residents and visitors across different ministries.