Japan's Immigration Services Agency published a draft guideline on revoking Permanent Resident status on August 4, 2026. The draft clarifies the interpretation and application of revocation grounds added for Permanent Residents under the 2024 amendment to the Immigration Control and Refugee Recognition Act, and provides illustrative examples of cases that would be expected to trigger revocation.
Purpose of the Draft Guideline
- The 2024 amendment added three revocation grounds, expanding beyond the previous sole ground of false statements made in the Permanent Resident application
- The guideline clarifies the legal interpretation and application standards, aiming to ensure foreseeability for foreign residents, fairness in Immigration's dispositions, and appropriate reporting by national and local government bodies
- This responds to a supplementary resolution attached to the amendment law, which called for "formulation and dissemination of a guideline"
The Three Added Revocation Grounds
- ① Willful non-payment of public dues (all national and local taxes and other public charges, such as income tax, resident tax, corporate tax, public health insurance premiums, and pension premiums)
- ② Violation of obligations under the Immigration Act (excluding cases falling under deportation grounds)
- ③ Conviction for certain crimes (imprisonment for offenses such as theft, fraud, extortion, murder, or death/injury caused by dangerous driving, including cases where the sentence is suspended)
Illustrative Cases Warranting Revocation
- Non-payment of public dues: Cases where the person shows no intent to pay even after demand notices or delinquency procedures, or where fraudulent acts such as tax evasion or asset concealment to obstruct collection have occurred. This does not apply where unavoidable circumstances such as illness, disaster, or unemployment exist, or where the person is complying with installment or deferral arrangements
- Immigration Act violations: Failure to renew the residence card's validity period, failure to carry it, refusal to present it, or forgery/alteration of the residence card, use under another person's name, or providing/receiving such a card
- Criminal violations: Having a prior criminal record (including offenses committed before this system took effect) and additionally being sentenced to imprisonment for one of the above offenses
Measures Short of Revocation, and the Reporting Framework
Even where revocation is not warranted, the draft indicates a practice of ex officio changing the residence status to "Long-Term Resident" or similar, with subsequent confirmation of residence status through renewal procedures. Reporting to Immigration by national or local government bodies is not mandatory; it is described as providing necessary and feasible information where a body believes a case may fall under one of the revocation grounds. Based on such reports, Immigration investigates the facts and hears from the person concerned, after which the Minister of Justice determines whether revocation is warranted.
Summary
- Japan's Immigration Services Agency published a draft guideline on revoking Permanent Resident status on August 4, 2026
- The draft clarifies interpretation standards for three revocation grounds added by the 2024 Immigration Act amendment: unpaid public dues, Immigration Act violations, and certain criminal convictions
- Where revocation is not warranted, residence status may be changed ex officio to "Long-Term Resident" or similar, with continued monitoring
- Following a report from national or local government bodies, Immigration investigates and the Minister of Justice decides whether to revoke
Even for Permanent Residents, day-to-day compliance — including timely payment of public dues and proper management of one's residence card — is directly tied to maintaining that status. Those with concerns about their own situation are encouraged to consult a qualified Gyoseishoshi. Consult Sakura Central Legal Office (MOJ-certified application agent).