Japan’s bid to cancel residency of foreigners who dodge taxes stirs unease

Tokyo’s plans to give authorities more power to revoke permanent residency prompts cries of xenophobia.

For foreigners in Japan, permanent residency has long been a much sought-after assurance of security in a country that has historically shunned mass immigration.

But proposals by Tokyo to cancel the permanent residence (PR) status for those who fail to pay their taxes and social insurance contributions are now calling that security into question, stirring unease among some longtime foreign residents.

Ben Shearon, a British native who has lived in Japan for almost 24 years, is among those questioning the rationale behind the proposed changes to immigration law.

A permanent resident, Shearon retired in 2022 and now spends most of his time working on his website RetireJapan, where he offers coaching and financial advice to Japan’s expatriate population.