Japan Diet OKs Hiking Residency Fee Caps by Up to 30-Fold

Tokyo, May 29 (Jiji Press)–The Diet, Japan’s parliament, enacted on Friday a bill to raise the caps on fees for foreign nationals’ applications related to residence status by up to 30-fold. The revision to the immigration control and refugee recognition law was enacted at Friday’s plenary meeting of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber, after passing the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, in April. In the Upper House, the measure won majority support from the ruling camp of the Liberal Democratic Party and the Japan Innovation Party, as well as opposition forces including the Democratic Party for the People and Komeito. The major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan rejected the bill, citing the possibility of severe impacts on applicants for refugee status. The bill calls for raising the ceiling to 100,000 yen for permission to change residence status and extend the period of stay, and to 300,000 yen for permission for permanent residence. At present, the cap stands at a uniform 10,000 yen for the three categories. Actual fees are set within the limits based on a cabinet order, currently standing at 5,500-6,000 yen for status change and extended stay, and 10,000 yen for permanent residence. The government is considering raising them to 10,000-70,000 yen and to 200,000 yen, respectively. The portion of fee revenues that increases through the hike will be used to finance policy measures related to foreigners. The bill also features the establishment of a prearrival electronic travel authorization system, named the Japan Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or JESTA, which is similar to the United States’ Electronic System for Travel Authorization, or ESTA. JESTA is aimed at “preventing the entry of undesirable foreigners,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said. Under the system, the government will check information on foreign nationals from countries exempt from short-term stay visas prior to their arrival and deny entry to people deemed problematic. On Thursday, the Upper House’s Judicial Affairs Committee adopted a supplementary resolution asking the government to take care not to place excessive burdens on foreign residents when setting fees. It also called for minute care in administering JESTA to ensure it does not unreasonably restrict entry for refugees. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]