Tourists from around the world continue to flock to Japan ’s bustling megacities and quiet onsen towns , generating a record-setting (and sometimes unmanageable ) influx of travelers: an increase from 25.1 million in 2023 to 42.7 million in 2025, according to the country’s tourism board . In the face of this boom, Japan is setting more boundaries with visitors, including levying an increased tourist tax and, as of October 1, making it harder for non-citizens to obtain residence status.

The number of foreign residents in Japan reached a record 3.96 million people in June 2025, prompting Japan’s immigration agency to tighten its eligibility guidelines for the country's permanent residency permit, which is available to foreign workers who have continuously lived in Japan for at least 10 years.…